Branding is a growing industry which has been making headway now more than ever.
If you are looking to develop your own personal brand this year, this article will provide you with a 5-step approach to getting started. Business branding is similar to personal branding and we believe that in this age and time, businesses with a personality are highly favoured, so business owners, keep on reading!
It is a given fact that majority of us already possess a personal brand, however it is important to know how to manage, market and promote that brand of yours. By focusing and reflecting on your personal brand this year, it will open more doors to professional opportunities. So what are you waiting for?
1. Identify And Determine Your Area Of Expertise
You will need to spend some time getting to know yourself. This could be your likes, dislikes, knowing things you are truly passionate about and basically as much as you can discover about yourself as an individual. Identifying your strengths and weaknesses is of utmost importance. Doing so would allow you to make full use of your own personal traits and qualities for the benefit of your personal/business brand. Be transparent and don’t try to be anybody else but you. For businesses, this will require you to reflect and analyse what your strengths and unique selling points are.
2. Define Your Target Audience
You must keep in mind that you cannot appeal to everyone (it’s not possible, trust us). Every individual is different and not every person who discovers your brand will be interested. There may be multiple other brands that offer similar products or services as you. Therefore, you will need to choose your target audience carefully, wisely and realistically. Narrow in and focus on the demographic your personal or business brand is catering for. Ultimately your time, money and energy is not infinite so it is best invested on the correct audience.
3. Pick A Platform And Optimise
There are numerous platforms available today to promote your brand, however it is vital that you select those appropriate for you and your brand. You could build both online and offline assets gradually. Depending on your brand and target audience, you can utilise social media sites or create business cards and newsletters etc. It is vital that brands select more than just one platform to begin with. Once you’ve settled on the platforms, you would need to invest time and effort into ensuring that it is kept current and up to date.
4. Be Honest And Authentic Always
As mentioned in the first point, originality is important in personal branding. No two individuals are 100% the same. Your uniqueness is what sets you apart from the rest. The difficult part is finding out what it is and staying true to yourself. As the saying by Oscar Wilde goes, ‘Be yourself, cause everyone else is already taken’. This will separate you from the competition, and it will no doubt work completely in your favour whether you own a personal brand or are managing a business brand.
5. Allow Feedback And Constructive Criticism
To become a brand that people recognise takes time and you will have to go through many trials and errors. Being open to advice, feedback and constructive criticism from anyone willing to give it will go a long way. Always be humble and strive to improve by learning from those who have been in the industry longer than you have. Always be a student of your industry as there is always something to learn and everyday presents itself with new opportunities to better improve your brand.
If you are still unsure about your personal or business branding and would like to know more about what we can do for you, drop us a mail at [email protected] or call us at +65 6290 5824.
