Brand Yourself

Personal branding is more important than ever, but the term is not new. Tom Peters, an expert of business management practices, introduced the idea of a personal brand to the world in 1997 in his iconic article “The Brand Called You.” Think of yourself as a product that the world needs. Identify what makes you special and use the knowledge of your talents and characteristics to brand yourself, just like you would if you were trying to sell one of your great ideas.

Whether you’re trying to get a job, promotion, client, funding, or you just want respect and admiration from your family, friends, and peers, it is essential to become your own PR expert. Every interaction is a distinct opportunity for your personal brand to grow. Before you do anything, determine your defining characteristics. What makes you different from other people? What are your strengths, passions, and goals? What are your core values? Your answers lay the groundwork for your personal brand. Only then can you begin the heavy lifting.

Behind the Screens

I’ll detail the fine points of your face-to-face interactions, but we need to start with the urgent task of branding yourself on social media. Why start there? According to a 2016 CareerBuilder report, at least 60 percent of employers from a range of industries use social media and search engines to research job prospects. They will be looking at everything from your LinkedIn profile to your Instagram photos to your Facebook comments and your tweets, and they’ll use it all to judge you as a candidate.

Here’s an exercise. Google your first and last name and the city you live in. Look at what populates. Now, look at the top of the Google page and click the “Images” link. What do you see?

If you were looking for work, would these entries help or hurt your chances if a potential employer found them? If you’re in sales, would they affect your chances of getting the meeting or landing the sale? If your granddaughter searched you, would she be proud? Are there any compromising pictures, like a mug shot from your wild college days? Is your picture even there? And, ultimately, do these results represent the person you want others to see?

Commonly, hiring managers use social media to learn about your qualifications, professionalism, communication skills, and overall personality. They also tend to screen out applicants who are associated with inappropriate content like irresponsible partying, drug use, and discriminatory or harsh language. Think about it—you’ve probably seen some content related to a friend, relative, or coworker that made you furrow your brow.

Social media may seem like a big, scary, nebulous thing, so here are three actionable steps we recommend to help you make a name for yourself on your terms:

1. Clean up. While you can’t erase content that others have posted, you can certainly delete the insensitive comments you posted during the Presidential campaign or even rectify them with apologies. Take down that photo album of your best friend’s bachelor party. You can even do something as simple as checking your Facebook bio for grammatical errors. Details can make all the difference.
   
2. Show up. From here on out, post content that promotes you. If you love cooking, share a great recipe that you found. Take pictures of your pets or your favorite piece of artwork, and take a video of your favorite basketball team. Write readable posts that express yourself while respecting others. 
   
3. Keep it up. Consistency is key. Your history can be muffled by a steady stream of respectable content. It’s imperative to remember that having a positive social presence will promote your personal brand, so don’t be afraid to make your accounts public and engage with other users. You never know what connections you could make. 

The nature of social media is like a highlight reel of your life. We all know that it’s curated. Post content with honesty about it, knowing that when you meet someone in person, they’ll expect you to be the same person you crafted online.

From Facebook to Face-to-Face 

Once you understand your personal brand and have introduced yourself to a world of opportunities online, you’ll likely have people to meet more directly. You may feel you have less control in this territory: no fluff, no filters, just you. Don’t let that intimidate you. This is your chance to deliver what you promised.

The way you dress, your responses to emails, and your punctuality each play an equal part in branding yourself. Below I’ve outlined some ways to evaluate and strengthen your personal brand in your direct communications, via the phone or face-to-face. I may not be able to change what your mother-in-law thinks of you, but if you follow some of these suggestions, you may just land a new client, get that promotion, or at the very least make a new friend.

1. Make good on your promises. If you say you’ll call someone back, do it—that person might have answers you’ve been waiting for. If you agreed to a daily morning meeting at 9:15, be ready to begin at 9:14. This shows you respect your network and value their time. Every email, text, phone call, and voicemail has the potential to help you build your brand. Reread. Simple things like typos can make a lasting negative impression on your networks.
   
2. Look the part. When I was a teenager starting my first job, someone gave me great advice that I still follow today: always dress for the position you want, not the one you have. It doesn’t mean that you have to spend a fortune on designer clothes, but keeping up your appearance will not only appeal to other people but also boost your confidence.
   
3. Watch yourself. Do you slouch when you’re at your desk and in front of the computer? Do you shift your feet when giving a presentation? Be thoughtful about your body language. Good posture will make you come across as confident and approachable. Building your personal brand is really about self-awareness. 
   

 

An effective personal brand enables you to send a message about who you are and what you bring to the table. Brand yourself across all platforms with a consistent image to align yourself with your goals. The great thing about personal branding is that it’s about you. You just have to become the expert on yourself.