Jeff Bezos once said, “Your personal brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” While that quote may trigger high school flashbacks (sorry!), it is absolutely true. Your personal brand is your reputation. It is how people feel about you or view you as a leader. Every CEO, small business owner, consultant, and freelancer has a personal brand inextricably tied to their business. What are you doing to build and promote the personal brand you would like to convey?
If the answer is “IDK”, this article will help. Your next step is to find a personal branding consultant, a brand master who specializes in personal brands for CEOs. Because to paraphrase another famous quote, “People don’t buy from companies. People buy from people.”
You may think your personal brand is not all that critical to the success of your company. I’m here to tell you it is. No matter if you are leading a Fortune 500 company or a small but scrappy Mom and Mom shop, your personal reputation could be the one thing that causes a potential customer to embrace your business or look elsewhere.
Jeff Bezos is a good example of a personal brand affecting company sales. How many people were turned off by his recent space trip and vowed to never purchase from Amazon again, even after he stepped away from running Amazon?
While I’m guessing that you are not planning something as over the top as space exploration, I would say that just about every business leader could use a little help with their personal brand. I know this because I am one of you. I’ve been there. I know it’s hard to take a step back and look at something so personal. Even if you can find the time and the courage to do that, it’s hard to know where to begin. This is why a good personal branding consultant is so necessary.
What is a personal brand?
Your personal brand is essentially how you present yourself to the rest of the world. A personal brand is similar to your business brand. It is a summary of who you are, what you do, your mission in life and/or work, the values you embrace, and the way you demonstrate those values. Just as your company’s brand helps to both communicate value and stand out from the competition, your personal brand should do the same.
However, building your personal brand involves more than just setting up a LinkedIn profile and posting once in a while (although that is an important tactic). It’s a commitment to show your unique self in all business interactions and engagements, from conferences to media relations, to company advertising, to employee meetings, and everything in between.
Why work with a personal branding consultant?
A personal branding consultant can help you get started by honing in on what makes you unique. What sets you apart? What special value can you bring to customers, partners, and other business leaders? What are the key messages about yourself you want to convey? What goals can you achieve through a strong personal brand?
Your personal branding consultant will work with you one-on-one to craft your message, image, and skill set both online and off. The best personal branding consultant will analyze your current brand, consider your goals both personal and professional, and identify strengths to emphasize and weaknesses to work on. Personal branding with a consultant is very much a partnership. It can’t be done without you being present and willing to do the work.
Why not DIY it?
I often find leaders need help validating their own existence and optimizing the unique value they bring to any business collaboration, connection, or relationship. Even CEOs and business owners are not sure of their ability to make decisions or take risks. A good personal branding consultant will coach you to think differently about your abilities and the strength of your company. Sometimes creating an effective personal brand means changing your mindset. Imposter syndrome has no place in a strong personal brand.
Our clients are usually smart, successful, hard-working leaders who need help finding a balance between running a company and working towards personal goals. These visionaries have big ideas that could change the world, but they need help to articulate those goals and create a plan to achieve them. That starts with a strong personal brand.
At the same time, there are people who are very clear on their personal brand but simply don’t have time to get it out into the world. Writing blog posts, social media posts, PR pitches, and whatever else your business needs to thrive can feel like a full-time job. A consultant can help you by getting the content and ideas flowing through your brain out into the world (where they can help you and/or your business grow)!
Vetting Personal Branding Consultants
There are so many marketers out there who specialize in personal branding. It might be hard to find the right fit for you. A personal branding consultant can be, well, pretty personal. It is important to take the time to find someone who understands you, your business, your goals, and how you want the world to see you. Here’s how to get started:
- Take a look at their personal social channels. Are they actively using LinkedIn and/or Instagram to position themselves as an expert?
- Who else have they worked with? If they are working with other people in your industry or niche, chances are they have a good understanding of what you do and how to position you.
- How do you feel when you talk to them, or see their content? You’re going to have to get vulnerable with your personal branding consultant. If they don’t give you warm and fuzzy feelings on your first discovery call, they might not be the right fit for you.
Do you need help discovering your personal brand? I’d love to work with you. Contact me today and let’s get started.