But, these thirsty examples aren’t the only paths toward personal branding,<\/p>\n
You want to be a go-to source in your field<\/a>, right?<\/p>\n Chances are, that’s a yes.<\/p>\n Below, we’ll look at how you can ensure your digital profiles paint a picture of what you offer potential clients and employers, without compromising yourself in the process.<\/p>\n Some people prefer to keep the professional and the personal realms separate.<\/p>\n Others may feel straight up uncomfortable talking about themselves or telling their story.<\/p>\n Of course, selling yourself can be way harder than selling products or services \u2014 in this case, it feels personal when someone says, “thanks but no thanks.”<\/p>\n Think about your strengths<\/strong> and defining characteristics<\/strong>, your milestones<\/strong>, your passions<\/strong>, and your career path.<\/strong> If you\u2019re not sure where to start, look at the thing that you’re best at and go from there.<\/p>\n Then, craft a story<\/strong> that looks at your path. Are you a former corporate lawyer that gave it all up to become a travel blogger? Are you a lifelong marketing pro, starting a company that helps small businesses turn it all around?<\/p>\n Yes, a lot of entrepreneurs talk about themselves a lot \u2014 sharing their origin story wholeheartedly.<\/p>\n If this truly makes you squirm, then we recommend creating a professional story that offers the highlights of your career and how it qualifies you to do what you\u2019re doing now.<\/p>\n Why skill acquisition is your best bet for career success<\/p>\r\n Read now \u25ba<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n When you\u2019re talking branding strategy, it doesn\u2019t refer to the process of getting your name out there. Branding is more about what you do and why.<\/strong><\/p>\n Strong brands \u2014 Apple, Coca-Cola, Amazon \u2014 all paint a clear picture when you hear their name. And while you\u2019re likely not going to hit the big time on that level \u2014 you need to consider what people will think about when they hear your name.<\/p>\n And, if you don\u2019t define this for yourself, others will go ahead and do it for you.<\/p>\n One thing to consider is authenticity<\/strong>. You don\u2019t want your personal brand to represent a person that doesn\u2019t exist. Instead, do some work\u2014and uncover what matters most to you. PwC has a created a worksheet<\/span><\/a> that\u2019s quite helpful. The idea is, you\u2019ll check off five or so values that mean most to you \u2014 then, cut it down to one or two that best represent you and your goals as a business person.<\/p>\n It might be helpful to think about your digital presence as your \u201cprofessional persona.\u201d It\u2019s a version of yourself that embraces the fact that you need to share your accomplishments and ideas.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also worth pointing out that social media is a great place for introverts to outshine their more vocal peers.<\/strong> Here, you can transform quiet contemplation into a way to share your ideas.<\/p>\n The professional persona, of course, keeps your presence limited to your work experience and accomplishments.<\/p>\n That said, a few personal details can endear you to others without getting, well, too personal.<\/p>\n This blog post from Social Talent recommends choosing just three things<\/a> to share about yourself \u2014 and they don\u2019t need to reveal much about your personality and preferences. The example used here includes sharing a photo after a run or some local sights, things that show you\u2019re a person, but don\u2019t dive too deep.<\/p>\n Okay, you\u2019re probably thinking \u2014 what do you mean “persona?” I am<\/em> a person.<\/p>\n But, here are a few things to think about when crafting your professional alter ego:<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a writer, which topics are your bread and butter? Designers, what\u2019s your style? Consultant? What kinds of businesses do you work with? Your social accounts and personal website should lay this out in clear terms.<\/p>\n Writers, for example, should mention any niche topics they cover–whether that’s providing social media captions, copywriting ad content, or tackling a specific type of subject matter.<\/p>\n Who are you, what do you do for your clients? On your LinkedIn page, website, and any additional profiles, you’ll need to present a consistent tone of voice, and carefully consider the language you use to talk about yourself.<\/p>\n Are you informal, funny, professional? Make sure this online voice aligns with the work you do, your values, and your personality. It should feel natural.<\/p>\n Why are people attracted to working with you?<\/p>\n Don’t hesitate to highlight testimonials, LinkedIn recs, or your own account of what you offer that no one else does.<\/p>\n How to prepare for a FaceTime job interview<\/p>\r\n Read Now \u25ba<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n Again, it\u2019s not necessarily a requirement that you reveal your Netflix preferences or your favorite spots to grab a drink.<\/p>\n Building a personal brand takes a lot of effort and a significant time investment.<\/strong> It\u2019s easy to resign yourself to the fact that you have to craft a brand narrative, but you don’t need to start asking for \u201clikes and subscribes\u201d or booking speaking gigs you’re not feeling great about.<\/p>\n Frame it this way: you get to control the narrative about who you are and what you stand for. It’s a power move.<\/p>\n Complete guide to self-improvement: mind and body<\/p>\r\n Read Now \u25ba<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n For the social media averse, it\u2019s unlikely that you\u2019ll dive in and be swimming in followers overnight. Start slow.<\/p>\n Initially, this might mean filling out your LinkedIn profile and from there, publishing a weekly blog post on your website or Medium account. Maybe your next move is Twitter.<\/p>\n The point is, these little moves can help you push out ideas here and there that can reveal your talents and takes on various things.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard when you\u2019re staring down a world of influencers and thought leaders pumping out podcasts and videos and inexplicably have tons and tons of professional grade photos.<\/p>\n But, authenticity wins.<\/strong> If that\u2019s not you, focus on your strengths. Ideally, it\u2019ll make it easier down the road when you have a list of accomplishments, skills, and content to point to next time you have an interview.<\/p>\nHow to build your personal brand online<\/h2>\n
![\"build](\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/04\/build_brand_700.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s your story?<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/10\/work-woman-laptop-192.jpg\")
\r\n <\/div>\r\n Know that branding and marketing are not the same thing<\/h3>\n
What are your values?<\/h3>\n
What is your professional persona?<\/h3>\n
![\"personal](\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/04\/megaphone_700.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhat is your niche?<\/h4>\n
How do you talk about yourself?<\/h4>\n
![](\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/10\/telecommute-facetime-job-interview-worker-192.jpg\")
\r\n <\/div>\r\n What is your personality?<\/span><\/h4>\n
![](\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/run-runner-exercise-192.jpg\")
\r\n <\/div>\r\n Practice makes perfect<\/h2>\n