Build Your Personal Brand in 2021

Welcome to 2021 and the growing era of ‘ME’. The era where people are celebrated over companies.

For decades, businesses have focused on company brands, but in recent times personal branding seems to have taken over.

What is personal branding and why is it important?

A brand is not just a logo, a font or a colour scheme. It is something its audience defines. Good branding guides the audience to see what values the brand expresses.

So, what about your personal brand?

When building a personal brand, think about it like a company’s brand. However, instead of showcasing and marketing a company, you are marketing yourself – your knowledge, skills and values. Your reputation is in your hands.

Let’s take Elon Musk as an example. Over the past few years, Musk’s Tesla has become one of the most commonly mentioned brands on social media.

This is not because of advertising (in fact, they barely advertise at all), but rather because of Elon Musk’s presence on social media.

 Three tips to amplify your personal brand

1. Give your LinkedIn page a refresh and be part of the conversation

If you think of yourself as a brand, your LinkedIn profile is your front store window.

Keep your profile photo, bio, skills and job history updated. You wouldn’t leave those important elements out of your resume, so don’t spare them on your LinkedIn page either.

Be a thought leader in your industry by writing and sharing relevant content, whilst also engaging with other LinkedIn content. Spending time becoming part of the conversation helps develop meaningful relationships with your professional community.

2. Tell your story

The most effective personal branding strategy is to tell a story. Move beyond the boring single character monologues simply talking about your brand, and try to create an engaging narrative that your audience can relate to.

One of the best ways to tell your story is through video. Video gets lots of engagement and allows you to tell your story in a personal and authentic way.

LinkedIn guru, Allen Gannett, does this really well. He networks with his peers and influencers during industry events and encourages them to share actionable tips in business building, branding, marketing, and more.

3. Be consistent and have a narrow focus

Your personal brand is the digital mirror of who you are. By consistently reflecting your story and values, you can enhance that mirror image.

It’s much easier to stand out and build an audience by consistently creating content around one topic, as well as engaging with others around that topic.

There are no hard-set rules around personal branding, but these few tips should help you get started. Just like any company’s brand, your personal brand is a lifelong project that will evolve and change over time.

A visual re-cap

Cannings Purple is an award-winning PR and communication agency. To learn more about us and how we can help you or your businesses navigate through 2021, contact us today.

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