How to create a personal brand in 4 steps

Personal branding is about promoting you as the concept, product or service. All products and services have an identity in the marketplace that standout from their competitors. In a competitive marketplace, your brand is the first encounter someone will associate with you, both on and offline. A strong personal brand builds credibility and trust; it’s here they will decide whether they want to buy from you or hire you.

Whether you are looking for your next career move or setting up your own business, it is essential you determine what you want to be known for and what differentiates you from your competitors.

Here are 4 simple steps you can take to create a personal brand:

Step 1  - Conduct a Brand Analysis

To build a strong brand image, you will need to start with understanding of what your offering is and what it stands for. Understanding what you can offer and who would require your service, product or skill set, will help you to position yourself in the marketplace and secure either career opportunities or win business.

Step 2 - Identify your Key Audiences

When you are creating a brand, you need to understand who your customers or potential employers are, how they will look for your product or service, and why they should hire or buy from you. If you don’t know who your potential customers or preferred employers are, you can’t customise your offering for your target audience.

Step 3 – Define your Brand Offering 

A brand offering statement or Elevator Pitch, can set you apart from the competition and tells your audience exactly what you have to offer, what makes you unique and your goals or call to action.

Using your brand analysis, you need to able to communicate your message to future employers or customers usually in about 60 seconds or less.  Your pitch must be relevant to the listener so customise it for various audience groups and social media channels.

Step 4 – Determine a Brand Goal

In order to know where you are going, you need to know how to get there. Whether you are looking to secure a permanent role in a specific industry, set up your own consultancy or start a new business, you need to determine a brand goal. The GROW Model is a simple yet powerful framework to start establishing and evaluating your brand goals as you embark on your journey to achieving them.

Renovo is the UK’s leading outplacement and career transition specialist. We work with both organisations and individuals to support all their career transition requirements. If you would like to understand how Renovo can help you please call 0800 612 2011 or email info@renovo.co.uk