A BRAND New You: Your Personal Brand Needs Your Attention! By: Jackie Robinson

​When you hear about or think about branding, most people think it’s for businesses only.  The reality is, YOU, as an individual, are a brand. In fact, everything about you represents your brand.  That could be a good thing or a bad thing.  In essence, your personal brand is your reputation.  Its what people think about when they see a picture of your or hear your name.  Its what people associate you with.  Its what people remember about you. It’s the story of who you are and what you represent.  Know this, how well does your brand represent you?

WHY IS PERSONAL BRANDING IMPORTANT?
It just is! The way life is set up in our current time, everyone needs to realize that they are a brand and they need to develop it to get the most out of life, and to reach goals.  The more successful you want to be the more important your persona brand is.
For example, recruiters, employers, colleges, boards, event planners, groups, associations are all going to research you and your brand when considering any kind of dealings with you.  This has become the new norm and no one can get away from it. I personally Google people that I am interested in collaborating with or trying to connect with.  It’s pretty much a habit now.  If you are considering or will consider any of these, you need to develop your personal brand:​

• Promotion
• New job with new company
• Speaking engagements
• Collaborating on projects
• Building a stronger sphere of influence
• Securing a mentor or sponsor
• Connecting with people who have similar interests as you (networking)
• Joining an association related to your industry, expertise or interests

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO DEVELOP YOUR PERSONAL BRAND
Developing a personal brand is a process and it will require you to commit some time to start it and maintain it but it is well worth it, IF, you are serious about advancing and growing in your career and meeting personal and professional goals. If you really want to level up and show yourself as a true SheBoss, start your personal branding process by doing or considering these things:

• What are you good at and known for? Develop your brand around a strength of yours (i.e. closing deals, resolving conflict, meticulous work, a particular color, your sense of style, bubbly personality, etc.)
• Be consistent in person and across all social media platforms. Your personal brand and professional brand WILL intertwine, even when you don’t want it to.  Be sure that you are representing yourself on these platforms that is consistent with the way you want others to view you. 
• Build credibility. If you are building your brand around one of your strongest skill sets or your expertise, then people need to see you performing in that area by the content you post on social media, and the way you carry out that function in your daily job or career.
• Create a balance between your personal and professional.  A brand is powerful. Again, it will intersect with all areas of your life.  It’s ok to post a couple of personal things on your business page if you can tie it to your business, message or expertise in some way.  People still want to connect with the human side of your brand. You should also let your personal connections on your personal social media profiles know what’s going on with you in your professional life, like attending a high-profile conference, getting a promotion, or studying for a certification.
• Develop your voice.  Have a key message or a story that is tied to your brand.  For me, my voice is always speaking women’s empowerment in the realm of career and business.  I talk about it with people in person, and through my social media platforms.  This is what people know me for.  Think about what your voice will speak.  Is it diversity & inclusion in the workplace? Or, it could be leadership-focused, training-focused.  Whatever it is that you are passionate about as related to your career, speak it often.
• Create a personal blog website and take advantage of guest writer opportunities. By blogging, you will define and emphasize your interests or expertise.  This blog should be centered around your key brand factor, your story, your interests, and your voice.  The blog becomes a part of your voice and reinforces the rest of what your brand image is made up of.
• Create your own unique style- Wear a signature color, statement pieces of jewelry, fun and interesting socks, rock a jazzy hairstyle, or strut in eye-catching shoes. Your colleagues will always know you for wearing purple, they notice that you always have a nice necklace on with every outfit, and everyone is waiting for you to walk in every day because they know your shoe game is ferocious.

This is a not an all-inclusive list of personal brand-building strategies but they are good tips for getting started with the process. 

If you want to step out of the box and create a personal brand for yourself and don’t want to do it without guidance, schedule a FREE exploratory call with me to determine exactly what you might want assistance with and how I might be able to assist you. Log on to www.shebossunlimited.com to schedule your appointment.

Jackie Robinson is the Founder & Chief Empowerment Officer of SheBoss Unlimited, LLC. She is a success-strategist and certified professional development coach with an emphasis on diversity. Jackie has over 20 years of experience working as an advisor, training facilitator, and learning & development professional. She is also a published author and working on the release of her 2nd book, SheBoss Unleashed: Show Up as a Woman and Lead Like a Boss.

Follow Jackie on her social media platforms:
 
  https://facebook.com/SheBossUnlimited
  

  https://instagram.com/she_boss_ultd
 
 
  https://twitter.com/SheBossU

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