Branding yourself... Important?

We’ve all been taught that a firm handshake, a professional attire, and sound credentials are the makings for a good first impression.

Today, that’s no longer enough.

With the advent of blogs, Facebook, and Twitter have enabled anyone and everyone to become known; connect in almost real time directly with clients, colleagues and friends; and build relationships across the globe. Now, making an unforgettable first impression in-person is no longer the only way to establish your brand. 

Yes, your brand.

Why Branding?

Branding yourself keeps you current in your chosen field, opens doors for you, and creates a lasting impression on clients. By developing your own brand, you’ll have control over people’s  initial perception.

Not everyone knows who you are, and since that means they probably have no idea what you do and how good you do it, it’s vital for you to give your skills a bit of recognition.

Breaking free from this mold means that you have to brand your skills.

Let me gv u few reasons on why branding yourself is important.

You’ll Become an Asset

By branding yourself, you become the asset and the product you market is your set of skills or services. You’re your own unique product and no one can take that away from you.

 When you’re the asset, your business revolves around you and therefore you’re irreplaceable.

You will be recognized for who you are and most importantly, what you do.

You’ll Be a Memorable Force and It’ll be Easier to Find You

Let me explain with an example: when companies annoyingly repeat TV and radio commercials, they aren’t trying to sell you the product at that instant, they do it so that the first thing you remember when you go to a department store is their brand. It doesn’t matter what line of product you choose, as long as you go with their brand.

Same concept when it comes to branding yourself. If your brand can successfully reach out and influence potential people when they start up a specific project to be worked on, your brand is the first thing that pops into their minds.

A brand that’s easy to remember is easier to find. If your brand has unique properties and succeeds in attracting attention, then you’ll have a much better chance of having worked with potential people who hear about you and easily find you as well.

For example, If you type the word "Apple" in Google, the first thing that comes up is Apple.com, not the definition or content on the actual fruit. That’s a remarkable accomplishment.

You’ll Stand Above the Rest

The image you choose to represent your brand should be simple, straightforward, and convey what you or your business does.

Just imagine two people having the same skill set but one of them has more visibilty than the other. If you are asked to pick one, who would you pick ?

You’ll Build Trust and Recognition

Branding yourself allows you to easily engage with ppl u want to work with and build trust. Once they begin to trust you, they’ll never forget what you have to offer. Out of building trust comes recognition. Odds are if people around you trust you, then they won’t hesitate to refer their contacts to you.

Now the question comes: How can I brand my self?

Friends there are myriad ways to brand yourself but to name a few :

#1: Define your brand and become an expert. Take the time to do some soul searching and determine exactly who you are and what makes up your brand. Avoid establishing an expertise that's irrelevant to your mission, goals, and vision. You’ll just be wasting your time.

#2: Establish a presence. You’re being Googled by friends, colleagues, and potential customers, so make sure your branded content is what people find when they Google your name. One way to do this is to build a basic online presence through your own website or blog.

#3: Remember the 2 Cs of branding. Clarity and consistency. Be clear in who you are and are not. Don’t sugar-coat your qualifications. Express your brand across all communications mediums. Determine where you want to fit in (industry and niche area of expertise) and then remain visible to your target audience.

#4: Get feedback from those who know you best—at work, at home, anywhere. The true measure of your brand is the reputation others hold of you in their hearts and minds. Notice how they introduce you to others. Ask them what your top brand attributes and core strengths are.

I leave the question to you , Do u want to brand yourself and stay unique ?

Because If you don’t brand yourself, someone else will !!!

Courtsey: Times of India