The job market today leads to increased pressure and fierce competition among employees who want to get a job or keep their position. Is personal or personal branding a new buzzword or a necessity for successful brand building?
How to create your own brand from scratch
Self-branding is a term that describes the art of establishing yourself as a brand. It involves the deliberate presentation of your individuality, aimed at standing out from the crowd and building a strong personal brand.
How does the selection process work when 200 candidates apply for the same job in response to a vacancy announcement, which is not unusual these days? First of all, all applications that are not at all or not at all suitable in terms of education, experience and abilities are eliminated. Among the ten percent that remain, there are candidates who often have almost the same training. The three to five people who are eventually invited for an interview are almost equally suitable for the position from the point of view of rational comparison. In whose favor is the decision made? It is usually the person who makes the strongest impression as a person. How is this assessed? What stands out? What are the outstanding personality traits?
Originality is dying out. There is a growing tendency towards uniformity, towards standardization. Consistent, clear self-presentation requires visibility. Only those who are regularly recognized by their target group become constants. The courage to do things your own way is part of personal branding: one of Frank Sinatra’s most famous songs goes like this: “I do it my own way.” When presenting your skills, you will make a much greater impression if others show as many color slides as possible and briefly comment on them, and you do not. Why?
Example: A CEO had to attend a public event urgently to replace his boss, who was unable to attend due to illness. He had only two hours to prepare. His impromptu speech caused a sensation and caused a storm of applause. He delivered a completely natural, fresh, energetic, decisive and captivating speech. Even his apparent shyness at the beginning of the speech inspired the guests and gave them confidence. As William Faulkner said, weaknesses can also be strengths: “If you have no bad habits, you have no character.”
Appearance is especially important in branding. A unique appearance creates a special, memorable value in the eyes of the public. In a society where competition is increasing, personal branding is a real opportunity to increase your authority. That's why young people should ask themselves the question before someone makes the same comment about their appearance or behavior for the third time: "Could this be my brand?" It's not just about the job title or title - it's about the personality that a person embodies and how they are perceived as a personal brand. But leaders who are personal brands have a clear advantage.
Step-by-step instructions for creating your own brand
If you want to survive in this chaos, you have to make a statement. Yes, make a statement, and do it in a way that will be remembered for a long time. But first, you need to know how to define the target audience for your brand.
There is good news and bad news. Bad news: quality alone is no longer enough. Good news: quality alone is no longer enough. This sounds paradoxical, especially in a time when quality has been the hallmark of international competition for decades. However, panic is completely inappropriate. “Made in Ukraine” will continue to be in demand abroad, but in the new world it simply needs more. You have to become a brand yourself.
The Internet has created a world in which it has never been easier for brands to successfully position themselves. After all, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and other similar platforms give us all resources on which to present ourselves. On the other hand, it has never been more difficult, because the emphasis is on “all of us”. There is a fine line between uniqueness and anonymity. In the digital world, the clock is ticking faster. But this restless pace can cloud our own vision. The deeper we immerse ourselves in the flow of information, the more blind those who are searching become, and the more interchangeable those who offer solutions become. It used to be said that “you can’t see the forest for the trees”, but today this is a serious problem for anyone working in B2B.
There are no formulas for authenticity and emotionality. But what characterizes a brand? And how to become authentic? How to create emotional relationships with your target group? We repeat — there are no patented solutions. And there can be none, because authenticity and emotionality cannot be generalized. The most popular mistakes when creating your own brand can be avoided. There are tools for building an authentic brand of personality. Each of these tools concerns only one aspect — personal branding, and must be implemented individually by each user.
Brand building model:
1. Values
Values are the foundation of your ego, your brand. Values are non-negotiable, they reflect what you stand for and what you believe in—always and everywhere. That’s why successful people define clear values for themselves and clearly communicate them to the outside world. In the hectic pace of the digital age, values play an especially important role because they give us stability. In times when nothing is certain except change, values are the cornerstones of our time.
2. Emotions
Less brain, more heart. We humans are emotional beings and should embrace this, not suppress it. It is the special moments in our lives that evoke particularly strong feelings in us and therefore remain in our memory. First love, first kiss or even a tragic death - strong and emotional memories can destroy or inspire a person. They shape us throughout our lives. Ask Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos: successful personal brands realize this better than anyone else and know how to evoke strong emotions in consumers.
3. Personal responsibility
Unfortunately, the luxury of our time has made us lazy, and we need to wake up from the illusion that we don't need to strive for greatness! Google can quickly answer many of our questions, but it doesn't make us smarter, Facebook gives us a platform to communicate with people on the other side of the world, but it doesn't teach us languages, just as a hashtag on Instagram doesn't absolve us of the responsibility to be polite and love our neighbors.
4. Sincerity and accessibility
Consciously developing a personal brand takes time, introspection, and a clear plan. A good personal brand should mature like a fine wine, changing and being tested again and again for integrity and honesty. Stories are a powerful tool for developing a personal brand. Tell your own story, share the experiences and life lessons that have shaped you. A compelling story can help establish a strong emotional connection with your audience. You show yourself as a person who is approachable and genuine. Think of the example of a CEO giving a speech.
5. Trust
Trust is currently being tested. This makes trust even more important and valuable. It gives us a decisive advantage in our challenged society. Because people who trust each other compare themselves less. They do not subject themselves to constant tests. Trust simplifies things, in a chaotic world it is a gift. But it does not come beautifully packaged by Ukrposhta, it must be earned. It starts with yourself - do you trust your own abilities? It ends with trust in your partner.
6. Dynamics
Change has never been so fast. Technical innovations are no longer a matter of generations, but of minutes. Everything is happening faster and faster. Those who don’t keep up are left behind. If you lose yourself on this path, you are running in the wrong direction. The right balance of innovation and tradition is important - the desire to develop further and the courage to preserve what others love you for.
7. Social networks
Almost everyone considers social media important, but only a few actually enjoy using it. As a result, we often fail to realize the countless opportunities the internet offers us. However, in the ideal vision of a successful brand, social media activity is no longer a routine, but the norm.
8. Positioning
Here the circle closes: successful personal brands are characterized by the fact that they reliably convey to the outside world all the skills and qualities they possess in certain areas. Therefore, positioning yourself always means focusing and simplifying.
Authenticity as a foundation
To be a personality brand, you need to know yourself. Authenticity is the foundation of a strong personality brand. For example, an authentic manager is able to align their personality and values with the identity of the company. This not only builds trust, but also provides a deeper connection with employees, customers and the wider community. Authenticity is a buzzword whose far-reaching meaning is often underestimated. After all, it does not only describe attitudes, behaviors, it also implies a true knowledge and acceptance of oneself: an open face with all the strengths and weaknesses that make up a person.
As for weaknesses, the beauty is that it's the little weaknesses that make us lovable, special, and memorable. And nothing is more repulsive than perfection!
A personal brand inspires and motivates, and has far-reaching consequences. It affects not only the corporate culture around you, but also the productivity and commitment of employees in your business. It not only inspires and motivates the team, but also attracts talent, and therefore contributes to the growth and success of the company.
Brands create images in people's minds, and through images we experience feelings. And they determine our actions and results. We think in images, and a strong personality creates impressive images. Positive emotions are the basis for commitment and productivity, they are a prerequisite for learning.
How to make a brand successful
Sometimes it's enough to make your name your logo and thus your brand. Then you have a personal brand. As Jeffrey Bezos said: "A brand is what others say about you and your business when you're not in the room!" This thought determines whether your desired customers will find something interesting, whether they will want to learn more about it and whether they will spend money on it. Therefore, the question of how to promote a new brand is important.
The “About Me” page on your website is a great place to make your positioning clear and show that you have one. If you’ve made your online business your passion, then you are a brand. Your ideal customers buy from you because they trust you. If you are a brand, then your brand is your personality and your values. This makes building a brand much easier. Don’t be fooled by the jargon, the need to be constantly on social media, and “cutting-edge technology.” Once you recognize and articulate your brand, it will be easier to promote it. Here’s a strategy:
- Trust yourself.
A strong brand supports your self-esteem - you are proud of your business. You have a stable position and can confidently represent your business once you have a clearly defined brand or you bring that brand to life through yourself. Good brand communication leads to you selling easily.
- Be patient.
If you do it right, things will go faster. Strong brands feel like good friends to potential customers.
- Make things easier for yourself
In all areas that you cannot or do not want to do yourself, seek support from experts who have already achieved what you are striving for.
- Maintain a strong brand
It is your key to success. It builds trust, sets you apart from the crowd, makes you memorable, and turns you into a magnet for customers.
- Your brand strategy is your own branding
The brand name can be your own name, and the claims can be short sentences that complement the brand name and thus support your positioning: for example, "Nini Radzijewska - trainer and nutritionist for your relief abs." Repeat your brand name and claim at the beginning and end of your emails, blog articles, videos and podcasts. Show it in all other marketing campaigns.
- This sounds annoying.
But you know the Coca-Cola jingle or the Kyivstar statement, the Gillette razor blades or the Kinder chocolate surprise eggs. As you can see, there is also an “association” that makes visibility possible.
- You will see - it works!
Statements may sound a little strange, but they still work. Emotions are crucial! Use storytelling. Try to charge your topic with an emotional aspect before you start providing information about your topic. Describe the “pain” associated with the problem, and then the joy that comes from your solution.
Define your point of view! Figure out what you and your brand stand for and proclaim it. Be a trainer for abdominal muscles or a fashion designer who creates clothes, etc. It is important to understand how to act.
How much does it cost to create a personality brand?
The cost of branding varies greatly. Many different factors and providers affect the amount. When turning to typical branding agencies, you can expect to pay from $2,000 to $20,000. This is very expensive for small companies and individuals. The Internet can tell you where to find a designer for your brand.
Conclusion
Strong brands are timeless! They don’t change like a flag in the wind. Give your brand personality and communicate your values. Make sure your values, principles, and personality are reflected throughout your own brand and business. This creates hope and trust in you, which will only benefit you and your business.
