When done right, your brand and personality are the same.
Ah, personal branding. It’s the buzzword that has been echoing through the business world for years now. And while it may sound like marketing gibberish to some - the truth is that everybody has a personal brand, including you.
It’s what people think when they hear your name, how you define yourself, all the way to your online presence. It’s your personal branding that helps you stand out from the crowd.
But how exactly do you cultivate a brand? Here are the 5 commandments of personal branding - inspired by the people who do it best.
#1 Have a clear vision
This one is probably the trickiest, yet crucial. Getting clear on your brand and what you want to represent requires focused introspection - something that can be difficult for many to do. Think about your passions - what are the topics you could talk about all day? When you are clear about what moves you, your message to others is so much more direct and effective. Some other things to consider are your strengths and point of differentiation. What do you do better than anyone else? What sets you apart from others? Incorporating these questions will allow you to build a brand that truly represents you - which is something no one else in the world can do.
#2 When you believe in yourself, other will believe in you too
When someone mentions the name “Oprah”, you don’t need to ask twice to know who they are referring to. The business mogul, who has been branded “Queen of All Media” had this to say about belief,
“Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe”.
Self-belief is a crucial aspect of personal branding, but often the most forgotten. The harsh truth is though, if you can’t convince yourself of who you are and your brand, you sure won’t be able to convince other people. Once you start believing in yourself and your vision, others will naturally follow suit.
#3 Know your audience
Love them or hate them, it is no doubt that the Kardashians are master marketers.
And the thing they do best? Knowing their audience. Now not everyone wants to be a Kardashian - although I personally wouldn’t object if the opportunity ever presented itself - but this golden nugget applies to everyone. Whether you are currently on the hunt for your dream job or have just started your small business, learning how to effectively communicate with your audience will be the key to your success. Consider what they desire from you and your brand, what their key values and beliefs may be and find a way to align those with your brand. If you want to create messages that resonate with your audience, you need to know what they care about.
#4 Be memorable, focus on emotions.
Civil rights activist Maya Angelou once said,
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said…but people will never forget how you made them feel”.
Your impact extends far beyond the words that come out of your mouth, because words are generally unmemorable. Even the greatest speeches in history are not famous because of their phrasing or sentence composition, but instead the feelings they evoked in others - whether that be hope, joy, love or even anger. You are remembered more than anything for the energy you exude and how you made people feel. So use that. Make sure that your impact and the way you communicate aligns with how you want others to view you.
#5 Deviate from what you think you’re supposed to be
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid” - Albert Einstein.
Often as students, we have this preconceived idea of who we are supposed to be to achieve success. From a commerce student’s perspective, I often hear my peers talk about how their career plan is to pick a well-paying degree, secure a job at one of the big 4 and then build their way up into having a very successful career. Now don’t get me wrong, this is an incredible path if it’s what you’re passionate about. But most of the time, I’ve heard my friends aspire for this - not because it’s something they wanted but because it matched their environment’s definition of success. From what I’ve seen, success follows when you focus on what you’re good at and don’t waste time trying to be something you’re not.
I’ve consciously tried not to sound like a motivational speaker through this article. Although, after reading through it, I don’t think it has worked out that way. But in all honesty, success in your brand comes from harnessing your strengths and creating a vision that is authentically you. Think about it in real life. We’re often drawn to the people who are unapologetically fearless, energetic, and most importantly themselves. As people, that is what captivates us to each other, and it is what will help differentiate you from everyone else.
Written by Chaahat Kadian
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