How to build a personal brand

How to build a personal brand that gets you noticed and known: 5 tips to get you started

Ok so read the previous blog first for an introduction to what a personal brand is, or what I mean when I use the term anyway!: What is a personal brand and do I really need one?

And then the tips in this blog are for anyone building a personal brand, and taking control of what other people think, feel and say about you.  But of course as I am writing for fellow business owners, so the tips are especially for business owners building a personal brand!

How to build a personal brand, step 1: Be You

This is first most important tip.  Your personal brand, by it’s very name, means you.  Showing up as you, so that your audience for your business, and anyone who comes across you in real life or online, can get to know like and trust you.

And the more real you are, the more authentic you are, the more you share your personality and your stories, the more your ideal clients will relate to you, like and trust you and want to buy from you. 

And of course if you’re sharing the real you, not a made-up version of you, or who you wish you were, it will make it much easier to stay consistent and to build real relationships with your ideal clients. 

And that will make it easier to sell to them and build your business.

How to build a personal brand, step 2: Be Unique

Being unique is how you will stand out from the crowd.  You are you, and that will make you different to your competition.  But you need to work out how to use that to show you are unique and stand out from the crowd.  

You have different skills and experiences and personality and values to everyone else, so use those things to show that you are unique. 

Put your own spin on whatever it is that you make, sell, help others with, and use that to show that you are unique.  Don't be scared to share your own ideas and thoughts and personality.

When you stand out as different, you’ll be far more recognisable and memorable – you’ll be building a personal brand.   

How to build a personal brand, step 3: Be The Expert

Show that you’re the expert.  That you’re the best at what you do / make / create / sell / help with. 

And make sure that that is what you are known for doing in your business.  So that people associate you with that particular product/service, that you’re the go-to person when they need it, and they’ll refer people to you for it. 

You can demonstrate your expertise, your credibility, your trustworthiness, your authority on your subject, through sharing reviews and testimonials, case studies, and content that gives value and showing that you know what you're talking about!  Plus of course through PR opportunities. 

But you can also by referring to it yourself in your content and when you introduce yourself.  Be confident in yourself, that you are the expert / the best at what you do, and show that off!

You’re aiming for your name to become known, and known as the expert at what you do.  Building your reputation as an expert will be building your personal brand.

4. Know your Brand Message

You need to be clear on your brand message - just for you if you're reading this just for a personal brand; for your business if you keep that separate to you, or as a combined message for your business as a more personal brand. 

You need to know yourself, your values, and the answers to the above three points: why you are unique, what is it about you that will make your ideal clients want to work with you, what you are the expert at. 

You need to know what you do that’s different, who your ideal clients are, and why they should choose you over someone else. 

Plus anything else that you what you want to talk to your audience about, like things you stand for, and your mission for your business.

You need to know what you want to be known for.  What do you want to be recognised for, what do you want people to remember you for, or remember about you?

Sharing all these will help you to build your personal brand: they will help you stand out, be recognisable and be memorable.

5. Get Visible

And then you need to get all of that out there.  You need to get visible!

Get relevant and valuable content everywhere you can, that covers the previous steps, showing the real you, showing how you are unique, showing you’re the expert, sharing your message.

And show your face!  Don’t hide behind a logo, or a single headshot.  You need to be sharing photos of you everywhere you can too.  So that your image becomes recognisable as part of your brand and content. 

Especially as we’re talking about building a personal brand, not just a faceless, corporate, company brand. 

Obviously sharing a range of photos is preferable, not just one or two, to keep it interesting and catch people’s attention as something new.  And photos that show the real you, that show you at work, doing whatever you do, or photos of you behind the scenes, or what you do when you’re not working, as well as those of you posing for the camera, will all be really useful to share to help build your personal brand.

There’s other ways to get more visible too, such as lives and videos as well as your social media posts, writing blogs and emails, public speaking, running workshops and trainings on and off-line, PR and other marketing, podcasts and you-tube, writing a book, and lots lots more!  I cover all of these, with tips for us introverts who aren't so keen on getting out there and get exhausted by being sociable, in my membership, The Brand Plan - there's 75+ lessons in the core membership training, the Brand & Visibility Roadmap!  Find out more here.

Most of all, meet people and make connections.  Online, in real life, or a mixture, however it works for you.  And then build relationships with them; get to know them, keep in touch, collaborate, help them.  Because the more people who know who you are, the more you are known, the more you are noticed, the more you will meet people who want to buy from you or work with you.

Decide what you are going to concentrate on, work out a strategy, plan it out, and take action.

How to build a personal brand: 5 tips to get you started

So there we have my five tips to help you build your personal brand, that gets you noticed, and known.

- Remember you are your super-power, you are the one running your business, you’re the expert at what you do, and you’re unique – so building your personal brand around that, will really supercharge your business. 

- Build connections with your clients/customers by sharing you and your personality, and you will create a loyal band of followers. 

- Be you, and be passionate about what you do, and your ideal clients will love you and want to work with you. 

All this will help grow your business – and build your personal brand.

Good luck and have fun building yours!

Next Steps:

- Take my course, From Ordinary To Authentic: The brand foundations course - this will show you how to take your ordinary bland brand and turn it into a strong strategic brand that is also personal to you.  It's a self-study course of eighteen lessons taking you through all the basics of your brand from your mission, message and vision, to your ideal client, niche, and what you do.  All the steps to create your brand from the beginning, or refresh, strengthen and personalise what you already have, so you can stand out authentically and shine as the star of your brand

- Ready for more personal mentoring, brand, visibility and marketing strategies that work for you, a community of fellow ambitious introverts, training, and accountability to put it all into action?  Come and join my Brand Plan membership, and get support to show up, stand out, and sell more🤩

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Blog topics / categories: 

#All Things Brand

[This blog was first written in March 2020, then transferred to this website and updated, January 2024]