Personal branding refers to the process of creating a unique image and reputation for oneself that distinguishes one from others in the marketplace. It is a deliberate effort to create a perception of oneself that is authentic, consistent, and memorable. It’s important because it can significantly impact your prospects in business. For direct and social sellers, this concept is even more important because you must set yourself apart from others in your industry and stand out. Plus, it allows you to create a brand that can sell anything, not just what your company sells.
Here are some reasons why you want to create a personal brand:
- It can help you stand out from other consultants who sell with the same company. It can also help you attract new clients or customers because you are authentically YOU.
- Your personal brand is how others perceive you, and it can influence whether they shop with you or another consultant. Consumers are more likely to shop with someone they feel they have a personal connection with and this helps you connect with your ideal client.
- It builds trust with your audience. People are more likely to engage with and buy from people they trust. Consistent messaging, visuals, logos, watermarks, and overall online and offline presence allow people to get to know you as an expert in your field.
- Personal branding is important in the attention economy, where attention is a scarce commodity to constantly compete for. A strong brand statement can help you capture and keep a limited audience’s attention.
- When you incorporate specific objects in your content, you are helping customers to think of you when they see that object in the wild. When YOU are top of mind, they are more likely to shop with you and not another consultant.
Creating it involves several steps, including:
- Conducting a personal brand audit to review everything that makes up how your audience perceives you, including your professional bio, social media, website, headshots, blog, and videos. This includes a look from the outside in, at your digital footprint, to see what people encounter when they type your name in a search engine.
- Figuring out what drives you and motivates you to get up in the morning and do what you do. Knowing why you do what you do and why you serve who you serve encourages people to do business with you. They don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.
- Creating a stakeholder map to increase your visibility and connect with people who can help you progress. This could be a local network of business-minded individuals or perhaps a social media group or a business mentor group.
- Creating a brand board or mind map to begin the process of identifying personal brand elements. This includes developing a logo and using watermarks on your images and business collateral.
It’s important to be authentic and convey who you are with clear, consistent messaging when developing your personal brand strategy. It should reflect how you want to be seen and remembered to help you stand out among the other consultants within your company and others within your industry. Think of it as an asset; branding can move with you from direct sales company to direct sales company or become an independent social seller, leaving you free from the confines of your company’s corporate namesake. Should your direct sales company ever close down or eliminate consultants, a personal brand will help you pivot much quicker into a new company or perhaps your own branded business.
Direct Creatives can help you with all aspects of your personal and business branding, including logo design. If you already have your logo and personal brand strategy created, yay! We have several products like sticker templates, custom Doodly videos, and more for you to showcase it!
