Stacy Kinney

photo courtesy of Photos8

Creating a compelling personal brand is a vital component to building a successful business. In a time when more and more people are starting their own businesses as a result of a job loss, it is important that you do something to stand out from the crowd. Developing your personal brand will give you the edge you need to cut through the noise and grab the attention of your customer.

Unlike a business brand, which is the story of your company, your personal brand is the story of you. It is the image that pops up in people’s minds when they hear your name. Whether you realize it or not, you already have a personal brand. Ask any of your friends, family or business associates what they think of you and they will tell you exactly what your personal brand stands for.

Your personal brand is not only your perception of yourself but also how others perceive your. The problem is that you may not have ever taken the time to actively and consciously develop your personal brand. As a result, you end up with an image that may not reflect who you truly are.

Your personal brand has an enormous effect on whether or not someone wants to do business or be associated with you. Therefore it is important that you take the time to develop a personal brand that attracts rather than repels. But before you can actually develop your brand, you must figure out what your brand is.

To discover what your brand is, take out a notebook and write down the answers to these three questions.

What are your core values and beliefs?

Your values and beliefs influence everything you do. From the style of clothes you wear, to the way you handle compliments to how you react to getting cut off in traffic. You could say that your personal brand is the tangible result of all the things you believe about yourself and life in general.

Therefore it is important to sit down and think about what those values and beliefs are especially the ones that determine how you interact with others. This will go a long way towards helping you determine what your personal brand is now as well as what you want it to be.

How are you unique?

In other words, what makes you different from the other people in your field? This could be a unique perspective about your industry or a particular skill set that enhances your ability to get the job done. Distinguishing yourself from everyone else requires that you highlight those differences that make you who you are.

How do you want people to perceive you?

As much as we’d like to deny it, our reputation is based as much on what other people have to say about us as what we have to say about ourselves. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t take control of the conversation and have people saying the right things about you.

Determine the personal brand you want to have. This will be immensely helpful in developing strategies that gets others saying the things you want them to say about you.

A personal brand isn’t an exclusive tool for celebrities and rock stars to use to sell more movies tickets and records. It is something you can also use to help you build a successful business.

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