The companies understood the importance of developing and promoting their brand: branding. As much as they are, each individual must today build his personal image: personal branding.
Personal branding or personal image is a practice that aims to promote your image and your skills. It combines traditional communication, digitalization strategy, eRP and influence.
The targets of personal branding:
Student, company director, employee, politician, freelancer, there comes a high point in your life where it is essential to know how to communicate about yourself, to put your skills first, to promote your activity, to sell your services, to convince of your added value. All this with the aim of creating and maintaining lasting relationships and reaching your target.
The added value of personal branding:
Personal branding will allow you to look for a job, gain visibility, promote a personal/professional project, acquire expertise, make professional encounters, be recommended, develop your notoriety.
The steps of personal branding:
Step 1: getting to know each other to better define your objectives
For this first step, we advise you to use the S.W.O.T matrix , a strategic business analysis tool, created in 1960 by Albert S. Humphrey. It allows you to perform a global analysis diagnosis before starting a project.
It will be useful to you to develop your image upstream and in the evaluation of your internal factors (Strengths, Weaknesses) and external factors (Opportunities, Threats). Answer the questions in each column of the matrix.
Step 2: Define your goals
Your responses to the SWOT should assist you in clarifying your objectives. Personal branding has 3 main objectives: to build your professional image (visibility); to promote your know-how (expertise); to become a reference (notoriety).
Make sure your goals are SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, temporal). S.M.A.R.T.indicators and targets are used in business, project management, coaching, human resources. They must be simple, clear and achievable.
Step 3: Choose your target
Like companies, it is important to define your target. Who is your message for? : students, professionals in your sector, old or new employees, customers or prospects, etc. Your targets will be your stakeholders. Focus on the niche. If your message reaches several targets, group them into 3 categories. This allows you to determine your positioning and strategy.
Step 4: Implement your communication strategy
Your first strategy is differentiation, authenticity and creativity. Regularly produce content: biography, blog, website (preferably with a domain name), newsletter, white paper, magazine,video, podcast, ebook, public speaking.
Like a company, a brand, create a visual identity (logo, colors, graphic universe …) and a verbal identity (name, slogan …). Be present on social networks, set an editorial line and master your communication.
Don’t forget one of the good old methods of public relations: networking. Be present and occupy space in your ecosystem, share the work of your colleagues, go to events, promote word of mouth, make yourself a business card.
Furthermore, developing your personal branding does not necessarily mean putting yourself directly forward. Do not forget to take pleasure, to document yourself, to ask for advice; If your budget or your project allows you to be accompanied by a professional in public relations or influence communication.
Personal branding is a long-term process. You will test, succeed, fail, start again until you find your position.
So when you read this article, will you adopt a personal branding strategy? It’s time for you to “Create, Etablish and Maintain Relations” with the right expert.
Par Elodie MBIDA