Whether you're pursuing your next career opportunity, launching your own business venture, or transitioning into consultancy, defining what you want to be recognised for and cultivating a personal brand to set you apart from competitors is essential.

This article explores what personal branding is and explains how to create yours in 4 simple steps.

What is a Personal Brand?

Personal branding is about showcasing yourself as a concept, product, or service. Just as all products and services possess unique identities in the market, so should you. In the context of career transition, your personal brand is an initial impression others will form of you. This could be via a CV, your LinkedIn profile, networking interactions or interviews. A strong personal brand not only establishes credibility and trust but also influences whether others choose to engage with you professionally, whether as a customer or employer.

So, if you are looking for your next career move, setting up your own business or moving into consultancy,  you need to determine what you want to be known for and what differentiates you from your competitors.

4 simple steps 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.