Swedish entrepreneurial blogger Navid Moazzez recently gathered input from 37 successful CEOs, strategists, authors, entrepreneurs, creators, consultants, influencers, and everyone in-between on what it takes to master personal branding in an entrepreneurial world. We’ve narrowed down the bulk of this personal branding expert advice and condensed it into the most widespread results. Learn from their success and soak up these sage words of advice!
Be authentic and translucent
Almost every contributor in this collection advised readers to be true to themselves. In order to be authentic, you have to first know yourself. Is there a separation between your self image and how others see you? Study up with some self reflection and ask those around you for input as well. You need to be memorable, but you also need to be believable. Personal branding is about sharing your story and your personal touch with the world, in whatever fashion you choose to share. It’s about putting your best foot forward. Be upfront about your interests, passions, experience, and even your faults – these will offer you the best connections with people around you. Being personal is a great quality that attracts far more than inauthenticity, and people will appreciate your visibility.
“Personal branding is not about being someone you’re not. It’s about authenticity.”
Focus and find your niche
Another pattern in the personal branding expert advice was the attention placed on focus. Many contributors stressed the importance of finding your niche. Excelling in seven different areas is unlikely, but focusing your efforts and energy into one thing is doable. By having one strong area of expertise, you’re establishing your brand and making yourself more memorable. Once your niche is created, ensure it finds itself consistently throughout your work and life.
Find yourself in good company
Network and make an effort to meet people. Surround yourself with individuals that share your interests, beliefs, or ambitions. As contributor Adrienne Smith advises, “Build great relationships along the way because these are the people who will be your raving fans. They’ll be eager to support you, share your content and refer others to you.” Be engaging both in person and online. Find a mentor and build your audience. Your networks will expand and strengthen, and your brand will gain attention.
“Aligning yourself with other individuals that stand for things you believe in and that share similar beliefs will amplify your exposure and elevate your personal brand.”
Create a platform
Many contributors also referred to the importance of having a digital platform, i.e. a website. Having a website in your own name both allows you to design a page that visually reflects your brand, and it allows you to share your background, thoughts, and ideas in your own way, whether that be through text, video, or other media. Web expert Caleb Wojcik referred to a website as a “‘home base’ for everything you do.”
“Make your personal site more into the form of a landing page, that links to other interesting pages on your site to sort of take people on a journey about you and your unique offer to the world.”
Many other contributors also stressed the importance of the visual. Craft a website that’s aesthetically appealing and a representation of you. Hire a professional photographer and make sure the layout of the site is clean and concise. After all, you’re painting a picture of your brand. Give Squarespace a try if you’re interested in following this personal branding expert advice. It’s an easy-to-use platform where you can have a site in your own name and up and running for about ten dollars a month, and it will give your brand a fantastic “home base.”