Personal Branding - 5 things to know
Posted on February 20, 2013 by Caird Urquhart, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.
Top tips by Caird Urquhart of Newroad Coaching to help you create your own personal brand - the key to any successful business person.
Personal branding is a key component to developing a successful professional brand. Your business is a reflection of you. Make sure you understand who you are and what is important to you before you brand your company. Here are five things to consider when establishing a personal brand.
1. Values
Values are the core of who you are, your sweet spot. If you stand strongly in them, you become your most empowered self. It is important when developing a business to first have a firm understanding of your personal values. Naming and defining your values will give you a reference point to make all of your decisions going forward regarding your brand. If, for example you have a personal value of leadership — in other words you are naturally a better leader than a follower — when you are developing your professional brand, leadership needs to be part of it. There are no rules about what values you or your business should have. No one can tell you what your values are. No two people have exactly the same set of values, therefore no two companies have the same set of values, hence the beginning of a unique brand.
2. Life Purpose Statement
A life purpose statement is a personal mission statement. It defines how you are showing up in life and what you offer when you walk into a room. Developing a clear life purpose statement is another way to keep you focused and true to the path you want to take. The clearer you are about your purpose, the clearer the purpose of your business will become. Your purpose should reflect who you are, not who you want to be. The first part of the statement is a metaphor for who you are. The second part of the statement is what you do, the action you take in the world. An example of a life purpose statement is “I am the conductor that leads people to their destination.” The “conductor” is the metaphor and “leads” is the action.
3. Standards
What are your personal standards? Are you on time? Do you pay your bills? What are your friends like? All of these elements go into defining your personal standards. Your standards will carry over into your business and drive its reputation. The reputation of your business should match your personal reputation. Together they will become an unwritten, yet understood, part of your brand. Your customers, suppliers and staff will come to expect and adhere to whatever standards you set. Be careful about how high you set your standards. If you fall short of them on a regular basis, people will stop trusting you and your company. Make sure whatever standards you set, you can live up to.
4. Look
How you present yourself or how you look is part of your brand whether intentional or not. Mark Zuckerberg and Donald Trump have very different “looks.” They dress differently. They carry themselves differently. Their individual “looks” are part of what we, the consumers or clients, associate with their brand. Be aware of how you present yourself. Is it truly a reflection of you? If you try to be like someone else, it won’t come from a sincere place, and your image will flounder.
5. History
Your history is an important part of your brand. It is yours alone and separates you from everyone else. What schooling you have had, where you were born, and your family dynamic all have an important role to play in creating the brand that is you. Celebrate your past, whatever it looks like, because it has developed you as a unique entity. If you’re an immigrant, for example, incorporate that into your brand. If you have been a professional athlete, don’t negate its relevance to your image. We all have a story. Look for elements in your story that separate you from the pack.
Caird Urquhart is Founder and President of Newroad Coaching, a boutique coaching firm providing one-on-one personal and business coaching services. She is also author of 30 Ways To Better Days: How to Rally After You’ve Been Dumped. Find Newroad Coaching on their website, Twitter and YouTube.
