What Does “Brand” Mean to You?

Your personal brand is your image and how you are perceived (good or bad) in your market. You must always be thinking about your brand and how to grow it.

Look at the letters that spell B-R-A-N-D:

B – Believe in yourself and others will follow.

R – Reputation is your most valuable asset.

A – Authenticity builds trust.

N – Name recognition comes from personal marketing.

D – Determination is required for continued success.

I often write about the need for individuals to have a personal marketing plan. This plan is critically important if individuals wish to be competitive in the business world. How do you start building your brand? Likely, you are doing this without a plan but you will be more effective if you put thought into it and create a foundation for success. You need a strong brand to attract attention, stand out from competitors, beat your competition and develop more business.

How do you get your brand on track? Here are some questions to ask yourself when you are developing your personal brand and brand message:

1. Why do you do what you do?
2. What is your personal mission statement?
3. What is your personal passion statement and how does this connect with who you are and your career goals?
4. What makes you different than others in your industry or business sector?
5. Why do people want to work with you?
6. What do people like about working with you?

Asking yourself these questions creates the starting point for your personal brand development process. Answering these questions will allow you to gain a better sense how you want to represent yourself. When you define your brand you will then be able to consistently communicate your message.

Using LinkedIn is the perfect place to start. Using the questions provided above and you experience drafting your profile in the first person on LinkedIn. Describe why you do what you do and what sets you apart from others. Your LinkedIn profile is your personal brand page; it reflects who you are and what you offer. People change, so don’t be afraid to modify your profile to reflect what you are doing today, your successes and accomplishments.

By Bill Corbett

Corbett Public Relations Long Island and the World 

@liprguy