The year 2020 has been something, to say the least. But thankfully, it has brought many people’s talents to light. When facing big changes in life, whether career or personal, we must adapt. By doing so, we often discover abilities we didn’t even know we possess. Perhaps during quarantine or in between jobs, you are finding the time to hone a valuable talent or skill that you’ve had on the shelf for too long. If you are a new business owner, sharpening your side hustle, or looking to present your personal/professional self in a fresh, polished fashion, you should be thinking about your personal branding. Before taking another step, ask yourself if you have self-discipline, authenticity, and awareness.
3 Attributes to Assure Personal Branding Success & Longevity
1. Self-discipline
Before you present your brand to the outside world, you have to ensure your internal messaging is aligned. Being disciplined is important. Because, it is how you hold yourself accountable and stay consistent. When developing a business, you are your own boss. The same is true of your personal branding. You can go at your own pace. But, you must remain committed to your purpose from the start. That’s the DNA of your brand. You can build onto that framework as your goals evolve. But the core of your mission and values, personal or professional, must be unwavering.
How does one practice self-discipline? By setting short and long-term goals. Organizing a calendar and daily to-do lists can help you measure your success. Self-discipline can be increased by listening to motivational speeches as well. Motivation is crucial for development, but discipline should always come first. Remember, discipline comes from self. You can then build motivation from people and other external inspiration. It doesn’t work as well the other way around. To get a better understanding of this perspective, tune into this episode of The Melanated Marketing. On it, marketing and wellness professional, Tiara Raman talks about the importance of discipline.
2. Authenticity
The key to authentic personal branding is being able to tell a story. Allen Gannett, Chief Strategy Officer at Skyword and author of The Creative Curve, explains it perfectly by saying, “The most effective personal branding strategy these days is to build a true narrative – single character monologues are boring in Tinseltown, and even more boring for your personal brand.” It’s 2021! We don’t have to be boring. If your brand feels bland, create something new. Or find a way to add value to your existing framework.
People look up to entrepreneurs because they take risks. Taking the initiative to create something for yourself can inspire confidence you never even knew you had! Because let’s face it, luck favors the bold. If you have a story worth sharing, you should tell it. Allowing other people to understand your truth and your “why” behind your beautiful creation is what keeps relationships ever-lasting.
3. Awareness
So, you’ve honed self-discipline and identified the message you’d like to share about your personal brand. Do you know who you are speaking to? Something many people aim to do then share with anyone who is willing to listen. But you want to narrow that down to be more effective. If you’d like to express yourself to the whole world, you can. But it’s better to start with a targeted audience and build from there incrementally. To genuinely connect with your audience, you need to know them. The better you can connect with your audience, the stronger the bond of your community.
There are a lot of ways you can go about this. Data and technology can get you started or offer audience insight on a deeper level. With a monthly newsletter, subscribers can comment and choose to view content that suits them bets. Software can help you keep track of who’s viewing what, so you can get the right resources to the right people. You can even host Q&As on a Zoom call. Offering memberships to groups like Patreon or Facebook with exclusive access or resources can further incentivize engagement. Don’t be afraid to experiment. The world is your oyster!
So, if your new year is open to resolutions, consider investing in yourself. And when you’re ready to tell your story, these three attributes can help you establish a strong foundation for personal branding success and longevity.
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