Branding is personal. It’s about who you are, what you do, and how people see your business. Whether you’re an entrepreneur with a start-up or a seasoned executive with decades of experience, personal branding can elevate your company to the next level (and boost your confidence too). These five habits will help give you that edge:
1. Share personal stories on social media
Sharing personal stories on social media is one of the best ways to engage your audience, who is also your target market. Social media is also the best platform that allows you to be in control of the content and, therefore, your narrative. Be positive and authentic, allowing your audience to see the face behind your business and the person they’re supporting when buying from you.
Share stories such as the origins of your business. Introduce the people who support your operations. Talk about the struggles you’ve faced to launch your business. Engage your audience with behind-the-scenes photos and videos of how you create your products. You may even be honest about all the failures and lessons you’ve learned that led you up to this point.
2. Engage with your audience
Encourage conversations with your audience. Allow them to ask you questions. Comment on posts from people in your community. Like and share their content. This is a great way to introduce yourself and expand your reach while also building your reputation.
3. Be consistent
Authenticity is crucial when building a personal brand. You can accomplish this by aligning your words with your actions and being consistent. You can’t say one thing and do another. Staying consistent starts by defining who you are, which you can achieve by increasing self-awareness. Think about your values and how they impact your business decision-making and operations. Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses. Highlight those strengths in your content; you can also be honest about your shortcomings, which will also help you be more human and relatable to your audience.
4. Conduct research on competitors
Looking into your competitors’ activities doesn’t mean copying what others in your industry are doing. However, it will motivate you and keep you competitive, knowing what is going on in your community.
5. Google yourself
When defining your brand, start by Googling yourself. It may surprise you to find how much of a digital footprint you’ve already left behind. The problem is that what you see may already be hurting you because chances are, your audience also Googles you. And what they may find may not put you in the best light. The best thing you can do is take over these narratives and leverage social media to share your truth.
This is also why it’s important to post often and consistently. At some point, the harmful content from your past can be pushed to the back. Also, if you have the control to take down some of those distasteful posts, you should go ahead and do that. They may be posts on social media from a decade ago when you were younger and less wise, not realizing you would be a respectable business owner someday.
