Building and maintaining a Successful and Powerful Personal Brand is important because
1. It defines who you are
2. It shows the distinction between you and the others
3. It will draw your prospective clients/employers to you
Your Personal Brand is who you are whether or not you are consciously aware of it. It is ultimately about building a name or reputation for yourself based on your achievements and what sets you apart from the others. Your Personal Brand spells out the benefits you offer to others and describes your key value proposition. It is also a measure of your return on investment to prospective clients or employers. These reasons form the basis for my 3rd Golden Law of Successful and Powerful Personal Brands – “It is not enough to just build a successful and powerful brand, it’s absolutely imperative that you maintain and keep the brand still successful and powerful.”
Below are some keys to help you maintain a Successful and Powerful Personal Brand
1. Continually establish yourself as one of the very best in your area of expertise.
A deliberate effort at establishing yourself as one of the best in your area of expertise is one of the tried and tested ways of maintaining a Successful and Powerful Personal Brand. It builds up your credibility and trustworthiness. You can establish yourself as one of the very best in your area of expertise by demonstrating your knowledge, skills and proven abilities using various channels including writing articles on your blog or social media pages eg LinkedIn and Facebook, you can also contribute articles to a page or column in a newspaper or trade journal or magazine. You can also give speeches on specific topics within your area of expertise at seminars and conferences. You can also contribute to public discourse on news media.
2. Continually seek to gain more knowledge, better education and deeper experience.
In spite of how much you already know, knowledge is infinite and hence you can always add to your existing knowledge in the area of your expertise. Once you have determined what you want your brand to epitomize, enhance your personal brand through furthering your education. this may include but not limited acquiring the degrees, certifications or licenses needed in your field of expertise.
3. If you are currently an employee, take up additional responsibilities that will enhance your personal brand.
If you are an employee, find out how you can get involved in new and challenging tasks or projects beyond your conventional job description. This will further enhance your personal brand and bring you extra value.
4. Fully utilize opportunities to network (both online and in person) and promote your personal brand always.
Don’t let opportunities to network at relevant events pass. Stay informed regarding upcoming events, seminars, webinars, conferences etc .Make sure you participate in such networking events. Using your elevator speech pitch, engage with the people you meet for the first time. Practice how to communicate your personal brand message effectively until it becomes second nature.
5. Be the “Go To” Person.
Endeavor to be the “Go To” person or the trusted advisor at your workplace or in your social network. Seek to become the person that people will naturally come to whenever they want solutions or answers. Make efforts to reach out to members in your professional network and offer pro-bono services where necessary. In a matter of time, your personal brand will become known and you will become a sought after expert in your field.
So there you have it, John Appiah’s 3rd Golden Law of ‘Successful and Powerful Personal Brands ’; “It is not enough to just build a successful and powerful brand, it’s absolutely imperative that you maintain and keep the brand still successful and powerful.” By applying all the three laws, you can build that successful and powerful personal brand. It will take copious doses of hard work and perseverance. Remember that to you need the same level of hard work, commitment and dedication to maintain and keep your personal brand successful, powerful and CONSISTENT.
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Author: John Affaidzi Appiah
Director, Corporate Communications and External Relations at Various