Branding is a key factor in the success of a company or individual in 2017. Personal branding has grown in significance, certainly if you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur. The most effective ways of building a personal brand change as rapidly as the internet evolves.
Here are some of the best ways to build your personal brand in 2017.
“Personal Branding 101 Wordle” (CC BY 2.0) by ryan_rancatore
Know yourself and what makes you stand out
Just as with any company mission statement, a personal brand should have a clear focus.
You should start by asking yourself certain questions, such as what makes you unique? How are these qualities relevant to your audience?
This isn’t about creating a ‘fictional you’, or trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It’s about finding out who you really are, what your strengths are, and conveying those strengths to others.
It’s important to be consistent with personal branding, just like you see from companies. So decide who you are, your vert best strengths, and stick to them every time you communicate with your audience.
Learning from big business
Certain industries are masters when it comes to branding and illustrate the various ways in which branding can be effective in reaching their intended audience. The automobile industry has been phenomenally successful over the years. BMW is a great example by going after the young and upwardly mobile, focusing on dependability, appearance, and modern extras such as the latest in technological gadgets, sporty handling, and comfortable seating. Online casinos have also proven to be experts in branding. Vegascasino.io, for example, is instantly recognisable within the industry, with its bright Vegas-style logo. It also provides a service which works on all devices, which keeps up with the modern consumer’s need to access anything and everything ‘on the go’.
A logo paints a thousand words
The little things can make the world of difference to succeeding with personal branding.
One thing that is certainly worth considering is having logo designed for your brand. This is even more important if you have a website or a blog (which you should). It can help you in looking more professional, as well as differentiating your personal brand from others. You could use a tool, such as www.freelogoservices.com, to create your own logo, if you’re on a budget.
Be seen with the right people
Online, this just means connecting with social influencers in your niche. But don’t just connect: engage. If they engage with you in return and comment on your brand and your work, it can prove to be a great boost to your online reputation. You would also be tapping into their significant and engaged audience.
Inportansias de las redes by Rosa Bonete (CC-BY-SA-3.0)
Start by finding these influencers online and then engage, engage, engage. You can engage with them on their website and blog, but also through social media. And if they’re local to you, and attend networking events, you will have the opportunity to interact with them in person as well. In fact, you should be attending these events, anyway. They not only offer you a chance to network but to increase your visibility.
Be the source of news and useful information
When your followers see that you consistently offer advice and commentary on recent news items, they will take more and more notice of you and your posts. Begin by sharing useful information on your website and on social media. Your followers’ contacts will notice that their friends are commenting on your posts. If you have an email list, you should email out your content, also. And yes, an email list is still a useful thing to have in 2017.