Why Personal Branding Is Important for Entrepreneurs
It’s understandable for business owners to focus on building their business brands. After all, everyone wants to make sure that their companies are visible, and that they are promoting an “attitude” with your business brand.
But while you’re making sure to get your company branding out there, don’t forget about your own personal brand.
Why Personal Brand Matters for Entrepreneurs
Even though you want to build a company that has a recognizable brand, you also need to pay attention to your own personal branding. Who are you, personally?
We live in an era where social media provides practically anyone the chance to build a following. In many cases, people want to know who you are--who is the person behind your business? Knowing who you are can help your business seem more “real,” even if you don’t want to draw a line between your company brand and personal brand--especially if you expect to sell your business at some point.
Having a personal brand can boost your company's visibility and bring more attention to your business. When you are seen as a thought leader or expert in your industry, this will naturally attract more eyeballs to your company. There’s a reason why so many business leaders and entrepreneurs today make it a point to build their own personal brands and share their thoughts and experiences on a wide variety of platforms.
Don’t discount the power of building your own personal brand, and leveraging it to boost PR for growing your business.
Tips for Building Your Personal Brand
Building a personal brand doesn't mean just signing up for X and spouting off anything that comes to mind, or posting random pictures on Instagram. And don’t start using TikTok just because that’s where the cool kids are now. Instead, if you want to get started creating your personal brand, here are a few strategies to employ:
Start With What You Offer
Know who you are and what you offer. One of the most important things about any branding is authenticity, whether you are creating your business branding or working on your personal brand, you should know who you are and what you have to offer. Be clear about what you are about.
In my circle, I’m known for offering no-nonsense and practical advice, whether I talk about how to get started as a freelancer, or whether I’m offering my views on money. People know that I’ll be straightforward, and I'll offer concrete and actionable ideas. They also know that sometimes I swear and that I can be snarky and sarcastic. It’s who I am, and it offers value to a certain group of people. You can do the same thing. Narrow down what you offer, and crystalize who you are. It will be easier to brand yourself when you are clear about who you are.
Know Your Persona
Once you know what you offer, it’s time to be aware of your persona. Are you in a field where it’s important to be professional? For the most part, I am professional. I use the same professional headshot for most of my bylines and other work. I project a professional image that is slightly irreverent. If your business is considered “rebellious” or “high-end” or something else, the way you present yourself should be consistent with that.
Try to be consistent across social media channels so that your followers are clear about who you are and where to find you. Your persona should be a reflection of who you really are.
Use Keywords
What keywords do you want associated with your name? I like to brand myself as a journalist, so I use terms like “freelance journalist” and “financial journalist.” I also make sure that many of my thoughts and valuable shares revolve subjects/keywords like “freelancing,” “money,” “personal finance,” “professional writing,” and “beginning investing.” What are the keywords you want associated with you?
When you create content, whether it’s a short tweet or a video for Instagram, make sure you use keywords associated with your expertise. That way, you can brand yourself as a thought leader on these subjects.
Read what you write before you post: Whether you’ve just finished a long blog post or you're getting ready to post on Facebook, think about how you appear. Read what you write and self-vet it. First of all, look for typos and grammatical issues. You want to come across as professional, polished, and competent. Next, examine the content. I try not to be too controversial. Even when I offer something outside the mainstream, I keep my words relatively benign and I avoid inflammatory statements aimed at tearing others down.
