How to Begin Branding Yourself
20 years ago, branding yourself as a person was a lot more simple. You picked out a nice outfit when you went to a job interview, made sure there weren’t any poppy seeds in your teeth and did a sniff check to ensure you didn’t have coffee breath.
Nowadays, companies and clients are likely to have already seen a good deal about who you are before you ever get to speak to them. There's LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, online portfolios, etc. You want to make sure that your online presence is creating the kind of brand that portrays you in the light that you want to be seen and shows that you are perfect for what they are looking for.
So now, the question is… how?
This month, we are digging into how To build your personal brand. This is perfect for =working professionals and business owners alike who want to make sure they’re cultivating a comprehensive and cohesive brand.
Know who you are
The first and most important step to branding yourself is knowing who you are! Knowing what you stand for also means you know what you won’t fall for.
Here are some questions that might help figure out what you want to do:
✨ What do you want to accomplish?
✨ Who do you want to help?
✨ How far are you willing to go for your goals?
Not only will this help you when you’re discovering your brand, but it’s also going to be a good reminder as you go forward. Sometimes we get so caught up in reaching our goals that we forget why we started. Keep this list somewhere nearby so that you can be reminded of why you’re doing what you’re doing!
Know how you want to be seen
Do you want to be seen as a luxury brand? A grassroots movement? Do you want to present yourself as fun and whimsical? Or more professional and serious?
Consider putting together a word cloud of different descriptors that you would want your brand to be known by. You’ll also want to include words that you want your audience to feel when they perceive your brand. This exercise will help you zero in on who and what your brand will embody.
Know your industry
Who you’re branding yourself for is another extremely important aspect of the branding process. You’ll want to start asking yourself:
What am I looking for?
Do I want to attract clients as a freelance writer?
Am I looking for people to start following my lifestyle blog?
Am I making myself an attractive prospect for companies who want to hire me?
Figuring out exactly who your audience is will help you move forward. This will help you pick next steps like what social media to pick for your brand. Knowing what social media accounts your industry uses is also helpful because you can see the kind of content leaders in your industry are making!
Pick about three social media accounts from leaders in your industry that inspire you and start picking apart what you like about each brand. Do they use colors you love? Is their font really poppin’?
Once you’ve found some brands that you really appreciate, you might want to consider putting together a Pinterest mood board with colors, fonts, and images that you feel would best describe your brand. This is a technique that we love using at Female Founded!
While success is the ultimate goal in business, you want to make sure it’s the kind of success that you can be proud of. Standing your ground, being true to your morals and being proud of who you are is so incredibly pivotal to creating a brand that fits YOU!
Make sure you keep tuning in to the Female Founded blog for more tips and tricks on how to brand yourself and your company!
P.S., this downloadable branding questionnaire will be a huge help in trying to figure your brand out!