Welcome to the world of personal branding, where you're the product, the CEO, and the hype man all rolled into one. With the right branding strategy, you can go from “Who’s that?” to “OMG, it’s them!” in a matter of months.
And the recipe to a superb lift-off along with a stellar content strategy is right here in this blog but that’s not even the best part - There’s a bonus cheat sheet at the end!
So, let’s get started.
1. Find Your Superpower
Every superhero has a unique superpower. What’s yours?
Think about what makes you tick or gets your happy juices flowing.
Maybe you’re a genius at solving complex math problems, baking the perfect cookies, or turning boring data into fascinating stories. Whatever it is, own it!
2. Get Social (But Make it Fun)
Social media is the U-L-T-I-M-A-T-E tool.
With almost 5.07 billion users, it hands you the opportunity to present your unique bit in the most unbiased manner to such a large audience; and that too, FREE of cost!
But hold on, there’s a catch!
You must pick your platforms wisely.
If you are a visual artist: Go for Instagram and Pinterest
Have your way with short, fun texts: Twitter is ready for you!
Share your perspective with your professional network: Say Hello to LinkedIn and Medium.
And so on….
Remember, consistency is key to personal branding strategy. Share your journey, your mishaps, and your victories.
3. Create Killer Content for Your Personal Brand
Content is not the king or the queen. It’s the entire royal family.
Whether it’s videos, blogs, podcasts, or vlogs, make sure your content is valuable and showcases your personality.
Some of the DOs and DONTs to make your content strategy fool-proof are:
DOs | DONTs |
Keep it short – The attention span of adults is less than 8 secs. | Avoid Repetition – Reposting useful content is allowed but should be limited. |
Tailor content – Personalized content gets all the marks. | No Complicated Jargon – Try to explain your thoughts in a simple language. |
Use data – Data and metrics through your content verifies its relevance. | Don’t Downplay Quality – Make sure you take your time to create fresh, original, and engaging content. |
Optimize for SEO – Without keywords, you are non-existent to Google search engine. | Say NO to Inconsistency – Inconsistency is not treated well by most app/search engine algorithms. |
Pro tip: Storytelling is the new game in building your personal brand. People love real stories.
4. Network Like a Pro
Networking isn’t just for business cards and awkward small talk. It’s about building genuine relationships.
Join online communities, attend industry events (even virtual ones), and don’t be afraid to slide into DMs.
Remember, networking for personal branding is not just about what others can do for you, but what you can offer them too.
5. Be Consistently Awesome
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a personal brand.
Stay consistent with your messaging, your style, and your presence.
Here’s an example from real-life influencers to show how consistency in style and brand messaging is serving them:
The left image shows posts that have no consistency in terms of style, color theme, etc. hence less engagement. The right image displays a simple yet consistent style right-across all the posts that has garnered better engagement.
Whether you’re posting daily, weekly, or monthly, make sure you’re showing up and delivering awesomeness.
6. Embrace Feedback (Even the Tough Love)
Feedback is your friend. Embrace it, learn from it, and use it to grow.
Not everyone will love what you do, and that’s okay. Focus on those who do and keep improving.
7. Keep Evolving to Grow Your Personal Brand
Your personal branding strategy isn’t set in stone. It’s a living, breathing entity that grows with you.
Stay open to change, keep learning, and adapt as you go.
Top 5 inside tips to keep your personal brand relevant:
Regular Reading: Follow leading industry blogs and news sites such as Harvard Business Review, Flywheelr, Forbes Advisor, etc.
Continuous Learning: Take courses from Coursera, edX, or Udemy. Earn certifications from platforms like LinkedIn Learning or HubSpot Academy.
Hands-On Experience: Engage in projects via platforms like GitHub or collaborate on research through ResearchGate.
Understand Your Audience: Use tools like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to conduct surveys and analytics tools like Google Analytics, Tableau, or SEMrush to gather and analyze data.
Case Studies and Examples: Reference databases such as Statista for statistics, or Google Scholar for academic papers.
And there you have it, folks! Your ultimate personal brand guide for 2024. Now go out there and show the world what you’ve got. We’re cheering for you!
P.S. - Don't forget to download your free cheat sheet below!
