The power of the personal brand

At a time when companies are all leaning towards rebranding their organizations and firms as people, advertising firms are making a killing in positioning companies as personalities. After all, we do not want to do business with companies; we want to do business with people. In order to adopt a personality to your company, you must first as the business owner hone in and work on your personal brand.

In my recent session with the Vital Voices Program, I was asked to asses my personal brand. Whether we like it or not, whether we plan it or not, whether we want to have it or not, we all are perceived in a certain way. That is your personal brand, you can embrace it, you can ignore it, or you can use it to your advantage to leverage on it and meet your goals.

So what we should really be asking ourselves, is how should we choose to guide our brand to benefit us.

Start by asking 4 people what are the two words that describe you, it can be anyone; just ask them to be honest. Once you gather your results, ask yourself, is this how I perceive myself? Is there a gap in how I see myself and how others see me, and what actions can I take to get others to see me how I would like them to see me. By this simple exercise you are now simply trying to be more strategic towards your personal brand.

Other ways you can cultivate your brand is establish your tone, image, and voice and be consistent in advance. Find ways to add value, and ensure that your platforms are consistent with each other. Be purposeful in what you choose to share. Associate with other strong brands and strategic partners. A strong brand is a strong narrative, so be clear about what your story is and what your message is and what you value add you have.

Smart businessmen and entrepreneurs leverage on their personalities to grow their companies and their brands, and use it to their advantage. But most importantly make sure that you are true to who you are and that your voice is authentic and real.

For those who want to go the extra mile, lock in a personal website, start blogging, vlogging and sync up your personal brand with your personal mission statement and integrate it with your business. The clearer your personal brand is to you the more powerful your value becomes, to society, to your community and your work.