Welcome to Day 3 of the 10-Day Career Challenge Actually Worth Doing. I hope you have enjoyed finding out more about yourself and how important it is for your personal and professional growth to set achievable goals for yourself. Day 3 is all about personal branding. We all have a brand, it’s up to you to create a high luxury brand of success.
On day 1, one of the exercises was 20-questions. In those questions I hope you were about to answer some key questions about yourself and who you are. Although we have a way about ourselves when we engage out into the world, there is a side of us that no one is watching and building your personal and career brand from this side of you is great refection starting point.
What is Personal Branding
In a nutshell, it’s how we are seen by others. Let me ask you, do people perceive you as a hard worker, ethical, creditable and trustworthy? Are you kind and compassionate towards others? Do you keep your friends’ conversations in confidence? What would your friends say about you, if asked? Do you help others in need? You get the picture.
In the age of social influence, it’s very hard to distinguish between a personal brand or an imposter’s persona. There are so many social media influencers, who are some really effective salespeople, and sell their personal brand to us, to buy a particular product. Why do we buy the product? Because we like the presentation, and we trust what we are hearing from the social media influencer. Have you ever tried something a social media influencer suggested? I certainly have, and there have been some hit and misses. But overall, I was happy to try the product. Why? The brand had credibility and so did the social media influencer with over 100K subscribers.
I’ll take personal branding to its highest level, it’s your reputation, both in your career and in your personal life.
“Personal branding is less a marketing exercise than it is becoming the best person you can be.”
― Frank Sonnenberg
Building your Personal Brand
Always be thinking about your reputation and at the same time, highlight the uniqueness you carry inside you every day. Be mindful of how you communicate with others, how you dress, this one really sets us apart without words. And it shows how we feel about ourselves, without say a word also. How do you walk? Fast, slow, steady…. building your personal brand is a journey, in fact, a lifelong journey.
I love what my son says about building your personal brand, “what you put out on social media should mirror how you are in real life, you shouldn’t hide behind a scene.” I just love this, and it’s true. You have to remember there is only one of you in this world, why would you want to be anything other than yourself. I encourage you to stop chasing what you think you may want and run towards what you do want. Craft the best you there is out there for people to see! Besides, the world needs your talents, not your imitation of someone else’s.
Personal Branding Spaces
Your face to the world provided to you in a list format. Ask yourself, how do I present on these platforms? How do I perceive myself? I have listed the most popular ones, and you are probably on at least 2 of these platforms if not all. I would personally reflect on what you are showing others on these platforms. As a matter of fact, if you need to change anything up, examine this idea too.
- X (Formerly Twitter)
- Snapchat
- YouTube
- Tic Tok
- Your Job
- Your Resume
- Family and Friends
If you noticed the 3 highlighted areas, are the ones that matter the most. Again, it’s how you are perceived by others, and your reputation matters.
Personal Branding: Exercise 1
Identify YOUR Unique Selling Points
2 people can be asked to do the same task; however, each will do it differently. Because, although the task is the same, no two people are the same. Moreover, even if the task completion looked identical, it’s not.
This is your time to shine, I want you to think about just how amazing you are and what gifts you have. In this exercise I want you to write down the following:
- List your TOP 5 skillsets or attributes. What are your strongest soft skills? What are your strongest technical skills?
- List the TOP 3 achievements you’re the proudest of. Personally, and professionally.
- List your TOP 3 personal skills (Creativity -Problem Solving-Leadership)
- List as many compliments as possible, the one’s that gave you that “warm and fuzzy feeling”.
Reflect and evaluate your answers. You probably are feeling pretty good by now reading all the wonderful things you are and have.
Personal Branding: Exercise 2
Network!
Meet new people, create a new circle of “like minded” creatives who enjoy what you do personally and professionally. Persona connections can, very quickly turn into professional connections, Have the mindset you never know who you may meet when networking. Additionally, networking helps you sharpen your communication skills. For some, networking is not the easiest endeavor, however, done regularly you get better at it each time. Sell yourself to others, you are an interesting person who can bring a different perspective to the conversation. How do I know this? Because there is only one of YOU!
- Dress appropriately, it’s business.
- Have confidence, be excited about the possibilities.
- Ask questions and be open-minded.
- Practice active listening and show empathy when needed.
- Follow up with everyone you gave you a business card
- Evaluate your progress regularly (at least every 30-days)
Personal Branding Resources
There are hundreds of articles out there about personal branding, and I am all about giving you the knowledge needed to make change in your life, in fact, I want you to make changes that will bring about the kind of excitement that will ignite fire in you to be who you already are, you just need to reframe and brand yourself differently. Moreover, I want you to want to always be striving to higher levels. Do you feel the encouragement?
I do want to make clear that within your uniqueness you may feel ok with your personal brand, in fact, you may feel nothing needs to change. However, you may feel differently in a few months or a few years, because you will have experienced more of what life has to offer, this alone will spawn change. Nevertheless, remember, we all are always evolving on this journey.
Resource Reading List
- Personal branding and why we need it (Forbes.com)
- What is personal branding (Indeed.com)
- What’s the Point of a Personal Brand? (Harvard Business Review .com)
- 10 Effective Personal Brand Statement Examples (With Tips) (Indeed.com)
- 18 effective personal branding examples done right (webflow.com)
I am sure you will find reading of your own, however, I wanted to give you a head start.
Final Thoughts and Words of Encouragement
I want you to always remember your personal brand is more than a logo or a tagline, you are so much more, it’s your journey. it’s an authentic representation of who you are and what you stand for.
Recognize and hold onto your uniqueness, share your story, and let your passion guide you as you complete these exercises. Building a personal brand is an ongoing process of self-discovery, growth, and meaningful connections.
Stay true to your values, celebrate your successes, and remember that the most compelling brands are those that resonate with authenticity.
Your voice is valuable, your story is powerful, and through your personal brand, you have the opportunity to leave a lasting impact. So, step into the spotlight, write your own narrative, and let the world see the incredible person behind the brand – you.
Don’t forget to leave a comment, I’m excited to hear about your progress on this journey!
We’ll chat soon,
