If you are in these professions, you have a personal brand (whether you know it or not)
What is a personal brand? In a nutshell, it’s who your business associates* perceive you, as an individual, to be. Not your business, not your organization – YOU.
(*”business associates” can be client/customers, employees, co-workers, vendors, or the general public.)
While you may not think you have a personal brand, if you are in one of the professions listed below, you do…whether you know it or not. More importantly, if you think you don’t have a personal brand then you probably haven’t invested enough time developing your brand…and that could be hurting your business.
So, if your profession is listed below (or if you are in a similar profession) read on to find out why your personal brand is important and to learn some helpful tips for building, improving or rescuing your personal brand.
Real Estate
Buying or selling a home is one of the most important financial decisions people make. It stands to reason that they aren’t going to trust just anyone to help them through this process. But how do people choose their Realtor?
Primarily, they choose someone they know, or someone referred to them by friends or family. If this isn’t their first home buying/selling experience, they’ll use a Realtor they’ve worked with in the past as long as that Realtor has stayed in contact with them, or they have seen marketing and advertising that tells them they are still active in the industry.
And, if they don’t have a Realtor on top of mind? A quick Google search provides them with a long list of options. But how do they choose from the results? They evaluate personal brand.
Finance
99% of Americans don’t use a financial advisor. So, how do you capture the attention of the 1% that do (or, convince one of the remaining 99% to take the leap?)
It’s all personal brand.
Trust and understanding are crucial factors people use when choosing a financial advisor – or even whether they will begin to use a financial advisor. Potential clients will look to your personal brand to decide if they can trust you and to determine if you are someone who will understand their personal financial situation.
Contractor
As a contractor, you want to be the first person who comes to mind when developers, architects, designers, and property managers have a new project. This will happen if you are reliable, do good work, complete work on time and at or under budget, and have other qualities that make completing the project easier for them, rather than harder.
How do they know if you can do this? Personal brand.
Sales
Modern day salespeople are strategic partners with their clients. They provide their clients with ongoing support and education, not only for the products or services they sell, but also on other, related topics, such as industry trends, up-and-coming technologies, competitor insights, and much, much more.
Whether you are going to be a valued partner or just another peddler of goods is conveyed in your personal brand.
Consultant
As a consultant, you sell your expertise, but you also sell yourself. You may be the most knowledgeable expert in your field. However, if you have an abrasive personality, have a condescending communication style, and act as if you’d rather be anywhere but working with your client, it will significantly devalue your expertise. And, your clients will take their business elsewhere.
All of this is reflected in your personal brand.
Building your personal brand
It may not be easy, but putting work into building your personal brand is critical your business success and will pay big dividends in the long run. We’ve included some quick tips below.
However, if you are serious about building a personal brand that will position you for the greatest possible success, you should seek out the assistance of an expert. Contact us today for a free Personal Brand Audit. We’d also be happy to provide you with a quote for a full Personal Brand Development, Redevelopment or Triage.
- Know your target market and develop communications for them.
- Know your off- and online reputation. Play to your strengths, and recognize and work on your weaknesses.
- Know what differentiates you from others in your field and communicate that to prospects and clients.
- Know the products or services you sell better than anyone else.
- Develop a passion for your work.
- Position yourself as a thought leader in your field? Create a blog or podcast, contribute to industry websites, and attend and speak at industry conferences.
- Ask for and share testimonials from your clients.
- Offer presentations, workshops, and speaking engagements as part of your services.
- Publish content regularly on your personal and professional social channels.