Effective Ways to be a Successful Personal Brand

How do people remember you when your name is mentioned? You may be the finance director of a company but you are referred to as the whistleblower. That attribute is your brand. People remember you for what you do and it is more than your job title. How do you build a brand for yourself?  Here are the ways to do it:

1. Self-assessment: Who are you? What are your core values and passion? What are your talents and accomplishment? What do you want to stand for? What you are today is what you have done until now. Get to know more about yourself

2. Establish your brand: Express yourself clearly and distinctly what you want to stand for. Your brand should be in the area of your expertise and what you are interested in. Write an elevator pitch to identify yourself. This is my  example:

As a writer/blogger, I write and post daily on my blog articles about self-improvement relating to health, work, money, family, and relationships. Read my articles and get motivated to transform your life for the better.

You can even add a tagline. One good example I still can remember is the American Express Card –  Don't Leave Home Without It.

3. Target audience: Who are your customers or your audience? Here is my audience snapshot as taken from Alexa:  allaboutlivingwithlife.blogspot.com is visited more frequently by users who are in the age range 35-44, have children, are college-educated and browse this site from home. When I know my readers I am in a better position to write for their needs  

4. Develop your brand: One good way to develop your brand is to start a blog and write articles to enlighten your audience. Create a Facebook profile and a LinkedIn profile to project your brand. It is also important to work consistently to promote the image of your brand such as the way you dress and the way you talk. Your business cards should also reflect your brand identity.  Be sincere and respectful when you interact with people.

5. Sustain your brand: To keep your brand fresh it is important to innovate and come up with unique and original ideas. You need to monitor your performance and adjust accordingly so that you are going in line with your brand. Always be clear, consistent, and constant about your brand

Building a brand is about building reputation and trust. Gaining trust is about your promise to deliver and what others have experienced according to their expectation. Getting trust can only be earned. The most important thing is to know how others perceive you. A successful brand gets you fulfillment, satisfaction, and happiness.