We relate brands with giants like Nike, Apple, or BMW. As a general rule, small business owners, self-employed workers or medium-sized companies prefer to choose the easiest path: “I don’t have time or money for something like that” is the most common response. Now, perhaps the term itself is somewhat misleading. Instead of branding, think of reputation. Deep down, we are talking about the same thing: the value of your personal brand or reputation is what people say about you, behind your back. Is that important for your success? There are plenty of answers.

The importance of having a positive reputation is indisputable to anyone and, in this context, we must understand two things. First, that a brand is always there, which means yours is too. Work on it or not, your customers, colleagues or competitors will already have created an image about you.

On the other hand, and once this is understood, the only possible question is: do you let others create your own personal brand or do you take the lead yourself?

What is a personal brand?

Personal branding could be defined as the way your audience perceives your qualities, skills and values. It is not a job interview: you don’t have to be able to do everything and it does not have to be perfect.

Having a professional and natural attitude will give you credibility and build confidence in your professional environment. The writer Zig Ziglar described it as follows: “If people like you, they will listen to you, but if they trust you, they will do business with you.” That’s what it is all about.

Tips for building a successful personal brand

The theory sounds wonderful, but implementing a personal brand requires a certain strategy, work, and time.

Remember that at Thinking Heads, we are experts in leader positioning, and we can help you draw the master lines to reach objectives.

Because it happens very often, good planning represents more than half of the success. With these 5 tips we’ll help you complete your winning strategy:

Set a goal

Have you decided to position yourself as a brand? Congratulations. In this case, you have already taken the first step towards the success of your personal brand. However, even though they say that will moves mountains, it is not enough. The personal brand should never be an end by itself. You should always keep a clear objective that you want to reach in mind and decide on which one you should align your strategy.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? To what extent would you like to change something? What do you dream of? Answering these questions can help you define your goals more accurately.

Get Specific

Be as specific as possible when you start building and communicating your own personal brand. You will probably come up with many positive characteristics regarding your qualifications as a professional. However, pretending to defend everything will actually result in not differentiating yourself.

Focus on the relevant aspects and communicate them. In this way, you can guarantee a clear positioning in the market.

Show your personality with consistency

The heart of an honest brand is the personality of who is behind it, with all its strengths and weaknesses. Of course, you should emphasize the benefits that make it different and unique, but remember that perfection does not exist.

For example, great business leaders are good at recognizing mistakes at certain times. This way you can not only show who you are, but above all, how you are.

In doing so, you must ensure that your messages match the values ​​that your brand is supposed to represent and that they do not contradict each other. A consistent presentation is vital to the success of your personal brand.

Emphasize your leadership qualities

This not only means showing your knowledge as an expert in some subjects, it goes beyond that. In what areas of your life do you play a leading role? Have you already received awards or special prizes? Let others know. Of course, run away from excessive prominence if you do not want to provoke rejection. Each exhibition must have a reason.

See it as an excellent inversion

Building your own brand and keeping it successful requires a lot of time and effort.

Remember that this is a long-term investment and that a personal brand is not born overnight. It takes time to grow and establish yourself, so stay alert and be persistent.

Conclusion

Owning a personal brand offers leaders the opportunity to configure their own profile and differentiate themselves from the competition.

However, the sole intention of managing your own brand will not lead you to long-term success. To really enjoy the positive consequences of a personal brand, you not only have to invest time and effort, but also observe the rules of the game.

Especially when showing personal brands online, you should always be aware that the Internet does not forget anything. Be prudent and never lose sight of your goals.