How to Build A Personal Brand You’re Proud of: Tips for a Strong Identity (online and offline)

*Daniel Knight, Brand Strategist and Humanifi Founder.*

Whether you’re just starting out in your career or you're a seasoned pro, building a strong personal brand is crucial for getting ahead.

I’ve been in business for over ten years and my biggest regret by far is neglecting my personal brand (for the first 7 years or so anyway).

I told myself “I’m far too busy, what value can I add? No one cares about social media, It's cringe to promote yourself” etc, etc.

With wisdom and hindsight I now see how BULLSH**T the above excuses are and have since kicked them to the curb.

We now focus our agency's efforts on helping our clients embrace their brand story and harness the power of the personal brand for founders, leaders and key people within their organisation.

Your personal brand is how people perceive you - it's your reputation. This is built over time through interactions, shared content, and the value you bring. All of this plays a big role in how you're seen by potential employers, prospective clients, and collaborators.

How to Build a Personal Brand You’re Proud of

Building a personal brand that gets you noticed and respected doesn’t have to be complicated. It all starts with a solid personal branding strategy and consistent effort. These key elements will all play a vital role in building a brand for yourself.

Use the following steps as a starting point to start building your personal brand. But before we start, let’s address that pesky thought, that silly excuse holding a lot of us back…”BUT IT’S SO CRINGE TO PROMOTE MYSELF.”

Move on, it’s not. Give yourself permission to be you and start sharing your valuable knowledge and experience. Here’s an exercise I do with our clients to help overcome this mentality and any other blockages holding you back.

1. Define Your Goals and Values

Before diving into how to build a personal brand, get clear about your aspirations. Ask yourself: What do you want to achieve by building your brand? Are you looking to land your dream job, gain recognition in your industry, get more clients or start your own business?

Your goals will shape your messaging and how you present yourself online. Equally important is identifying your core values – the principles that guide your decisions and actions. Are you passionate about sustainability, innovation, or empowering others? Clearly defined values add authenticity to your brand, making it easier to connect with like-minded individuals and opportunities.

One of our clients, for example, is a large construction company. Here are the goals and values of one of their leaders.

*An example of a goal setting sheet from one of our clients in the construction industry.*

2. Identify Your Zone Of Genius

Think about your “zone of genius”, your superpower, what gets you in flow? Take inventory of your skills, knowledge, and experience. What are you truly good at? What topics can you confidently speak about or create content around? This will become the foundation of your personal brand work.

Focus on honing your existing strengths and acquiring new knowledge in your chosen field to solidify your expertise. Consider what you would want to be known for and how that aligns with your ideal customer.

Here’s a visual to help you take stock. This free worksheet is available to download at the bottom of this article.

*Use this diagram to help identify your key strengths and zone of genius. You can download it at the end of this article.*

3. Craft Your Brand Story

Storytelling when it comes to your brand is no fluff.

Studies have found that ‘68% of consumers say that brand stories influence their purchasing decisions’ and that ‘companies with compelling brand stories have a 20% increase in customer loyalty’ (The Brand Shop).

Just like any strong brand, your personal brand needs a compelling narrative. Think of all the big names who have amazing personal brands, chances are they have a super strong story they leverage.

Start by reflecting on your journey, your passions, and your values. Think about your personal story.

What experiences have shaped you into who you are today? Your brand story is what makes you unique, memorable, and most importantly RELATABLE! Share the challenges you’ve overcome, your goals, what motivates you, your day to day, behind the scenes, and anything that might help educate your clients and industry peers.

Use our free “Crafting Your Brand Story” downloadable resource to help identify a strong brand story. You’ll find it at the end of this article.

*Understanding doesn’t have to be hard. It’s a simple process, start by reflecting on your journey, your passions, and your values.*

4. Build a Strong Online Presence

A significant part of understanding how to build a personal brand today revolves around your online presence. It’s the first place people go to learn more about you. This could even be considered free personal branding when you leverage free platforms.

First, select 1-2 social media channels where your target audience hangs out. Be it LinkedIn for professional connections, Twitter for thought leadership, or Instagram for visually-driven fields, tailor your content marketing strategy to each platform. Consistency is key, so post regularly and engage with your followers to build a strong community.

If you have the time and resources, create a personal website or portfolio that showcases your work, testimonials, and contact information. It doesn't have to be fancy, grab a domain and outsource the rest on fiver or upwork if you like.

*Building a strong online presence means posting somewhat regularly, getting comfortable putting your face out there and most importantly, being yourself.*

5. Create High-Quality Content

Content creation is essential in showcasing your expertise and building authority. Consider starting a blog, recording podcasts, or creating engaging videos around your niche. This is how you start building trust with people who follow your brand.

There are a host of amazing examples out there to take inspiration from. Study their content and what performs well, follow a similar formula or structure and just get started!

Share valuable insights, industry trends and personal experiences that provide genuine value to your target audience. Remember, quality trumps quantity. Focus on producing well-researched and thought-provoking content that resonates. Share content that helps people with their pain points to deliver as much value as possible. This will make your brand stand out.

A starting point, what I found useful was committing to a 5 -10 part series that shares something about your journey or your industry. In my case, I shared my top 10 business mistakes from my first business in video form for my personal LinkedIn and my business Instagram.

Ideas to start with could include:

“Five Influential Entrepreneurs or Mentors Who Shaped My Business Philosophy"
- Discuss influential people and how their guidance impacted your business strategies.

"How I Built a Strong Team: Top Ten Tips"
- Share your approach to team building and empowering others.
“My Favourite Business Books and What I Learned"
- Share key learnings or personal insights that you’ve gained from the books that help shape your direction.
"The Future of (your industry or niche)"
- Share your opinion and initiate a discussion about the future of your industry i.e. concerns/opportunities/predictions.

I shared my top 10 business mistakes from my first business in video form for LinkedIn. It was vulnerable and kick started great momentum for my own personal brand.

6. Network and Build Relationships

Building a personal brand is not a solo endeavor. Actively participate in industry events, workshops, or webinars to meet like-minded people. You can learn a lot from other strong personal brands and seeing how they interact and build trust in-person.

Utilise LinkedIn to connect with people in your field and nurture those relationships. Don’t underestimate the power of offering help, sharing your knowledge, and providing value to others - it’s the foundation of building a strong network that supports your endeavors.

If you haven’t already, find yourself a local, ongoing networking group or regular event you can attend. In my first business I loathed networking and avoided it at all costs, which is strange beacuse I love people.

The networking events I did attend, ALWAYS had a positive outcome be it a new lead, strategic partner or potential mentor.

*Look, not everyone loves networking….Here’s a good article with some basic tips.*

7. Seek Feedback and Adapt

Once you’ve put yourself out there, it’s essential to seek feedback on how your personal brand is perceived. Engage with your audience, ask for their opinions, and be open to constructive criticism and continual improvement.

Utilise analytics to track your online presence and identify areas for improvement. Remember, building a personal brand is a continuous process of learning, adapting, and refining your message based on feedback and data. This is how you build personal brand awareness over the long-term.

Conclusion + Downloadables

Mastering how to build a personal brand can be the key to unlocking exciting opportunities. From establishing your online presence to actively engaging with your audience, it's about nurturing genuine connections. Remember that a personal brand thrives on authenticity, consistency, and genuine value offered over time.

It’s 2024, personal brand is no longer a nice to have, in business, it’s essential. Don’t over think it, just get started and see what results you get from your audience, I assure you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

If your keen to explore personal brand further, I suggest completing the worksheets referenced throughout this article. You can access our bundle of Personal Brand Worksheets below.

How to Build A Personal Brand You’re Proud of: Tips for a Strong Identity (online and offline)

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