Building your personal brand - how to transform the way others see you

Spend at least 30 minutes each week building your personal brand.

Why? Because you already have a personal brand, and the world is already seeing it. The question is: do you see it?

Why Visibility Feels So Scary (and Why You Must Embrace It)

Being highly visible in business or in your career–whether through public speaking, thought leadership, or simply sharing your real, unpolished voice–can be…terrifying. Building a personal brand on top of that fear is downright defeating. (I mean, really, how can we build a successful brand when showing up and being seen as the thing we say we are is paralyzing?)

I recently saw a client literally shudder in the afterthought of what scared her most about speaking up in a meeting. And, she’s not alone. A study from the University of Law cites that

“84% of people at work fear that their colleagues will judge them on how they communicate.”

But here’s the thing: we can’t influence, inspire, or lead from the shadows. We need to build a personal brand we can confidently stand on–one that allows us to be seen, heard, productive and profitable. 

So let’s talk about doing the hard stuff: building a personal brand that excites and supports you.

Building Your Personal Brand: The Basics

Your personal brand is the widely-and-easily recognized impression that others experience when they encounter “you”. And, they encounter you everywhere.

In my Success on Purpose Team Workshop, I point out 10 places your brand may already exist (and some of these you may not even recognize), like your:

Your brand is the widely-and-easily recognized impression that others experience when they encounter “you”!

1. Professional bio and/or resume 

2. Online profile headlines

3. Social media conversations & comments

4. Speeches & presentations

5. News interviews, podcasts, blogs and videos

6. Headshots & social images

7. Communication in meetings

8. Networking conversations (or lack thereof) 

9. Management style

10. Online background or your office appearance

Your brand is everywhere! And, that means the impression you’re making is scattered like social glitter all over the place. (Oh now it’s a party, my friend.) 

Let’s pull your brand together intentionally so you can start showing up confidently.

Here’s How To Rock Building Your Personal Brand

1. START WITH 3 WORDS.

   Yup, you only need three words to kick off building your personal brand.

   They are the three words that define the attributes you most want to be known for when people meet you, work with you and get to know you. I’ve asked well over 10,000 people about their three words, and the answers are always amazing.

   Building your personal brand starts with finding three powerful attributes that you can live out with purpose because they have a high return on investment, meaning: showing up in the ways those three words describe offers you and others major benefits. 
   

2. TAKE IT “SLOW & STUDY”.

   The best way I’ve coached my clients on building a personal brand they can confidently stand on is to take a slow and study approach. Over weeks, we test and learn how to intentionally and confidently step into living out their 3 attributes. On your own, that could mean testing out how you speak, move, dress, and make decisions–and seeing what kinds of “wins and learns” you get as a result. Research shows that repeated exposure to anything reduces fear by up to 80%—so the more you practice intentionally showing up as your brand, the more confident you get. 

   Pro tip: If you’re ready to step into greater visibility but don’t know where to start, my coaching programs are designed to help leaders like you show up with confidence and impact. Let’s chat about how to amplify your voice and presence.

3. KEEP WHAT WORKS.

   Let others know what attributes you’re trying to showcase and how you’re working to embody your brand. Ask for feedback or feedforward on how to keep showing up in that way or how to tweak it until you’re showing up in ways that cause your confidence to soar. This kind of guidance does wonders in helping you build a personal brand that actually works for you.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my years of coaching, it’s this: Your voice matters. Someone, somewhere, needs to hear exactly what you have to say. But they won’t hear it if you keep playing small.

wHEN YOU’RE READY TO PLAY BIGGER & CLAIM YOUR SPACE, LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW COACHING MIGHT BE THE RIGHT NEXT STEP FOR YOU. ♥