5 tips on how to create your Personal Brand

We all have a personal brand whether we like it or not – it is what people think and say about us when we are not in the room – it is not about our job, it’s about our essence and what people think are our core traits. Your Personal Brand is your reputation and what it is like in the minds of others, what people know you for, how they experience you, what they expect you to do and to say.

To establish your Personal Brand follow these simple steps to identify your key skills and traits:

1. Ask for feedback from people you know really well what they really think about you by writing down 5-10 key words, both positive and negative words they think describe you best. Ask them to clarify the words if they say ‘honest’ do they mean you won’t steal from your company?
2. What do you want your Personal Brand to stand for – answer / describe yourself under the following 6 key areas:
   • Values: What’s important to you
   • Drivers: What motivates you
   • Reputation: What others think about you
   • Behaviour: How you act in front of others
   • Skills: What you can do that others can’t
   • Image: How you look and dress
   Create a MindMap with your name in the centre with each branch as one of the key areas from above with sub branch’s that are words that sum up the area i.e. under ‘Values’ you could write ‘loyal’, ‘energetic’; under ‘Drivers’ you could write ‘problem solver’ etc

3. Think like Oprah – boil your Personal Brand down to the one key word or idea which you want people to know you by – identify that one core thing – in Oprah’s case people trust her and feel connected, her key trait is ‘Empathy’
4. Use Social Media, what do you engage with and say on line – this is the area you can create your own persona and presence but be careful what you say on line ast could come back and haunt you!
5. Take action by bringing your brand to life, push yourself to do more around your Personal Brand so others will identify with you. Use your passion and talent to gain recognition and make yourself in demand.

Your Personal Brand cannot be bought, nor made up – it has to be earned – the good news is it is never too late to improve your Personal Brand by focusing on who you are, what you are great at and what value you deliver to others. 

Remember your Personal Brand is all about your reputation – it is all about you!

If I can help you with your Personal Brand or LinkedIn Profile Makeover then give me a shout.