The Importance of Personal Branding

In this day and age, it’s essential to have a personal brand that makes you memorable and unique from your peers. In fact, having a strong personal brand can make the difference between landing your dream job or not getting hired at all because of your competition. That’s why it’s important to take the time to research, understand, and develop a personal brand that sets you apart from other people in your field. The first step toward developing a strong personal brand is understanding what makes up a strong personal brand in the first place.

What does personal branding mean?

An individual’s brand is what people think when they hear his or her name. It’s influenced by every interaction you have, every email you send, and everything else you do in your personal and professional life. Your brand comes across in every piece of collateral you produce, from your resume to your business cards. It can even be seen on how well-dressed you are for a job interview or networking event—and it helps others understand who you are at a glance.

Why do you need a personal brand?

First, be sure to have a strong sense of who you are and what your strengths are. In terms of developing your personal brand, think about ways you can give back to society and how you can help others achieve their goals. Avoid being too self-serving. Be generous with your time, energy and resources. The more people you impact in a positive way, the greater potential for generating professional opportunities for yourself down the road.

How do you develop your own personal brand?

Some companies will give their employees personal branding, but if you work for a company that doesn’t have any brand guidelines, it’s up to you to develop your own. Start by identifying what makes you unique. Are you funny? Are you an excellent writer? Are you great at solving problems? Use these strengths to help people remember who you are and how they can find your business in Google and other search engines.

Personal Brand Examples

Study your favorite celebrities, athletes, authors, and business leaders to see how they create their own personal brands. Some successful personal branding comes from accident; some is deliberate. Once you know what makes up a good personal brand (and/or image), keep that in mind as you decide what your brand should be.