When you hear the name Martha Stewart, what comes to your mind? What about Jamie Oliver or John Maxwell? Martha Stewart is known for her expertise in all things homemaking and crafting, and built her multimillion business around that. Jamie Oliver has created his own niche amongst all the celebrity chefs by starting a food revolution. Finally, John Maxwell is seen as an authority in leadership development.
Here in the Philippines, there are also notable individuals and enterprises that have set themselves apart. Who doesn’t know Team Kramer? They have packaged themselves as a family endorser and are known on social media for sharing their family moments and imparting biblical family wisdom. When Anthony Pangilinan is mentioned, you not only remember him as a celebrity, but more so as a training specialist for business and leadership development and also as a triathlete. When someone asks for a safe and natural beauty product, almost instantly the brand Human Nature is recommended. That’s because the company was able to identify itself as the country’s pioneer brand for natural beauty and personal products that is pro-Philippines, pro-poor, and pro-environment.
All these public figures used the power of personal branding. But what is personal branding?
Personal branding is essentially who you are and the expertise or values you stand for. It is the identity that is immediately associated with you when they recall your name. It is how you are perceived visually, how you connect emotionally, how you act and behave, how you overcome challenges: personal and external, how you speak, how you grow and succeed at your life’s purpose.
Even if you are not in the corporate field and just a home-based business or an online venture, personal branding can spell a huge difference to successfully reach your target market. You can draw more people to you when they have a “person” to identify the brand with.
Why do you need personal branding regardless if you are a corporation, a startup, or an individual offering a service?
1. People will be drawn to you.
Personal branding can attract the right people. Because you reflect who you are and what you believe through your personal brand, similar-minded people can right away identify with you and attract them towards you. You own a singular distinction. You are known for it.
2. It clarifies your message.
Personal branding helps project the image and message you want to communicate to your audience in a way that is simple and clear. Others will know that no matter what new product or service you offer or activities you involve in, you will still uphold the values, goals, skills, and passions that your personal brand reflects. You deliver a consistent, credible message at all times.
3. It gives you unique voice.
Unless you are a pioneer in your industry field, you will find yourself competing with other brands for the same market. Having a personal brand gives you a unique voice that stands out from among your competitors and gives you an edge. You can communicate a message that no other brand has and that is uniquely yours alone in approach. You base your brand on your values and pass those on to contacts and associates.
4. You build a reputation.
Personal branding builds your reputation in the niche you are in. People may already have perceptions about you or your company based on what they see or how they experienced your service without you consciously doing that. Having a personal brand may help you weed out the wrong views they may have and encourage them to have the right opinion about you.
5. It markets you better.
People can easily endorse your product or service and share your ideals by word-of-mouth. When your personal branding is remarkable and clear, you or your business may be promoted faster and more efficiently. You get to advertise yourself the way you want, how you want, and where you want.
Your personal brand is what tells your story as a person and as a professional or a business. If you wish to learn more about how you can take advantage of personal branding to build your reputation and credibility, read more on the benefits of personal branding, or get in touch with Radiance Image Consultancy today. We help individuals and corporate groups develop their unique personal brand that communicates a consistent message, knows its values, and overcomes its limitations.