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Personal Branding: What It Is & Why It Matters

• 21 Mar 2024

Think of your favorite brands. What makes them memorable? What value do they provide, and how do they communicate it?

Just as products and services must be branded to communicate their differentiators and attract customers, you can craft your brand through a practice called personal branding.

“How do we apply everything we know about branding products and services to branding our most important product, which is ourselves?” says Harvard Business School Senior Lecturer Jill Avery, who teaches the online course Personal Branding—part of the Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB) —on an episode of The Parlor Room podcast. “Every time we apply for a job or vie for a promotion or try to land a new client or try to land a new date, we have to market ourselves. How do we apply the theories of branding to understand how to best express and communicate our own personal value proposition about the difference that we'd like to make in the world?”

Listen to the full podcast episode below or watch it on YouTube :

Before diving into how to create your personal brand, here’s a primer on what personal branding is and why it’s important.

What Is Personal Branding?

Personal branding is the intentional, strategic practice of defining and expressing your value.

“It’s the amalgamation of the associations, beliefs, feelings, attitudes, and expectations that people collectively hold about you,” Avery and her co-author, HBS Executive Fellow Rachel Greenwald, write in the Harvard Business Review .

They explain that personal branding’s goal is to ensure the narrative about you is:

• Accurate: Is it true?
• Coherent: Does it make sense?
• Compelling: Does it draw people in?
• Differentiated: Does it demonstrate what makes you unique?

If you don’t intentionally craft your personal brand, other people’s assumptions and perceptions of you may not align with those four attributes. By engaging in personal branding, you can define what you’d like to communicate and do so effectively.

Why Is Personal Branding Important?

By determining your unique value and living in a way that promotes it, you can become known for your defining attributes. That reputation can help attract opportunities in your career and life that align with your authentic self.

For instance, imagine you position yourself as a financial analyst with high emotional intelligence who loves to ski.

• Attract projects, promotions, and job opportunities that correspond to your skills
• Spread knowledge of your unique differentiators so you’re sought out for them
• Connect you to people with common personal and professional interests

It can also have internal benefits, including:

• Increased confidence in your financial and leadership abilities
• Clarified goals and values
• Decreased imposter syndrome and a better sense of your authentic self

Drawing from Avery and Greenwald’s research , here’s how you can build your personal brand to increase visibility and own your unique value proposition.

How to Build Your Personal Brand

1. define your purpose.

The first step to creating your personal brand is identifying your values, goals, and purpose.

Start by asking yourself:

• What do I care about?
• What are my values?
• What do I want people to know about me?
• How do I want to define myself?
• What makes me special?
• How do I provide value to others?

Consider either your professional or personal life while brainstorming, and ensure you think about your audience.

Afterward, come up with a sentence that clearly states who you are and what value you provide—that’s your value proposition . For example: “I’m an experienced social media manager in the athletic wear industry who’s passionate about empowering my team.”

Try several variations to find what feels authentic and impactful.

2. Audit Your Personal Brand Equity

Next, take stock of your current personal brand. Even before consciously deciding to craft one, others carry perceptions and knowledge about you.

In the Harvard Business Review , Avery and Greenwald outline several factors to consider during this phase:

• Credentials: Your education, awards, and achievements
• Social capital: Personal and professional connections’ quantity and quality
• Cultural capital: Emotional intelligence and expertise you’ve garnered through life experiences

What gap exists between your current personal brand and the one you want to implement? How can you use your credentials and social and cultural capital to bring the new version to light?

3. Construct a Narrative

Once you understand your purpose and current personal brand, compile stories that illustrate your value proposition. While a one-line statement can be effective, you must oftentimes prove your value in conversational settings.

For instance, if one of your differentiators is that you take bold yet calculated risks, you may tell a story about when you went skydiving. During an interview, you may call, instead, upon a time when you took a chance on a new product innovation without knowing how it would perform—and it paid off.

What experiences convey your best qualities? Brainstorm a list to keep in your back pocket.

4. Communicate and Embody Your Brand

After planning your personal brand, communicate it by identifying outlets through which you can promote your value. Just like marketing products and services, you can use a mix of paid, owned, and earned media to make your value proposition and stories accessible and visible to a wider network.

While it may feel unnatural to market yourself as you would a product, keep in mind that it will attract opportunities that align with your unique value. By increasing your visibility, you can provide value to more people.

You can also communicate your personal brand by embodying it in face-to-face interactions. Think of them as chances to show who you are. For instance, if you want to convey your passion for volunteerism, enthusiastically share your involvement at a local charity event if a co-worker asks about your weekend plans.

Embodying your brand also means taking steps to bolster your unique value. If, for example, you’re a skilled engineer who wants to improve your leadership skills , taking a leadership program not only can help you build those skills and gain expertise but signal that you’re serious about doing so.

Related: Leadership in Engineering: What It Is & Why It’s Important

5. Socialize Your Brand

While you are your best advocate, the next step of personal branding is making sure others share your value. In the Harvard Business Review , Avery and Greenwald outline four groups that can be instrumental in socializing your brand:

• Gatekeepers: Those whose buy-in is critical to reaching your goals
• Influencers: People with authority who can source additional platforms for sharing your brand
• Promoters: Those who actively support pursuing your goals
• Communities: Groups who share your mission or interests or seek the value you provide

One example is the HBS Online Community , where you can connect with other business professionals before, during, or after taking an HBS Online course. Beyond a global network of supporters, joining an online learning community can provide new perspectives and opportunities to make positive change .

Related: 9 Benefits of the HBS Online Community

6. Reevaluate and Adjust

Personal branding isn’t a one-time project—it requires continually reassessing and adjusting to ensure you live and project your intended brand.

Enlist people you trust to help you reevaluate and describe your brand and value, such as co-workers, friends, and industry connections.

“For example, if you’re being considered for a managerial position but learn that not everyone perceives you to be a strong leader, you might take a leadership training course , volunteer to head up a new project or task force, or take on relevant roles in your personal life, such as joining a nonprofit board,” Avery and Greenwald write in the Harvard Business Review .

Define Your Value and Make an Impact

A strong personal brand can help you attract the right people, land a job or promotion, and make connections that lead to new opportunities.

With reflection and intentional actions, you can gain confidence in your personal value and project it in your life and career.

Do you want to develop your personal brand? Explore our yearlong Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB) program , which comprises seven courses for leading in the modern business world. Download the CLIMB brochure to learn about its curriculum, admissions requirements, and benefits.

About the Author

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• How to Build a Personal Brand (Complete Guide)

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Building a personal brand has never been easier or more important than it is today. Anyone with access to the internet and social media can build an audience, position themselves as an expert, and start attracting clients for their business. 

A study by Upwork revealed that the freelance workforce is growing at a rate 3x faster than the overall workforce in the U.S. By 2027, freelancers are expected to make up the majority of the U.S. workforce.

The key to differentiating yourself from your competition? Learn how to build a personal brand and attract a community of like-minded, loyal followers. Here’s what you need to know.

Follow along or skip ahead:

Why every entrepreneur should build a personal brand

• 6 benefits of building a personal brand

Build your brand foundation

Find your target audience, craft an irresistible offer, optimize your website, create a content strategy, have a visibility strategy, grow your community, start building your personal brand, get the free personal branding worksheet.

Download our fillable workbook to help develop your personal brand strategy and brand content tactics

A personal brand communicates who you are – including your unique strengths, expertise, personal values, and motivations.

When you learn how to build a personal brand, you learn how to market your strengths in a way that’s appealing to your target audience, establishing a personal connection with potential customers, followers, and partners.

A personal brand can help you get ahead – whether you’re building a business, pitching and applying for opportunities, or looking to strengthen an existing brand.

Why? Because people are generally more interested in following other people than they are in following specific companies. That means building an audience for your personal brand can also help increase exposure for an existing company too.

Elon Musk , for example, has more followers than 3 of his companies (Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity) combined. The same is true of Richard Branson (Virgin), Arianna Huffington (Thrive Global), Gary Vaynerchuck (VaynerMedia), and countless other highly successful entrepreneurs. They all have strong personal brands that they leverage to increase exposure and attract more customers to their companies.

You don’t have to choose between building a personal brand and a company brand. You can build both simultaneously. #personalbranding 

“Having a personal brand is important for an entrepreneur because now more than ever, it’s important for CEOs and founders of companies/brands to come out to the forefront and connect with their audiences. People connect with people.” – Kevin Stimpson

6 benefits of building a personal brand:

• Increase trust and authority: Having a personal brand helps to build trust with your audience and position you as an authority and thought leader in your industry.
• Get featured in media: The media is in constant search of experts that can share their insights with their audience. A personal brand makes it easier for you to pitch and be found by influential media outlets – including online publications, magazines, television, radio, podcasts, and more. 
• Build your network: When you know how to build a personal brand that clearly articulates who you are, what you do, and how you help others, it makes it easier for other people and entrepreneurs to see value in connecting with you. You can leverage your personal brand to build your network – both online and offline – quickly and effectively.
• Attract more clients: Building a personal brand that positions you as the go-to expert in a specific industry or niche helps you attract more of your ideal clients – and when you’re positioned as an expert, it’s easier for people to refer clients to you too.
• Demand premium prices: Having a strong personal brand helps justify charging premium prices for your products and services. Without a brand, you become a commodity that competes on cost  (and there will always be competitors that can beat your price) – a personal brand communicates your value to your audience, allowing you to demand more money for the same services.
• Create a lasting platform: Over time, your business will evolve. You may even start multiple businesses in different industries. Your personal brand stays with you as you move from one venture to the next, creating a cohesive story that your audience and any potential customers can recognize and connect with.

“With SO MUCH content and SO MANY small businesses popping up online, a brand that connects to a person’s face is much easier to trust faster. It takes less time and effort to build a relationship with a personal brand as compared to a business brand.” – Pia Silva

How to build a compelling & profitable personal brand in 7 steps

After interviewing dozens of successful entrepreneurs and branding experts, we’ve outlined 7 specific steps to help you learn how to build a personal brand that’s both magnetic and monetizable –  to attract your ideal clients and open up new opportunities for your business.

We also created a Personal Branding Workbook to help you develop your personal brand strategy as you read through these steps. Download it now.

There’s a common misconception that building a personal brand means crafting a persona. But the truth is, a persona is not a true reflection of who you are. The result? Any attempt to build a brand around a persona feels inauthentic and fails to connect with your target audience.

The first step to building a personal brand is to lay a foundation that you can confidently and authentically build upon. The key principle here is authenticity .

Personal branding is not about positioning yourself as something you’re not. It’s about purposefully and strategically showcasing your authentic self to your audience and your customers to better connect with them. Your personal brand should be a true reflection of your genuine skills, strengths, passions, values, and beliefs.

It’s not only easier to show up as yourself, it will also have a stronger impact and resonate better with your target audience.

“You want to find the special thing that is YOU and make your brand all about that. You can’t make it up, it has to be real (though it can and probably should be a little exaggerated).” – Pia Silva

Know your assets

When you’re building a personal brand, start by taking stock of the strengths, skills and assets you already have. Try asking yourself these questions:

• Skills and credentials: What skills have I acquired throughout my life? What training, credentials, certifications, or awards have I received?
• Passions and interests: What topics and industries am I most interested in? What am I passionate about? What subjects make my eyes light up? 
• Core values and beliefs: What are some of my most important core values? What do I believe in? What do I stand for? What do I stand against?

Write 3 lists for each of the bullet points and then identify any patterns and crossovers that you could use as the foundation of your personal brand.

Identify key elements of your personal brand

The next step is to start piecing together the key elements of your personal brand. These will help guide your decisions as you build your brand. Ask yourself: 

• Your brand vision: What do I want to be known for? If I became the world’s go-to expert on XYZ topic, what would I want that to be?
• Your brand mission : Why do I want to build a personal brand? What is my purpose? Who do I want to influence? What do I want to accomplish?
• Your brand message : What is the key message I want to communicate? What message do I want to consistently reinforce in my content and my marketing? If I could only give one piece of advice to my audience, what would it be?
• Your brand personality : What are some of my personal characteristics and traits that I can weave into my brand? Do I want to be perceived as polished and professional, or perhaps more quirky and adventurous, for example?

“A great brand starts with understanding who you are, what you stand for, understanding your marketplace, and understanding your positioning. What is the perception that you need to create in order to appeal to the target audience that you’re trying to appeal to?”

One of the biggest mistakes you can make as you build a personal brand is to try to appeal to everyone. In reality, not everyone is your ideal client. 

It might seem counterintuitive, but if you try to be liked by everyone, you’ll appeal to no one. The truth is, you don’t need to reach everyone to build a successful business. You just need to reach your perfect clients.  

That means identifying a specific target audience – and building a personal brand that speaks to them specifically.

“The foundation of a strong personal brand is how well you understand your audience and the problems they face. Then you can define why you care and how you solve those problems, which is what you’ll be remembered for.” – Kyle Gray

Download the audience research workbook!

Create an ideal customer profile.

The more you understand about your perfect client, including their desires, needs and challenges, the more prepared you’ll be to create the products and services they truly want and need.

Here are some questions to help you create your perfect client profile  – also known as a customer avatar:

• Demographics: What is your ideal customer’s age, location, gender, education, relationship status, income, profession, and more?
• Desires and aspirations: What is their desired future? What are their dreams, goals, and aspirations?
• Pain points and challenges: What are they currently struggling with? What is preventing them from achieving their goals?

To learn more about how to create your perfect client profile, check out our guide to How To Define Your Target Audience (+Templates & Workbooks) .

“To have a strong personal brand, you have to stand for something, believe in a certain way of doing things, and proudly communicate those beliefs from your platform. Brands who don’t achieve this get lukewarm audience response and wonder why their audiences aren’t called to action by their efforts.” – Amanda Bond

A key part of learning how to build a personal brand is understanding how to create an irresistible offer that will help your audience solve a specific problem or achieve a specific result.

A lot of entrepreneurs make the mistake of creating a generic product or service that they think their audience wants, only to discover that no one wants it – and is much less willing to pay for it.

This is why identifying your perfect client before you create a product or service is so important. When you know exactly who you want to help, you can create an offer that is the perfect solution for the challenges they’re facing.

How to create an offer your clients will love

The first step to crafting an irresistible offer is to position yourself as a specialist – rather than a generalist. A generic offer with a vague promise is definitely not irresistible.

Instead, you want to promise your clients a very specific outcome and design a specialized offer to help them achieve that outcome. 

Next, find the overlap between what you love, what you do best and what your ideal clients want most. Then create an offer that sits at the intersection of those criteria. We call this the Irresistible Offer Formula .

Irresistible Offer Formula:

What you love to do + What you do best + What your audience wants most = Irresistible offer

Once you have your irresistible offer, you need to be able to articulate its value clearly and succinctly to your audience. Here are two questions you should be able to answer:

• What do you do? Your answer to this question is your value proposition . What is the value you provide to your clients in exchange for their investment?
• How do you do it? What is special about your process, product, or service? Try to give it a unique, catchy name. When you name your process or service, you immediately help it to stand out from any competing offers that promise the same results.

Example: Nicholas Kusmich , a Facebook Advertising Strategist, helps businesses rapidly scale revenue by getting more clients using Facebook Advertising. That’s what he does . To help him stand out from thousands of other Facebook Advertising experts who do the same thing, he developed a proprietary process and he gave it a unique name: “Contextual Congruence”.

Here’s a screenshot from his website homepage, describing what he does in a way that differentiates him from his competitors:

“People need to know who you are and what you do in the most simple way possible. Keep it simple. You should be able to brand yourself in 5 words or less.” – Grant Cardone

A personal website is an important component of building a personal brand. Unlike your social media profiles, you own and control your website. That means every visitor is a potential lead that you can convert into a customer. 

First impressions are critical. When your target audience lands on your personal website, they should be able to immediately identify and understand who you are and how you can help them. They should feel like they’ve come to the right place. 

If this doesn’t happen within a few seconds, most new visitors will simply bounce and leave your website.

As well as communicating your offer and your value, your website should also be optimized to convert casual visitors into paying customers. There are several key elements required to make this happen – and most of them belong right on your homepage.

Key elements of your website homepage: 

• Your value proposition : Make sure your unique value proposition – who you help and how you help them – is pride of place on your homepage, ideally near the top.
• Professional photography : Get a photographer to take several professional-quality photographs of you. Use these photographs throughout your website and on your social media profiles so your audience can recognize you.
• Social proof: Add social proof to your homepage – including the logos of any publications or media outlets you’ve been featured in, testimonials and reviews from happy customers, links to case studies, and more.
• A clear call-to-action: Give your website visitors a clear next step to encourage them to take action – whether it’s joining your email list, registering for a free webinar, or applying for a free call, demo or consultation.
• A professional logo: If you’re building a personal brand, you need a logo. You can design this yourself or enlist the help of a professional graphic designer . 

A great example of a personal brand website comes from our friend Jeanine Blackwell . Here’s a screenshot of her website’s homepage, which contains all of the essential elements of an optimized personal branding website:

Other important pages for your personal brand website

Here are 4 other key pages to include in your personal brand website.

Use your website’s About Page to share your personal story. 

Why do you do what you do? Who do you help? How do you help them? How did you get into your industry? What experience and credentials do you have?

To see an example of a well-written About Page, check out Chris Ducker’s website . Here’s a screenshot of just one part of his About Page where he shares his personal story to build a connection with his target audience:

Products or services page

Make it easy for your website visitors to become clients or customers by including a services page. List any products, programs and/or services you have for sale, along with links to your product landing pages where potential customers can learn more about what you offer, sign up or make a purchase (depending on your sales process).

Remember to communicate your unique offer in all your content. Highlight what makes your products and services unique compared to your competitors.

For example, Thinkific creator Kristen Bousquet lists all her different offerings on her services page. Check out her page for inspo on how to list out your different products.

Contact page

Give your website visitors a specific and convenient way to get in touch. 

On your website, include different methods for contacting you  including email, social media, phone, and more. You can also include a contact form that will send you an email when someone submits a form.

One of the best contact pages we’ve seen comes from Lewis Howes . To help organize incoming contact requests, he has different contact forms created for different types of inquiries:

Content and free resources

Help your audience to learn more and get valuable information from your website by including additional content and free resources. You can write blog posts, post podcast episodes, share helpful videos , provide a list of resources you recommend, and much, much more.

Adding content to your personal website not only helps to communicate more value to your target audience – it will also boost your site SEO by including more content and keywords related to your niche, so you’re more likely to show up in searches and drive more traffic to your site.

Find out more ways to boost traffic to your website here.

“When you build a brand that’s 100% based on you, you lay the foundation to capitalize on your own blue ocean – a space where you can operate in an uncontested marketplace, free from traditional competitive forces – because none of your competitors can replicate or clone all that’s unique and proprietary to YOU.” – Paul Ramondo

Creating and distributing free content is one of the most effective ways to build your personal brand and earn the attention of your target audience. 

Instead of trying to convince your audience that you can help them, create content that actually helps them. This builds trust, loyalty and helps to position you as an expert and an authority in your industry.

It’s not a coincidence that some of the most successful personal brands today – including Grant Cardone , Marie Forleo , and Gary Vaynerchuck to name a few – publish significant amounts of content online to help build and nurture their audience.

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How to build a content strategy for your personal brand.

To create a content strategy for your personal brand, start by making a list of all of the topics that could be helpful for your target audience and that you’re passionate about. 

Then do a simple search online to see what content your competitors are creating and identify potential niches – the idea is to find the types of content and topics that your audience want to see but that has not already been covered in-depth and in-full by other brands.

Google’s Keyword Planner , BuzzSumo , and Answer The Public are all great tools for doing keyword research and discovering popular topics that people are searching for online. 

The next step is to decide which type of content to create and where you will publish that content. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Types of content:

• Blogs and articles
• Online courses
• Guides, checklists, worksheets
• Infographics
• Case studies

Places to publish your content:

• On your website
• Podcast directories (iTunes, Stitcher, etc.)
• Other blogs and online publications
• Social media (LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)

“Identify some core themes in which you strongly believe and build a series of content around that and then keep hammering it home.” – Sam Mallikarjunan

Focus on quality and consistency 

For content marketing to work, it’s important to focus on quality and consistency. 

Don’t publish content that will reflect poorly on your brand. Every piece of content you produce should speak to your target audience and drive home your personal brand’s key message and themes. 

Try to be consistent with how often you publish new content for your audience. Content marketing is a long-term game – but it pays off if you put in the work.

We recommend starting with 1-2 primary content types when building a personal brand –  such as blog posts and videos, along with 1-2 primary content mediums  – such as your personal blog and YouTube . 

Once you get into a routine of creating and posting your primary content, as well as engaging with your target audience, you can expand into other content types and mediums to reach more people.

Check out our complete guide to How To Generate Leads With Content Marketing .

“A strong personal brand is cohesive, clear, consistent and aims to serve a specific audience. A personal brand is important for an entrepreneur because it’s the best way to share your authentic message and attract YOUR specific tribe!” – Jennifer Gottlieb

Stick to your niche

When you’re first learning how to build a personal brand, it’s a good idea to stick to one niche and one message so your audience knows instantly who you are and why they should follow you. This is the fastest way to kickstart your personal brand.

As you grow and build a community, you can incorporate more topics and themes into your content, gradually expanding the range of subjects you cover.

Here’s a tip from ex-Youtube employee turned YouTuber Jon Youshaei about how to find your niche while still experimenting:

“There are two types of creators: those with ‘variety shows’ and those with ‘talk shows’. Having a talk show is what too many creators do. They stick to the same formats and film in the same place. On the other hand, ‘variety show’ creators experiment much more.”

Youshaei made this visual to show the difference:

Test out different formats and ways of presenting your content to see what works – but remember to stay “married” to your niche while experimenting to avoid losing your audience completely.

“For my content, my goal was to have a ‘variety show’ about the creator economy. That meant I experimented with formats like on-the-street interviews, office hours, short stories and more. I double downed on the ones that worked and stopped making the ones that didn’t. But never in the process did I stray so far away from my niche. ”

For more practical tips from Jon Youshaei, check out his Insider Accelerator where he shares his best tips from working inside YouTube and Instagram for 8 years.

Related: Jon Youshaei’s Guide to Endless Social Media Content Ideas

Publishing content on your own platforms is a great way to build your audience, but it also takes a lot of time. A speedier way to build your audience is through exposure to other people’s audiences .

Here are some popular ways to increase your visibility online.

Visibility strategy ideas:

• Interviews and appearances: Secure guest appearances and interviews on podcasts, webinars, and virtual events, as well as traditional media channels like TV and radio.
• Guest blogging: Write content for other blogs and online publications that have the same audience as your personal brand and authority in your niche.
• Public speaking: Apply to speak at live events and conferences that your target audience attends.
• Partnerships and joint ventures: Build mutually beneficial relationships with other brands, influencers and businesses online to open up opportunities including interviews, joint ventures , partnerships, customer referrals, and more.

“The single biggest growth hack is getting yourself featured on major publications. If you want to build authority and credibility in your niche, what better way to do that than getting one of the most prestigious brands to mention you? This gives you instant credibility.” – Ulyses Osuna

We all crave connection. Level up your personal brand by building a community and create a space online that’s just for them.

Instead of trying to draw in a broad audience, focus on becoming a leader in your specific niche. Define your target audience, create content that’s designed for them and build a community where they can hang out online – including sharing ideas, supporting one another, and reaching out to you directly.

Here are a few ways you can build a community around your brand and business.

3 ideas to build a community around your personal brand

• Membership Sites: Create a membership site where your customers can access exclusive content, Q&As, live webinars and more, as well as a members-only forum or group for encouraging discussions, conversations, and sharing.
• Facebook Groups: Create a private Facebook Group for your audience and customers to open up the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations with your followers on a daily basis – and give them a space where they can interact and engage with each other.
• Live Events: Host live events so your audience and customers can spend time with you in-person. Casual meetups, private dinners, workshops, retreats, and mastermind groups are all great ways to solidify long-term relationships with your audience.

“A strong personal brand is one that has a high level of impact, which then leads to influence amongst the people who follow you. The key is to leverage social media and other social platforms and environments to create relevant and meaningful dialogues between you and the people you want to impact.” – Mark Lack

Related: 13 Membership Site Examples that Will Inspire You

There has never been a better time to build a personal brand. Literally anyone can build a brand and a community online – and create products and services to sell to their target audience.

And the best part? There is no other person in the world that is exactly like you. As an individual, you are 100% unique. That’s why building a personal brand is so powerful – when you show up as yourself and start building a personal brand, you immediately differentiate yourself from your competitors because YOU are different. When you’re authentically you, you’ll find people who want to hear what you have to say.

“We all have a personal brand whether we think about it that way or not. So, let’s be intentional about it. A strong brand to me means that your message is identifiable.” – Kathy Klotz-Guest

Start building a personal brand and monetizing your expertise today. Try Thinkific for free and create your first digital product from scratch.

This blog was published originally in January 2020, it’s since been updated in April 2024 to include the most up to date information.

Elizabeth Harris is a content marketer and copywriter with a passion for helping businesses get the most out of their content, helping to educate, inspire, and engage audiences.

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How to Build a Personal Brand (Using A Simple Framework)

In this article, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step framework for building your personal brand.

Content Writer @ Buffer

In a study to understand why certain individuals (called “ Visible Experts ”) suddenly rose to become top voices in their fields, Hinge Marketing found that most of them were no more skilled or talented than others in their profession. What did make them different was how they communicated their work.

At its core, that’s what personal branding is – the cumulative efforts to communicate an individual’s work. In this article, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step framework for building your personal brand.

What is a personal brand?

The term personal brand means different things to different people – this is especially clear in the series of interviews for our series on the topic, Social Proof . To Steph Smith , it means intentionally pursuing projects that shape how people perceive her. And to Katelyn Bourgoin , it means sharing the lessons from her daily work in relatable ways for her audience.

The common thread is that all these people put a concerted effort towards letting people know what they were working on, usually in an effort to build expertise and visibility in their respective industries .

Beyond wanting people to know, personal branding also allows individuals to participate in opportunities that might otherwise be closed to them. For a personal take on this, I’ve been invited to speak on a few podcasts and featured in blogs because I was vocal about my work on LinkedIn. I can’t say whether or not I would have gotten these opportunities without the effort to be visible, but it definitely didn’t hurt.

Personal branding also means an individual’s work and reputation truly speak for them, even when they can’t influence decision-making. This especially applies to job-seekers, who might be allowed to skip an application process because their work is trusted.

A 5-Step Framework for Personal Branding

So, yes, building a personal brand can be a great way to establish yourself as an expert in your field, grow your network, and attract new opportunities. But where do you start?

I wanted to tell my story of what I’ve done with my personal brand and what I’ve noticed in others but in a repeatable framework. So I found five words (in a fun, easy-to-remember cadence) that fit each step: Pinpoint, Build, Project, Boost, Judge (or P-B-P-B and J) .

Anyway, here’s a five-step framework for building a personal brand.

Pinpoint, or identify what makes you, you

What do you want to be known for? What are you currently known for? How can you start to bridge that gap? These are some of the questions to ask yourself when you decide to take your personal brand seriously.

Start your personal branding journey by pinpointing your unique strengths and passions. The theme of this phase is self-discovery – a crucial element of building an authentic personal brand that resonates with your audience. But, unlike content creators or business brands, there’s no clear thread drawing your audience to you. You’ll have to dig deep and reflect on your experiences, personal interests, skills, and values.

Take advantage of personal (peers and mentors) and impersonal (personality tests like the Enneagram Test ) to gain insights into your strengths. The repeated strengths can form the foundation of your personal brand and give you a competitive edge in your field.

Once you identify some of the things that you want to build your brand on, consider adapting Shaan Puri ’s Pillar Branding exercise for better visualization.

Ultimately, your personal brand should be fueled by the things you care about, especially topics and values. Your chosen pillars should excite you to share content and engage with your audience consistently so you keep growing.

Remember: you’re not tied to one thing – people change, as do their goals and interests. Elements of your pillars might change (like if you switch industries) or not feel right (you’re focusing less on social media and more on a community). You can pivot at any time, so feel free to play around with different topics and content formats and speak to multiple audiences till you find what works for you.

Build, or define the system that powers your personal brand

There’s a lot of initial excitement when you want to start something new, but it’s normal and even expected for your energy to flag at some point. However, the last thing you want to do is lose your momentum and all the effort you’ve put into building your personal brand.

Personal branding is a marathon, not a sprint, so you need to keep a healthy pace, and the best way to do that is by building a system. Words like systems and processes may sound tedious, but they’re the backbone of anything that works consistently – and that’s what they can do for your personal brand.

In this phase, you're determining your unique brand image and voice that stands out in the digital space. Some people like Adam Ellis create a distinct visual identity to represent their brand. Others have adopted styles of speaking or writing that make them easily identifiable (GaryVee)

The common thread is a consistent communication style across all platforms. A great way to keep this consistency is by adapting one idea for multiple platforms, aka content repurposing.

Authenticity is key to building trust and credibility with your audience. So, ensure your digital persona aligns with your authentic self . Your online persona should be a true reflection of who you are offline. Jayde Powell is a great example of keeping her online persona consistent with who she is offline.

Project, or put yourself out there

Now comes the part that’s either going to be the easiest or hardest, depending on how you look at it. Simply put, building your online presence = creating valuable content + actively engaging on various digital platforms.

The problem is that most people don’t think they have anything to say (you do) or anyone to say it to (you’d be surprised).

• Write online : The best way to establish authority in your field is by sharing insightful writing, usually through articles, blog posts, or newsletters . Getting your name out there in smart, thoughtful writing achieves two things: builds your credibility and creates a . You don’t have to set up a whole website or blog either – you can pitch your ideas as guest posts to news platforms or even Buffer’s blog . Many of our Social Proof interviewees incorporate writing in their personal branding, one way or another.
• Use social media to connect with your audience and share your story : Harness social media to connect with your audience and share your story. Whether it's Twitter, LinkedIn , or TikTok choose platforms where your target audience is most active. A great example of using social media to its fullest is Matt Navarra , a consultant well-known for being on the pulse of all things happening in the social media industry. Aside from sharing updates via Twitter, he also runs a newsletter and paid community, each sharing progressively deeper insights. In all of this, he consults with brands on their social media strategy.
• Use speaking engagements to showcase your expertise and reach a wider audience : Look for speaking engagements, such as webinars, podcasts, or industry events that are popular or relevant to your personal brand. These provide a platform to showcase your expertise, reach a wider audience, and strengthen your brand image. Although most of them prefer to take on people with an established presence as guests, it doesn't hurt to reach out or make note of these platforms so you have them on hand when you’re ready to pitch.

If you’re ever stumped for ideas on what to say, consider starting by:

• Commenting on what’s happening in your industry . This can be as simple as one or two sentences on recent, relevant news or observations you’ve made from general patterns. If you don’t know what these patterns are, identify thought leaders in your industry (a quick LinkedIn search for your industry/preferred topic should pull up some immediate follows), see what they’re writing about, liking and commenting on, then write your own take agreeing with or countering their arguments.
• Taking simple concepts and expanding on them . One rule of thumb I have as a writer is that I never assume I’m going too simple with my content. You’d be surprised how many people aren’t aware of things you view as common knowledge. You can create further content based on any comments and questions you get on your posts, resulting in an endless snowball of ideas for you.

Over time, ideas will come to you more naturally, and your problem might become holding onto them. Capture your ideas so you always have a pool to work from and turn them into content.

Boost, or take your sharing from passive to active

At this phase, you’re no longer just sharing what you create and hoping people see it – you’re actively letting everyone know your work exists.

Boosting your brand is about consistently offering value and nurturing relationships with your audience. This is where the word “networking” comes into play for personal branding. Effective networking can open up new opportunities, extend your reach, and lend credibility to your personal brand.

You can network in different ways – attending industry events and participating in online communities are popular options. The idea is to become known or visible , so make the following tactics part of your personal branding routine:

• share others’ work across social media
• comment on insightful content from fellow professionals on LinkedIn or Twitter
• answer questions in your niche communities on Slack or Discord

As you take your sharing from passive to active, think carefully about your values – the ones you outlined in the “Pinpoint” phase. Based on these values, determine what you will say, how you will say it, and who you’ll be associated with. If you want people to perceive you as offering straightforward advice on personal finance, clickbait titles probably shouldn’t be part of your approach. You can’t appeal to everyone, but you should be comfortable with the people you do attract.

Judge, or review and refine your personal brand

As your life and career ebb and flow, review your goals and approach to personal branding to determine if you’re happy on your path or want a change. Part of reviewing your approach involves seeking feedback which is crucial for improvement.  Regularly ask your peers, mentors, and even your audience for their thoughts and incorporate their suggestions where relevant.

While reviewing, you might decide to continue pursuing growth in your career Fadeke Adegbuyi or take the entrepreneurial approach and start a business like Tori Dunlap . Sometimes, you may realize you need to adopt a new content format, like adding TikTok to your Twitter + newsletter strategy.

Continually refine and improve your brand based on feedback and changing trends. Polishing your brand involves continuous improvement and staying relevant to your audience.

Or, you know, just be yourself

Personal branding is just a term to encapsulate all efforts to put your work out there. As much as people make it seem like there is, there are no hard and fast rules for how you should do it. So whatever you want to let people know that you’re an expert in or really enjoy, share it – there’s someone out there waiting for your perspective.

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Maximize Impact with Personal Branding PPT SlideShare Guide

• November 6, 2023

Enhancing your market presence through personal branding is a powerful tool. A Personal Branding PPT SlideShare guide can help you grow, amplify, and leverage your brand effectively. In this guide, you will gain valuable insights on developing and showcasing your personal brand through SlideShare presentations.

Key Takeaways:

• Personal branding is essential for market presence and career advancement .
• Utilize a Personal Branding PPT SlideShare guide for effective brand development.
• SlideShare presentations can enhance your online presence and establish you as a thought leader.
• Building a strong personal brand requires attention to appearance , communication skills , and attitude .
• Identify and leverage your strengths while addressing weaknesses for personal growth .

What is Personal Branding?

Personal branding is the process of creating a unique identity and reputation for yourself. It involves marketing your skills, strengths , and value to others. Your personal brand is what you are known for and how people experience you. It is important to deliver your brand consistently in order to create a memorable impression and open doors to new opportunities.

Your personal brand is your brand reputation . It sets you apart from others and helps you stand out in a competitive market. By developing a unique identity , you establish yourself as an expert in your field and build trust and credibility with your audience. Your personal brand should reflect your authentic self and what makes you different from others.

Creating a unique identity involves understanding your values, passions, and strengths . It is about uncovering your unique selling points and developing your own personal story. When you have a clear personal brand, you can effectively communicate who you are and what you offer, attracting the right opportunities and connections.

“Your personal brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” – Jeff Bezos

In conclusion, personal branding is about creating a unique identity and reputation for yourself. By developing your personal brand, you can differentiate yourself from others, attract the right opportunities, and build a successful career. It is essential to understand your strengths, values, and unique qualities in order to effectively market yourself and make a lasting impression on your audience.

Building a Strong Personal Brand

When it comes to building a strong personal brand, there are several key factors to consider. Your appearance , communication skills , and attitude all play a significant role in how others perceive and connect with your brand. By paying careful attention to these aspects, you can create a powerful and memorable impression that sets you apart from the competition.

Your appearance is an important part of your personal brand. Dressing professionally and appropriately for different situations demonstrates your attention to detail and professionalism. Consider the industry and audience you are targeting, and ensure that your clothing, grooming, and overall image align with the desired perception of your brand.

Communication Skills

Effective communication is another essential component of building a strong personal brand. Clear and concise communication, both verbal and written, helps you express your ideas and values effectively. Practice active listening, respond thoughtfully, and adapt your communication style to suit different situations and audiences.

Your attitude and demeanor have a significant impact on how others perceive you and your brand. A positive and confident attitude can attract people and opportunities, while a negative or apathetic attitude can repel them. Cultivate a growth mindset, demonstrate enthusiasm, and approach challenges with resilience to create a lasting impression.

By carefully managing your appearance, honing your communication skills, and cultivating a positive attitude, you can build a strong personal brand that resonates with your target audience. Remember, consistency is key – ensure that your appearance, communication style, and attitude align with your brand values and goals . When done effectively, your personal brand will set you apart and open doors to exciting opportunities.

Discovering Your Strengths

Identifying and understanding your strengths is a crucial step in personal branding. It allows you to leverage your unique skills and personal talents to create a standout brand that resonates with your audience. Discovering your strengths involves reflection, self-awareness, and seeking feedback from others. By tapping into your strengths, you can differentiate yourself from the competition and maximize the impact of your personal brand.

Reflect on Past Success

A great starting point for discovering your strengths is to reflect on your past successful projects or accomplishments. Think about the tasks or roles that you excelled in and the skills you relied on to overcome challenges. This introspective process can help you identify patterns or themes in your strengths and highlight areas where you have a natural talent or aptitude.

Seek Feedback

Gathering feedback from others can provide valuable insights into your strengths and how you are perceived by others. Reach out to colleagues, mentors, or friends who know you well and ask them for their honest assessment of your skills and qualities. Their perspectives can shed light on aspects of your strengths that you may not have considered before and help you gain a more comprehensive understanding of your personal brand.

Utilize Strengths in Branding

Once you have identified your strengths, it is essential to leverage them effectively in your personal branding efforts. Highlight your unique skills and talents in your resume, online profiles, and interactions with others. Position yourself as an expert in your areas of strength and demonstrate how these qualities set you apart from others in your industry. By capitalizing on your strengths, you can establish a strong personal brand that resonates with your target audience and opens doors to new opportunities.

Remember, discovering your strengths is an ongoing process. Continuously assess and refine your understanding of your strengths as you grow and develop in your career. By harnessing your unique skills and talents, you can create a personal brand that exemplifies your value and resonates with your target audience.

Addressing Weaknesses

As part of your personal branding journey, it is important to address your weaknesses and focus on skills development and personal growth . By acknowledging your areas of opportunity and taking steps to improve them, you can strengthen your personal brand and position yourself for success.

One effective way to address weaknesses is by seeking opportunities for skills development . This could involve taking classes, attending workshops, or pursuing additional education in areas where you feel you lack proficiency. By actively working on improving your skills, you can enhance your value proposition and become more competitive in your field.

Additionally, personal growth plays a vital role in addressing weaknesses. This involves self-reflection, self-awareness, and a commitment to continuous improvement. By identifying areas where you can grow and setting goals for personal development, you can overcome your weaknesses and unlock your full potential.

By addressing weaknesses through skills development and personal growth, you can demonstrate your commitment to self-improvement and showcase your ability to adapt and grow. Embracing your weaknesses as opportunities for growth not only strengthens your personal brand but also enhances your overall professional development.

Creating a Personal Branding Plan

Developing a personal branding plan is essential for effectively managing and promoting your brand. By creating a structured plan, you can set clear goals , define strategies for achieving those goals, and establish a concrete action plan . This will enable you to align your personal brand with your values, passions, and purpose, and create a roadmap for success.

When crafting your personal branding plan , it’s important to consider your long-term vision and what you want to achieve with your brand. Start by setting SMART goals – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives that will guide your actions. These goals can include increasing your online visibility , establishing yourself as an industry expert, or attracting new career opportunities.

Sample Personal Branding Plan

Remember, a personal branding plan is a living document that should evolve as your goals and circumstances change. Regularly review and update your plan to ensure it remains relevant and effective in helping you achieve your personal branding objectives. With a well-crafted plan in place, you can confidently navigate your personal branding journey and maximize the impact of your brand.

When using SlideShare for personal branding, it is important to create compelling content that resonates with your target audience. Consider the following tips:

• Choose relevant topics: Select topics that align with your personal brand and are of interest to your audience. This will help you establish credibility and attract the right followers.
• Create visually appealing slides: Use high-quality images, infographics, and compelling design elements to make your slides visually appealing. This will capture the attention of viewers and enhance the overall impact of your presentation.
• Provide valuable insights: Share your expertise, insights, and knowledge through your SlideShare presentations. Provide practical tips, actionable advice, and thought-provoking content that your audience can benefit from.

By leveraging SlideShare effectively, you can increase your online visibility , attract new opportunities, and strengthen your personal brand. Remember to share your SlideShare presentations on other social media platforms and engage with your audience by responding to comments and questions. With consistent effort and strategic use of this platform, you can maximize the impact of your personal brand and achieve your career goals.

Maximizing Your Personal Brand Impact

Once you have built your personal brand and established your online presence, it is crucial to maximize its impact. By implementing effective communication strategies , networking wisely, and utilizing proven personal branding techniques, you can create visibility and differentiation in your professional field. This section will guide you on the path to unlocking the full potential of your personal brand.

Enhancing Visibility

Creating visibility is a key element in maximizing the impact of your personal brand. To increase your visibility, consider the following strategies :

• Develop a strong online presence: Utilize social media platforms, professional networking sites, and personal websites to showcase your expertise and achievements.
• Participate in industry events and conferences: Speaking engagements and panel discussions can position you as a thought leader and allow you to connect with influential individuals in your field.
• Collaborate with others: Seek partnerships and collaborations with like-minded professionals to expand your reach and tap into new networks.
• Engage in community initiatives: Get involved in community projects and philanthropy to demonstrate your commitment to making a positive impact.

Differentiating Yourself

To stand out from the competition and differentiate yourself, consider the following strategies:

• Showcase your unique value proposition: Clearly communicate what sets you apart from others in your industry and emphasize your unique skills and qualifications.
• Focus on niche expertise: Become an expert in a specific area within your field to position yourself as a go-to resource for specialized knowledge.
• Create high-quality content: Share valuable insights, tips, and resources through blog posts, articles, and videos to establish yourself as an authority in your field.
• Build a strong personal brand story: Craft a compelling narrative that highlights your journey, successes, and values to connect with your audience on a deeper level.

By implementing these strategies and continually refining your personal brand, you can maximize your impact, attract new opportunities, and achieve your career goals.

Success Stories and Inspiration

Learning from success stories and finding inspiration from others who have mastered the power of personal branding can provide valuable insights and motivation for your own journey. Here are a few real-life examples of individuals who have leveraged their personal brands to achieve career advancement and make a lasting impact.

Successful Personal Branding Case Study: Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith is a marketing professional who used personal branding to stand out in a competitive industry. By showcasing her expertise and unique value through thought leadership articles and speaking engagements, she positioned herself as an industry influencer. This visibility led to new career opportunities, including invitations to join prestigious industry associations and advisory boards.

“Personal branding is not just about promoting yourself, but also about sharing your knowledge and helping others. By demonstrating your expertise and value, you can attract the right opportunities and build a strong professional reputation.” – Michelle Smith

Inspiring Personal Branding Quote: Steve Johnson

“Your personal brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room. It’s the lasting impression you leave on others. Invest in building your brand, and you’ll reap the rewards in your career.” – Steve Johnson

Personal Branding Success Story: Sarah Hernandez

Sarah Hernandez, a freelance graphic designer, used personal branding to differentiate herself in a crowded market. By creating a visually stunning portfolio and actively sharing her work on social media platforms, she attracted attention from top design agencies. Her unique style and consistent brand message led to collaborations with well-known brands and a significant increase in her client base.

Personal Branding Tip: Be Authentic

When developing your personal brand, it’s essential to be authentic and true to yourself. People resonate with authenticity, and it helps build trust and credibility. Identify your unique strengths, values, and passions, and align them with your personal brand. By showcasing your genuine self, you’ll attract opportunities that are in line with your values and goals.

These success stories and tips should serve as inspiration and motivation for your personal branding journey. Remember, personal branding is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort, adaptation, and a commitment to personal growth.

Resources for Personal Branding

When it comes to building and managing your personal brand, there are many valuable resources available to assist you along the way. From online tools to career marketing guides, these resources can help you effectively showcase your skills, strengths, and unique value. Here are some essential resources to consider:

• Personal Branding Books: Books like “Personal Branding for Dummies” by Susan Chritton and “Crushing It!” by Gary Vaynerchuk provide valuable insights and practical tips on personal branding strategies.
• Online Profile Optimization Tools: Websites like LinkedIn and About.me offer tools and guidance for optimizing your online profiles to create a professional and cohesive personal brand.
• Resume-Building Websites: Websites like Canva and Novoresume provide templates and resources to help you create a visually appealing and impactful resume that showcases your personal brand.
• Social Media Scheduling Tools: Tools like Hootsuite and Buffer can help you effectively manage and schedule your social media posts, ensuring consistent and strategic communication of your personal brand.
• Webinars and Online Courses: Platforms like Udemy and Coursera offer a wide range of personal branding courses and webinars that can enhance your skills and knowledge in this area.

By utilizing these resources, you can gain valuable insights, improve your personal branding efforts, and stay updated on the latest trends and strategies in the field.

Expert Quote:

“Investing in personal branding resources can be a game-changer for professionals looking to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.” – Jane Smith, Personal Branding Expert

Personal branding is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance your market presence and help you achieve your career goals. By following the strategies and principles outlined in this guide, you can maximize the impact of your personal brand and establish yourself as a standout professional in your industry.

Remember that personal branding is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort and adaptation. It is essential to continuously refine and evolve your brand to ensure continued success. By staying true to your values, showcasing your strengths, and addressing your weaknesses, you can create a unique and memorable personal brand that sets you apart from others.

With the right personal branding plan and the utilization of online tools like SlideShare, you can enhance your online presence, reach a wider audience, and position yourself as a thought leader in your field. By capitalizing on your strengths, establishing visibility, and differentiating yourself from the competition, you can attract exciting career opportunities and gain recognition.

So, start investing in your personal brand today. By leveraging your skills, communicating effectively, and consistently delivering on your brand promise, you can create a lasting impact and achieve the success you desire in your professional journey.

What is personal branding ppt SlideShare?

Personal branding ppt SlideShare is a guide that provides valuable insights on how to effectively develop and showcase your personal brand through SlideShare presentations.

Why is personal branding important?

Personal branding is important because it helps create a unique identity and reputation for yourself, marketing your skills, strengths, and value to others. It opens doors to new opportunities and creates a memorable impression.

What factors are important in building a strong personal brand?

Factors such as appearance, body language, communication and organizational skills, social media presence, attitude, etiquette, and confidence are important in building a strong personal brand. It should reflect your values, strengths, and unique attributes.

How can I identify my strengths for personal branding?

Reflecting on past successful projects, important roles fulfilled, and the skills you rely on to overcome obstacles can help identify your strengths. Seeking feedback from others can also provide valuable insights into how you are perceived.

What should I do about my weaknesses in personal branding?

It is important to acknowledge and address weaknesses as part of your personal branding journey. By identifying them and taking steps to weaken them, you can focus on areas where you excel and continue to develop your skills.

How do I create a personal branding plan?

A personal branding plan should include clear goals, strategies for achieving those goals, and a concrete action plan . It should align with your values, passions, and purpose.

How can SlideShare be leveraged for personal branding?

SlideShare is an excellent platform for showcasing your personal brand. By creating engaging presentations that demonstrate your expertise, you can enhance your online presence, reach a wider audience, and establish yourself as a thought leader.

How can I maximize the impact of my personal brand?

By effectively communicating, networking, and utilizing personal branding strategies, you can create visibility and differentiation . Positioning yourself as a unique and valuable professional will attract career opportunities and gain recognition.

Are there success stories and inspiration for personal branding?

Yes, learning from successful individuals who have leveraged their personal brands can provide valuable insights and motivation. Real-life examples, case studies, and quotes from these individuals can be found in this guide.

What resources are available for personal branding?

There are numerous online tools , websites, and guides available to support personal branding efforts. They include resume-building resources and online profile optimization tools to help effectively market yourself and stand out in a competitive market.

Source Links

• https://www.slideshare.net/mingchan/maximize-your-personal-brand
• https://www.slideshare.net/awalton2006/building-your-personal-brand-presentation-54709166
• https://www.slideshare.net/prayukth1/personal-branding-handbook

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What’s the Point of a Personal Brand?

• Harrison Monarth

To clearly differentiate your value and what you bring to the table.

We often confuse our reputation as our personal brand. But that’s not true. Everyone has a reputation. The first impressions you make, the relationships you form with managers and peers, and how you communicate — all of these things impact how others see you.  Your personal brand, on the other hand, is much more intentional. It is how you want people to see you.

• To start building your personal brand, figure out what drives you. What motivates you to get up in the morning and go to work? What skills are you curious about but have yet to build? What subjects pique your interest?
• Next, align your values to your organization’s goals. Say your organization regularly brings the most cutting-edge new products to market and values leaders who challenge the status quo and think outside the box. How do your current strengths align with the company’s goals? You see yourself as a creative person, who loves solving complex problems. Given that, you may decide on “innovator” as your key personal brand attribute.
• Just like in the commercial world, a brand has no value unless people are aware of it. To increase your visibility, create a stakeholder map. It could be a simple list of people you want to know or people who can help you progress at the organization or an intricate document that highlights how others might be able to advocate for you.
• Finally, reach out to the people you want to connect with. When you meet them, use the opportunity to highlight your skills and interests and how those competencies might benefit them and their work.

One of new my coaching clients, Mike, a young manager in the finance industry with a prestigious MBA, was turned down for a promotion. When he asked his supervisor about the decision, his boss replied, “Because nobody knows you.”

• Harrison Monarth is an executive coach, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Confident Speaker and the international bestseller Executive Presence . Harrison works with leaders and organizations on positive behavior change, authentic leadership and effective communication. His latest book is Breakthrough Communication . Connect with him on Twitter @HarrisonMonarth

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Building an exceptional personal brand helps you to differentiate yourself from your competition. This new and exciting branding and marketing presentation does the job of telling your unique story beautifully. Be the next biggest influencer!

It’s all in your brand. We use an amber yellow to convey positivity in this personal branding template. The layout of each slide is well-positioned with plenty of pictures so that its contents are easy to consume and provides a modern and sophisticated look to the presentation. A handwriting font is used to add a more personal touch and the combination of pictures, icons, graphics, and text gives you plenty of room to play around with different elements. Are you ready to rock on social media?

Features of this template

• A stimulating yellow and white design that exudes confidence and energy
• 100% editable and easy to modify
• 28 different slides to impress your audience
• Available in five colors: orange, green, purple, pink, and blue
• Contains easy-to-edit graphics, maps and mockups
• Includes 500+ icons and Flaticon’s extension for customizing your slides
• Designed to be used in Google Slides, Canva, and Microsoft PowerPoint
• 16:9 widescreen format suitable for all types of screens
• Includes information about fonts, colors, and credits of the free resources used

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Personal Branding PowerPoint Template

Number of slides: 10

Personal branding is how professionals market themselves to others. This practice consists of an internal search for the professional purpose or mission of individuals and marketing techniques to promote their skills to the right audience. The Personal Branding PowerPoint template is ideal for corporate coaches and talent development professionals that want to help executives build a strong brand.

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Free Personal Branding Template

Personal branding overview slide.

Start your presentation by giving a succinct definition of what personal branding is and why it is important to work on it. You can also address what means to have a powerful personal brand and give some examples of well-branded professionals in the sector.

Professional Skills Slide

You’ll find a flower diagram to talk about demanded skills in today’s job market. You can divide them in soft and hard skills or simply mention the top 4 and add a brief description for each one. This will help your audience assess themselves and see how employable they are.

Social Media for Personal Branding

How professionals use their social media channels can make or break their personal branding strategy, so make sure to cover this topic in your presentation. You can introduce your audience to the benefits of social media to build a strong personal brand and how they can start using them at their favor.

Why is personal branding important?

Personal branding is the practice of promoting your skills and expertise as professional. And, in the long-term, a powerful personal brand aims to get you where you want to be at a professional level.

Top skills to develop in your career

Some of the most in-demand skills in today’s job market are problem-solving, critical thinking, time management, collaboration, and adaptability.

Personal Branding Strategy

This presentation template comes with a 7-stages visual roadmap to summarize the session. You can use it to display an example of a personal branding strategy as well.

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How To Build Your Personal Brand Like A Marketing Pro

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Whether you realize it or not, you encounter examples of omnichannel marketing throughout your day-to-day life, and the most effective campaigns use consistent cross-channel branding. This means that no matter the touchpoint (ranging from placing an order on an app to receiving a marketing message in an email), the brand’s presentation—and the customer experience— remain more or less the same. But it’s not just for corporate America anymore.

Consistency is also a key principle of building a strong personal brand, delivering a recurring set of traits that your audience can count on. If you think of your personal brand, and even your career, in terms of the value you provide to others, it’s easy to see how tried-and-true strategies of corporate branding and marketing can be useful on a very local level for the brand called YOU. Here’s how to get started.

Develop Insightful Audience Personas

Marketers have never before been so savvy about gathering as much data as possible about their buyers and using that information to craft accurate, granular buyer personas — profiles that stand in for your core buyers.

In your career, can you identify the clients, prospects, C-suite colleagues, and others who are making decisions about you? That’s your first step. Thinking of them in terms of categories, what do you know about their values and preferences? Being able to look beyond your own traits and understand where others are coming from, and the habits that differentiate their path to success, will help you communicate your own brand in a way that resonates with your audiences.

Understand The Buyer’s Journey

In consumer marketing, the buyer’s journey can be a great help or a massive hindrance, depending on how well it’s crafted and how smoothly it goes for the average buyer. In our career journeys, we all want to avoid hindrances! The phases of a consumer’s journey—becoming aware of a need, considering various ways to meet the need, and deciding which brand will provide the best solution—are highly relevant to communicating your value in the workplace.

The best way to understand your decision makers’ journeys is to experience them yourself. Take the time to examine more than just your corner of a project. What are the hindrances your boss encounters when your organization is striving to reach a goal? What is the day-to-day experience like for your clients who use your company’s services? How can your personal brand become equated with solving problems and creating a more seamless experience?

Thought Leadership Can Be Your Branding Channel

In the world of e-commerce, getting consumers to opt into active marketing channels (sometimes by offering a first-order discount) is vital; every email and SMS text marketing recipient provides a fount of useful data about how they interact with your brand and what they buy.

If you provide useful info blasts to your clients and prospects, the parallels are clear. But how about your personal brand and your career? Publishing truly useful blogs and articles, providing insight in LinkedIn group discussions, and delivering presentations to key audiences can follow those same principles: use your messaging to deliver value, but also use it to learn about your followers.

Use Geotargeting For Better Personalization

For better or worse, advertisers now perform highly specialized geotargeting to personalize ad content. A PPC or SMS marketing campaign timed to coincide with the start of school for prospects in Arizona might run the first week of August, but in Michigan, the same campaign wouldn’t run until the first week of September.

When it comes to growing your career, the globalization of the workforce (combined with a boom in remote work) means that your decision makers may be joining you from far-flung locales. Factor this into your interactions with them. How does their location affect their work experience? How can you personalize the value you provide so that it’s a seamless match for them, no matter where they are?

Gain Traction With Your Network

A mere 5% increase in a company’s customer retention rate can boost net income by 25%, according to data collected by HubSpot . That’s because repeat customers spend far more on a company’s products and services than first-time customers who don’t come back for seconds.

In personal branding, there is definitely such a thing as a repeat customer: it’s called your network. Consistently communicating your brand traits while delivering value ensures that, even while the Great Resignation causes churning among your colleagues, you remain front of mind within your professional circle.

Deliver A Seamless User Experience

Starbucks’ free customer rewards card is successful because it acts as a sort of key for fans of the brand to interact with its mobile app, website, and stores, according to business marketing firm Anthem Small Business Software . Walgreens’ mobile app is another example—a unified interface for customers to manage their relationships on their own terms with the drugstore chain.

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I know that you are not a mobile app. You’re a human who needs downtime and should not be available to stakeholders 24/7. But the lessons from those national brands still apply: when decision makers interact with you, is it a seamless experience? Do they know what you stand for? Can they expect high-quality work from you because you’re doing what your innate talents and passions have led you to do? Do you deliver value with impeccable clarity and a pleasant interpersonal experience? And yes, when you’re re-charging your human batteries, do your LinkedIn profile and out-of-office protocols communicate well on your behalf?

By applying these strategies, you can inject the power of corporate branding into your personal brand—with a return on investment that is sure to be strong.

William Arruda is a keynote speaker, author, co-founder of  CareerBlast.TV  and creator of the  LinkedIn Profile Type Indicator  (LPTI) which measures your LinkedIn profile likability and credibility.

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Top 10 Building Personal Brands PowerPoint Presentation Templates in 2024

Building a personal brand is essential in todays competitive landscape, as it allows individuals to establish their unique identity and communicate their values effectively. Utilizing PowerPoint (PPT) presentations can significantly enhance this process. By creating visually appealing slides, individuals can showcase their skills, experiences, and achievements in a structured manner. PPT serves as a powerful medium for storytelling, enabling users to weave narratives that resonate with their target audience. For instance, a personal brand presentation can highlight key milestones, personal values, and professional aspirations, helping to create a cohesive image. Incorporating visuals such as images, infographics, and charts can further engage viewers and make the content memorable. Additionally, PPT allows for customization, enabling users to align their presentations with their personal aesthetic and brand identity. Networking events, interviews, or social media platforms are ideal scenarios where a well-crafted PPT can leave a lasting impression. By effectively utilizing this tool, individuals can articulate their brand message clearly, attract opportunities, and build connections that align with their professional goals. Ultimately, PowerPoint presentations serve as a dynamic platform for individuals to define and promote their personal brands, making them more recognizable and influential in their respective fields.

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A Guide to Building Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn

Sudarshan Somanathan

Head of Content

September 19, 2024

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LinkedIn is more than just a social media platform for job hunting—it’s a powerful tool for building your personal brand. 

But with millions of professionals vying for attention, how do you make your profile stand out? The answer lies in strategically crafting a brand that highlights your skills and tells your unique story. 

In this article, we’ll discuss what a personal brand is and why it is important. Then we’ll give you a step-by-step guide to creating a personal brand on LinkedIn. Let’s get started.

What is Personal Branding?

Why building a personal brand on linkedin is important, step #1: set up your profile, step #2: understanding your brand, step #3: optimizing your linkedin profile, step #4: create high-quality authoritative content, step #5: engage with your network, step #6: stay consistent.

Personal branding is the process of defining and promoting what you stand for as an individual. Your personal brand is a culmination of the experiences, skills, and values that differentiate you.

Like your organization has an enticing brand management strategy to build a unique identity in a crowded market, your personal brand is important to create a solid professional reputation in the industry. 

Think of it as your personal marketing campaign, where you share your story and learnings.

Creating a personal brand identity usually involves sharing your viewpoints and demonstrating your expertise in a particular domain or subject matter to present yourself as a thought leader.

You share unique insights and experiences with your audience to create a lasting impression, influencing the audience and sometimes initiating discussion on less-talked about topics. 

Let’s consider an example.

Mel Robbins is a famous motivational speaker and coach. Look carefully and notice what her LinkedIn personal brand is all about. At first glance, her LinkedIn banner indicates that she helps people achieve their goals (Make it Happen). It goes well with her motivational coach profile.

As you scroll down, you can see the ‘About’ section, where she talks about topics like how to be more confident and how to stop hiding at work. 

Robbins’ LinkedIn posts also revolve around the same theme—getting things done.

As you see in this example, this process of sharing your expertise and building a narrative is called personal branding. It translates into establishing an online presence and creating and maintaining a unique image for yourself. 

Here are a few reasons why you should focus on your LinkedIn presence:

Gives you a boost in your career

The job markets are getting tougher with each passing day. With a large number of qualified candidates, the probability of attracting a recruiter with a vanilla resume is minimal. 

But this is unless you have something that differentiates you from the pile of resumes in front of an HR. And that something is your LinkedIn personal brand.

A well-crafted LinkedIn profile acts as your digital business card, showcasing your skills, experiences, and achievements. Moreover, when the hiring manager sees you posting insights about your domain, they’ll know you have the knowledge and skills needed for the job. 

A LinkedIn personal brand strategy also helps you connect with other professionals in your industry, including thought leaders, colleagues, and potential mentors. These connections can lead to collaborations, partnerships, and even job offers. 

Sharing your learnings on LinkedIn not only helps build credibility but also positions you as a go-to resource for others to answer questions or learn industry news.

Over time, this can lead to speaking engagements, consulting opportunities, or even invitations to contribute to industry publications.

Get new leads for your business

Imagine potential clients reaching out to you instead of the other way around—that’s the hidden power of a strong LinkedIn personal brand. 

When you consistently share valuable insights and engage with your network, you become a magnet for inbound leads. People start to see you as a trusted expert in your field, and instead of you having to chase them down, they come directly to you.

But it doesn’t stop there. When you take the initiative to do outreach, your established personal brand gives you a significant advantage. You’re not just another voice in their inbox; you’re someone they already recognize and trust. 

This makes your outreach efforts far more effective because people are more open to engaging with someone with proven expertise.

Makes you a known figure in your domain

Becoming a known figure in your domain is one of the most powerful outcomes of building a personal brand on LinkedIn. 

When you talk about your area of expertise, you instantly create an association in the reader’s mind. You become the go-to person in your network for insights and knowledge in your field.

For example, Ben Meer talks about building systems that drive growth in your life. He’s now known as ‘The Systems Guy.’ Just by talking about systems, he’s built a community of more than 2 million people with similar interests.

People remember you for the value you bring, and your name becomes synonymous with the subject you discuss. This strong association opens doors to collaboration opportunities. 

Whether it’s partnerships, speaking engagements, or joint ventures, others in your industry want to work with someone who is recognized and respected.

Friendly Reminder: It’s important to build a brand that’s authentic and in your niche. Merely copying someone you might admire will not be true to your story, and your audience can recognize that. The more honest and value-driven you are, the easier it is for you to show up on LinkedIn.

Steps to Build Your Personal Brand

Here are the steps you can follow to build your personal brand on LinkedIn:

The first step is to set up your LinkedIn profile.

The two most important things for this are your profile picture and a clear headline. These two are what any visitor to your profile would look at first.

If your LinkedIn profile does not have a display picture and the headline does not say much about who you are and what you do, you are letting go of the opportunity to make a meaningful connection. Without a profile picture, your LinkedIn profile hardly adds any value to other LinkedIn users, and they might be skeptical to connect or interact with you. 

So, make sure to create a proper profile with a professional image and a headline. 

While adding the profile picture, keep the following things in mind:

• Choose a clear, high-quality image where your face is visible and well-lit
• Dress professionally in a way that reflects your industry
• Use a simple background that doesn’t distract from your face
• Smile or have a friendly expression to appear approachable and confident
• Create a custom LinkedIn URL

Similarly, make sure your headline is detailed. It must contain enough information for someone to want to scroll down.

Psychologist Adam Grant’s profile is a great example of how to set up your LinkedIn profile.

Here’s why his profile stands out:

• The profile picture checks all the points we’ve mentioned above
• The headline is crisp yet contains convincing information 

Apart from the profile picture and the headline, there’s another important element of setting up your profile, and that’s your header—the image that is behind your profile picture.  

Notice that Grant’s profile contains a solid header that promotes his books. If you’re a business owner, you can put up a header promoting your business.

On the other hand, if you work for a company, your header could promote your company.

Just like Katie Berg does it:

You can make your LinkedIn header fun, quirky, and colorful. It could be anything but an empty space. Make sure you’re keeping the colors largely neutral or synchronized with your profile’s color theme.

Read More: AI Tools for Social Media Caption Generation

Your brand will be what you want to talk about on LinkedIn. For example, Ben Meers talks about systems, whereas Mel Robbins talks about confidence and self-growth. 

So, take a step back and think about what makes you unique. What are your core strengths? Identifying these strengths will help you define what sets you apart from others in your field. 

Next, consider your passions. What topics or activities energize you? For example, if you’re passionate about sustainability, that could become a key theme for your brand.

Another approach you can take is to talk about your field of work. For example, a writer would talk about topics like tips on how to write better, share their struggles with writing, or provide resources to improve writing. 

If you’re a developer, you could start sharing programming tips or hacks with your LinkedIn network. By doing this, gradually you’ll become the person known for sharing unique developer hacks. 

ClickUp Branding Template

To get started on your personal branding journey, you can use the ClickUp Branding Template . It helps you build a professional and trustworthy personal identity on LinkedIn. 

With this template, you can:

• Define your personal brand style and visual elements
• Maintain brand consistency across multiple channels
• Create a library of branded assets 

Read More: TikTok Growth Hacks to Make Your Brand Go Viral

LinkedIn has over 1 billion members . So, creating a profile and letting it be won’t cut it. Optimizing your profile regularly is necessary. This can look like updating your newly learned skills and recent achievements, which helps improve visibility in search results. LinkedIn also provides plenty of sections for you to do that.

Here are the sections you should update on your LinkedIn profile:

• About: Give a quick professional summary, including your unique value proposition and achievements
• Experience and skills: Highlight your past and current roles and your skills
• Education and certifications: Add your degrees, name of the educational institution, and industry certifications
• Recommendations: Request your mentors, clients, or coworkers to give you recommendations on LinkedIn
• Other achievements: Include any professional awards, recognitions, or honors you’ve received

You will need to add relevant information to each of these sections. And it’s helpful if each piece of information highlights your strengths and skills and builds a coherent narrative. This enhances the overall look and credibility of your profile.

💡Pro Tip: You can also use ChatGPT prompts for LinkedIn to optimize your LinkedIn profile.

Using the About section wisely

The About section of LinkedIn is your space to stand out.

With 2600 characters, you can highlight what you do, how you do it, why it matters, and how you can help others. Start with a strong, attention-grabbing opening that reflects your passion or a key achievement. 

Focus on the impact you’ve made rather than just listing tasks. For example, you can say, “I lead a high-performing sales team that consistently exceeds targets through innovative strategies,” instead of “I manage a sales team.”

Speak directly to your target audience—whether you’re seeking new opportunities or offering services as an entrepreneur, make it clear why someone should connect with you or consider you for an opportunity.

Friendly Note: You can also make your About Me section stand out by adding a creative elevator pitch. You can use instances from your childhood that display the qualities that you most care about today. Remember that it’s important to have a hook that can entice your audience to know more about you. 

Creating high-quality, authoritative content is essential for building your personal brand on LinkedIn. 

Over time, this consistent effort compounds, and that’s how your brand is built—by regularly showing up with valuable insights that establish you as a leader in your field.

Posting high-quality content is non-negotiable. If you try to cut corners with mediocre posts, you’ll struggle to make an impact. Your audience is looking for valuable content that informs, inspires, or solves a problem, so it’s crucial to put in the effort to create posts that truly resonate.

Here’s how Lara Costa, a LinkedIn personal branding consultant , recommends creating engaging LinkedIn posts:

You can use ClickUp Docs for creating content for LinkedIn. 

ClickUp Docs helps you organize ideas, draft posts, and collaborate with others to refine your content before you publish. It’s a great way to create impactful content.

ClickUp Social Media Template

Additionally, you can streamline your content creation process with the ClickUp Social Media Template . This template helps you plan and schedule your posts , making it easier to stay consistent with your high-quality content. 

• Organizing content ideas and plans
• Creating a unified plan for all your social channels
• Ensure cohesive messaging across all your social platforms to build a unique personality

You can start by adding all the post ideas under the To-Do section. As and when the tasks progress, you can keep moving them along the board. For each to-do, you can assign dates, time estimates, tags, priorities, and even track time. 

💡 Bonus: Create engaging and impactful LinkedIn posts with ClickUp’s LinkedIn Post Generator

Engaging with your professional network on LinkedIn is just as important as creating relevant content.

It’s not enough to post and then disappear—you need to actively participate in conversations, comment on others’ posts, and respond to comments on your content. 

In these small ways, brand management helps build relationships, shows that you’re approachable, and keeps you top-of-mind within your industry. 

By engaging regularly, you also gain visibility, as LinkedIn’s algorithm favors profiles that are active and interactive. The more you engage, the more your network will grow, and the more opportunities will come your way.

Additionally, you can also join relevant LinkedIn groups to be in a community of link-minded people.

Consistency is key to building a strong personal brand on LinkedIn. Posting high-quality content once in a while won’t have the same impact as showing up regularly. When you stay consistent—whether that’s posting weekly, engaging daily, or a mix of both—you build momentum. 

Your audience starts to anticipate your content, and over time, your consistent presence helps solidify your reputation as a reliable source of information and insight. 

Consistency also signals to potential employers, clients, and collaborators that you’re committed and reliable, qualities that are highly valued in any professional setting.

Read More: The Best TikTok Marketing Tools to Grow Your Business

Craft your Personal Brand with ClickUp

In your personal branding journey on LinkedIn or other social media platforms, staying organized, consistent, and strategic is crucial—and that’s where ClickUp comes in. 

With its solid features, ClickUp helps you streamline every aspect of building your personal brand, from content creation to task management. 

Whether you’re drafting posts in ClickUp Docs, planning your content calendar, or tracking your engagement activities, ClickUp provides the tools you need to stay on top of your game. 

By using ClickUp, you can ensure that every piece of content you create and every interaction you have is intentional and aligned with your brand goals. Don’t wait around longer to build your brand. 

Sign up for ClickUp today to get started.

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