So what exactly is all this talk about personal branding and why should you care? If this question has been on your mind, then you have clicked on the right link. There are three important elements of your personal brand to consider and a few simple steps you can take to be sure you are setting yourself up as you would like to be portrayed.
Why is my personal brand important?
Just why should you care about your personal brand? Well, there are many reasons to care. Some may be more obvious, such as keeping a good reputation or setting yourself up for future employment. However their are many more benefits if you look just a bit deeper. Consider the time you have worked to get buy-in on your point of view: Did your words carry any weight or did you have to do a lot of selling to get through? Did you even get through? Having an established, branded presence brings with it the view of you as an expert in your field. In other words you are someone worth listening to. Having an established brand allows you to get through when you need to. On a personal level, this will increase your self confidence which will in turn lead you to produce better work. Better work will open up more opportunities. More opportunities will create even higher self confidence and the cycle of positive returns will continue to grow and pick up momentum. The snowball effect!
What might the boss say?
Often the question rises: As an employer should I discourage employees from promoting their brand? The simple answer to this is: Absolutely not! Why not? Let me answer that with another question for you: Have you ever worked in a place where you have felt stifled or held back? If you could not be yourself, truly share all of your talents, then how well did you perform? The best employers understand that an empowered, diverse team is the most dynamic force you can have working for you. Encouraging personal branding calls to attention the talents each member of your team excels in, it instills personal confidence with each group member, and it pulls the group together with a better understanding of what each member brings to the table. A proud and empowered team who knows their strengths and weaknesses is a force to be reckoned with!
Where do we begin?
There are three basic elements to driving your personal brand. In my latest endeavor to help businesses grow by creating a culture where personal branding flourishes, I help leaders and employees focus on the these elements to develop some simple practices to improve presentation, performance, and morale. You may be doing some of these already without giving it much thought. For example: What do you wear to work everyday? Do you have an online presence? Are you sharing updates and posting online? Each of these questions relates to a different way that you can help or hurt your personal brand.
Element 1: Before the days of the internet…
Believe it or not, there was such a thing as personal branding before the days of online blogs and networking. Perhaps it was known by another name. Maybe it was simply referred to as appearance and demeanor. Yes it is true, you have to dress the part and act the part or your brand will be worth nothing. In the marketing world this is referred to as having brand integrity. Have you ever seen a great ad for a new product, finding it in a store to try it out and when you get home you learn that it doesn’t work well? Talk about a disappointment! Before you get excited to go advertise who you are, take a self evaluation of how you present yourself and interact with others at work. Are you staying true to your brand? How respectful is your side of the conversation with others? How clean and tidy is your appearance? Are you consistent in your level of professionalism both in dress and communication? These are the things to consider to make sure you are living up to the brand you want to portray. Don’t be the disappointing product someone else was excited to try. Staying true to this element is critical to giving your brand integrity.
Element 2: When people look me up they find…
Take charge of what people find out when they search for you on the internet. I recommend that individuals as well as companies do this on a frequent basis. Everyone has that dread of bad press being on the market so start by getting ahead of it to see what comes up. Then be sure to create plenty of positive on your own. Start with your online profiles. Your LinkedIn profile is a great place to start and can be dynamic by just following a few basic pointers. There are many styles of profiles and images out there. The important thing is not which one you choose. The critical element is that the style is right for your brand. As you set your profile up look for consistency in style and self branding. Not only is a consistent style aesthetically pleasing, it portrays you in a more positive light.
Element 3: When I post something it states…
Don’t post anything you feel like. Do I need to say it again? Don’t post anything that you feel like. Each time you post, like or share anything, you must first ask yourself: How does this fit into my personal brand? How does this tell my story? It is tempting to hit the like button when you know people may see your image pop up. However, if your post does not tie into your personal story you are doing yourself more harm than good. Just as we are taught to think before we speak, we must also think before we post. Every action you take will either develop or detract from your brand and in turn your reputation. Make it a point to seek out information on news feeds or online that tie into your industry or position. A simple way to do this is to make sure you are following companies or groups within your industry. In doing this, you will not only be better informed, you will also have access to relevant information daily. Remember, keep it positive, keep it topical and grow your brand!
Putting it all together!
As a personal brand consultant I work with companies from multiple industries with a varying range in team size. We are able to work together to coach the employees to highlight their individual skills in and out of the workplace. Above and beyond the benefits to the employee, the benefits this brings back to the employer are tremendous. Here are just a few:
- Increased productivity, professionalism and morale in the office
- Higher rate of employee retention and referrals for better candidates
- More consistent company image to current and potential clients
If you are the boss that is still asking: Why would I want to help my employees promote themselves? Then consider joining the best of the best bosses who understand that confident employees create a better workplace. The better the workplace, the better your employee retention. I understand, it can seem counter intuitive, but why not give it a try?
What is your perspective?
- As an employee would you value your employer helping you enhance your brand?
- As a manager do you see the benefits to your company through your employees’ success?
Thank you very much for continuing on this journey with me. I look forward to sharing more with you soon. Please share your perspective in the comments below.
Andy Vargo is a motivational speaker, life coach and comedian who challenges you to ‘Own Your Awkward’. He is the author of the Awkward Journal series, host of the podcast, Own Your Awkward, and shares thoughts and ideas in his blog and video series available at awkwardcareer.com.
Originally published on LinkedIn