Building a personal brand is one of the requirements that came with the fast paced technology and the massive growth of social media networks today.
I have written a few posts about people that mastered the skill and got to have a source if not sources of income from merely managing how they use social media. I talked about Jeremiah Skaftin Lebea and the endorsements he got from businesses that found value in his personal brand.
Businesses have services and products to sell and they attach themselves with certain people on social media and in their offline marketing because they realise the value that comes from such an association. Skaftin has through social media built a personal brand that attracted businesses to him as well as allow him to sell his own merchandise.
Such is the strength and pull of the law of association that it makes us connect to people that are established, people that are known and publicly celebrated that we would do anything to have something that makes us similar or feel we are connected to such people. We buy certain items because they were worn by this or that person that is a brand.
Kanye West got the contract to make the Yeezys not because he had demonstrated skills and boasted years of experience in the shoe design and production industry but because of his personal brand.
Personal branding has never been 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. And that’s exactly what a lot of people are doing.
Recently in South Africa one actress revealed how they no longer get roles because of their acting abilities but the number of followers they have on social media and you don’t have to be a genius to figure out why. If one actor has 300,000 followers and another 10000 followers it means one gives your show more publicity than another and the potential that more people will watch the show.
Why every entrepreneur should build a personal brand
When you’re building a business around your skills e.g. a personal trainer, author, speaker, coach, consultant, freelancer, graphic designer, musician and the likes, the idea of building a personal branding probably comes naturally to you. When you’re the face of your business, building your personal brand makes perfect sense.
Your personal brand is what distinguishes you from your competitors, helping to form a long-term impression in the thoughts of your audience and customers. Without a compelling personal brand that attracts your target audience, you may find it tough to build a profitable and sustainable business or career.
Most people are more interested in following other people than they are in following specific companies. Therefore, building an audience for your personal brand can actually help increase exposure for your company.
Gary Vaynerchuk or Gary Vee as he is popularly known has more followers on his personal social media accounts than his businesses which he leverages to increase exposure and attract more customers for his companies.
Why you should have a personal brand
- Trust and authority
Having a personal brand helps to build trust with your audience, and position you as an authority and a thought leader in your industry. - A following that attracts money to you
Having a personal brand makes it easier for you to get opportunities that a normal entrepreneur or person may not. Going back to the Kanye West shoe deal that he got mainly because of how many people follow him than his proven experience to design shoes. - Build your network
When you have 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 to attract more of your ideal clients. When you’re positioned as an expert, it’s also easier for people to refer clients to you. - Charge more
Salt Bae, a chef that got famous for his colorful personality is more likely to charge more money without necessarily offering the best food to other lesser known chefs. He sells his personal brand not food now. - Create a lasting platform
We have seen celebrities switch lanes and create multiple streams of income in different industries, not because they were really good in those industries but because their brand is trusted so wherever it is attached it has instant followers. Your personal brand stays with you as you move from one adventure to the next.