Marketing, branding, advertising; often used interchangeably hold the secret of the trade. Finding the right combination and leveraging the right strategies can be the difference between profit and loss.
In order to make a way for their businesses and stand out from the crowd, marketers focus solely on creating a brand for their company. While this is an essential part of doing business, it doesn’t truly reflect what the business stands for.
In the past when the internet wasn’t as common, company branding worked effectively. However, social media and customer awareness have changed the entire landscape of marketing.
The negligence of personal branding is, unfortunately, a common trend; especially amongst new, inexperienced entrepreneurs.
They spend thousands of dollars to perfect their company’s brand, but don’t work on cultivating an image for the face behind the company. The consequence of doing so ends up in them finding it hard to close sales successfully.
Why do you think that is?
Well, will you be willing to trust a company that isn’t represented by a trustworthy person?
For example, Bill Gates was able to garner multitudes of profits at the beginning because people trusted him. Similarly, if Steve Jobs wouldn’t have made an effort to make himself into a brand, Apple wouldn’t have gained as much success as it now has.
Many companies don’t realize that customers now want to know the person behind the company. If they seem even a bit shady or have questionable aspects, the audience wouldn’t trust the company.
But don’t be disheartened by this. Since markets and customers can be unpredictable, there’s a learning curve involved.
Some time ago, I found myself in the same boat. Being a private person, I didn’t put efforts into getting myself out there on the internet. This remained pretty much consistent until I started losing clients.
And what would you know, I lost clients to people who DID put themselves out there and took the time to create personal brands. But like I said, it’s a process of learning and being inspired.
People Who Did it Successfully
Everyone can do with a little bit of inspiration. I wasn’t any different. Here are the 8 people who are the pinnacle of personal branding examples. You can use what they did to model your personal brand and get yourself out there.
Michelle Obama
From the time she and Barack Obama took charge of the oval office, Michelle Obama has been the public eye. Unlike other first ladies, she is one of the few who became a leader of her own.
After Jackie O, Michelle Obama has become an icon. A lawyer by vocation, she utilized her position to start independent initiatives. Her confidence, empathy, a flair for public speaking, and enthusiasm made her an icon.
It was not long after the 2008 election that she became an example of a modern independent woman. Women of all ages, races, and ethnicities were able to connect to her.
This was all thanks to her taking the initiative to engage with people, making relevant public speeches and participating in a number of events. Her appearance on Ellen DeGeneres’s talk show showed her down to earth personality even more.
Amy Cuddy
A social psychologist and associate professor at Harvard Business School, Amy Cuddy is known for her Ted Talk, “Your body language shapes who you are?”
She is a prime example, especially for other professors and academics who generally forgo the thought of maintaining an online presence. Amy changed that narrative by delivering that Ted Talk which brought her huge amounts of recognition.
She brings her work to life by being the best at what she does and supplementing it with online tools and digital networks.
Tony Robbins
Honored in the 2015-2016 Worth Magazine Power 100 list, Tony Robbins has become a common name in the life and business coaching industry.
Understanding the importance of being discoverable on the internet, he utilized all the tools available to him to create a large digital footprint. As soon as you type Tony in the Google search bar, his name shows up quickly.
The results on the first page, list all his social media sites, his books recent news, and much more. Just by browsing all the search results on page 1, you’ll learn who he is and what he stands for.
This is one of the best examples that indicate the importance of establishing an online presence.
Jeff Weiner
Despite being the CEO of the professional networking website LinkedIn, Jeff Weiner is one of the most relatable personal brands out there.
By simply being active on his social media and LinkedIn feed, he portrays a truly authentic version of himself to his audience. The content he chooses to share and post all help him stay relevant and connect with his audience.
Instead of assuming he is another one of those rich, snobby CEOs people can look up and quickly see that he is in fact, quite likable.
Sir Richard Branson
Entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, and the founder of Virgin Group, these are only a few of the titles that describe Richard Branson. Despite being one of the world’s most renowned businessmen, Mr. Branson has been pushing boundaries with his personal brand.
One quick look at his Twitter will tell you what a funny yet intelligent professional he is. This is why he has been able to accumulate a whopping 12.6 million follower-ship.
Simon Sinek
Author and motivational speaker Simon Sinek depends on his personal branding to do what he does best. His social media profiles portray the personable guy he is.
He lives and breathes the message he talks about to the world. His unshakable optimism and unique outlook on taking every day as an opportunity are emulated in his online personality.
Least to say, he has nailed down a convincing personal brand.
Chip and Joanna Gaines
The dynamic duo that took HGTV by storm, Chip and Joanna Gaines have managed to create a polished personal brand.
Whether it’s their individual social profiles, shared pages, the TV show or their business’s website, they have managed to weave in their personalities flawlessly. Their personal brands and their business’s brand is a reflection of true alignment.
Personal Brand Statements – Tidbits that Help
If you’re struggling with where to begin, how about creating your own personal brand statement?
Just like a slogan or mission statement, personal brand statements represent who you are and what you do in a sentence or two. Here are some tips that can help you to create your statement:
Focus on your attributes
Choose your target audience. This helps identify the direction you want to take with your statement.
Be honest and authentic
Make it memorable
Keep it short and sweet
Use other people’s perspective of you
Don’t hesitate to use the statement on your website and social media profiles
Revise the statement as you grow and change with time
With that said, here are some examples that can help:
With a flair for fashion, I help other people find their style and use apparel to make a statement.
Innovative and creative down to the bone, my goal is to bring out the best in your brand and make it recognizable from miles away.
Resourceful and passionate by nature, I can help you tap into your undiscovered potential and get tireless results.