A Primer On Personal Branding
February 5, 2015 – So many are busy promoting their company’s brand, they fail to consider the importance personal branding plays in career advancement.
At Signature Source, we instill in candidates why personal branding is critical, specifically:
- It defines who they are.
- It defines how great they are and where their strengths lie.
- And it establishes why they should be sought out.
Branding is your reputation, showcasing what sets you apart from others in your field. William Arruda, personal branding expert and coauthor of “Ditch, Dare, Do!” recently outlined his four must-haves for creating your personal brand, and today we share his sage advice.
1. Create a mission statement. In a few sentences, sum up what you stand for. To begin, Arruda supplies a formula:
The value you create + who you’re creating it for + the expected outcome.
Although the mission statement is only one line, it should take you time to write and perfect. You will be using it as your Twitter bio, your LinkedIn summary and any other place you display information about yourself.
2. Revise your wardrobe. Face facts: first impressions count. Research has shown that the human brain assesses a person within the first 30 seconds of meeting someone. That’s not a lot of time. Because of this, Arruda suggests getting professional help to be sure your clothes are an advertisement for your success. If you are short on money, check out personal shoppers in upscale department stores and boutiques. Once you have developed your style, be sure to update it every season so you are in tune with color palettes, hemlines, fabrics – even the width of your tie.
3. Class up your office environment. Even if your office is a cubicle, there are ways to make it more professional. Display your diplomas, awards and certifications and limit personal items or collections. A University of Michigan study found that if more than one in five of the items in your office is personal, your professional image will suffer.
4. Be alive and current on social media. The first stop is LinkedIn, and then consider other social media sites. Arruda suggests Twitter and blogs for people in communications; Pinterest and Instagram for people in creative fields; and Facebook and Twitter for entrepreneurs who need to build a fan base. And once you are up and running on the sites, post and then interact, keeping the conversations going.
So who are you?
Since personal branding is about you, you need to be clear about who you are and your strengths. There are many personality tests available online such as the Myers-Briggs, 360°Reach, StrengthsFinder, or the DiSC. Take one or a variety of tests to determine five adjectives that best describe you, your strengths and what makes you unique.
Another suggestion is to hold your own focus group comprised of colleagues and friends. Select one of them to moderate. Suggested questions include:
- Describe “Jamie’s” job?
- Describe “Jamie” in one word.
- What are “Jamie’s” strengths?
- What are “Jamie’s” weaknesses?
- Make believe you are meeting “Jamie” for the first time today. What impression does his/her dress convey?
You are not allowed to contribute to this focus group, but sit quietly and listen to the answers. And pay attention to what is being said.
Don’t like the focus-group idea? Then do your own survey, asking friends and colleagues to describe you in only three words. Hopefully, a pattern will emerge, which will be the basis of your brand.
A personal brand, like every other important relationship, needs care and tending on at least an annual basis. When you finish with all these steps, give yourself a short break and then revisit everything, beginning with your mission statement.
