To begin building our personal brand, we must not be lazy in getting to know ourselves. This self-awareness refers to our strengths and weaknesses, attitudes and abilities, as well as our preferences, needs, desires, beliefs, limits, etc. – our identity, ultimately – which will allow us to define the objectives we want to achieve and develop strategies.
Therefore, it is obvious that self-positioning in the job market is important, although personal branding is still considered a broader concept. There must be coherence in all facets of our lives, as well as between our analog and digital worlds. We cannot be completely different people in one environment or another, otherwise we will not be credible and will not be hired.
Our actions are a reflection of our personality, values, and culture. Imagine how important this is for a leader, who must work with their team and partners not only to achieve results, but also to do so with a positive attitude, added value, maintaining a high degree of motivation and well-being among their counterparts.
It is these qualities that make the leader act as a coach, to be the best in their function, and to be remembered when they are gone. Undoubtedly, we will be seduced by the confidence they transmit in themselves and their potential. However, it is preferable that leaders add the value of their personal brand to the company and their professional network, which will enrich and expand strategic opportunities.
The most interesting leaders are those that can be known by reading their blog, attending one of their conferences, or discovering their opinions in forums. All of this information will help you draw a fairly accurate portrait of someone you want to encourage to get involved and evolve continuously, as well as to inspire enthusiastic attitudes towards the common project that is the company.
A leader is, in fact, someone who must inspire, someone whose credibility is beyond doubt, someone who must be imitated in some way. All of this generates commitment, trust, and a spirit of collaboration.
These are the 5 key elements you need to develop this important strategy, your personal brand:
1. Passion
This attitude of energy expenditure that is transmitted when speaking or presenting your business plan is what will create the halo of magic around your idea. Passion is more important than the business plan itself and its compensation package. Without passion, you will not convince anyone.
Your enthusiasm will be the trigger for generating more recommendations. Passion is a powerful key to closing a deal, sometimes even more than logic.
2. Positive attitude
The well-known phrase by Antoine Saint-Exupéry, “The meaning of things is not in the things themselves, but in our attitude towards them,” makes complete sense at this point. Your attitude is one of the ingredients you will need to develop your personal growth. It is the attitude we have towards life and towards our project or business that will determine our success. People like to be surrounded by others who convey positive feelings and actions that they can empathize with.
If you want, you can do this small test: Make the decision to have positive thoughts, phrases, and comments for a period of 4 hours during your work. Try to be as conscious as possible of every word or thought you have and avoid making negative statements or references. When you have completed the test, ask yourself if you liked the results and if you know what to do with the rest of your life 😉
3. Contribution
Your personal brand will be closely linked to the contribution you can generate in the market. If you provide relevant information and solutions, you will contribute significantly to strengthening your brand.
4. Know your product, your service, your company
It is a priority and very important for any leader to have the right answers regarding their business proposal. Keep in mind the list
of services and try to memorize them or be able to access this checklist at any time. Knowing all the critical points and being able to guide your potential clients to develop improvements in the concept of your product is the key to your own success.
5. Marketing
The tools you use to promote your brand and the skills you demonstrate to express your ideas, vision, and business concept will be fundamental. There are no shortcuts here. You have to work and take responsibility for being a leader in this industry. This marketing process requires a deep understanding of all the tools and an initial assessment of which one will best support your personal brand strategy.