How to be intentional in crafting brand you
Why is building our own brand is so important?
It is important because if you don’t brand yourself, someone else will create an image of you and you may not like it.
So, what do you want to be known for? Not just at work but as a whole person.
When I was asked to write this piece, it sat on my to-do list for the longest time.
It turns out to be a much more complex topic than I initially thought.
Mainly because everyone is at a different point in their career and personal life journey.
And everyone has a different capacity for what should be public or private.
For many years I rarely did any kind of professional posting as I often felt that unless you were extremely clever, or witty and wrote very well, there was no point. And that self-promotion is self-absorbing and arrogant. I still believe that to an extent, but I am much more open and encouraging to writing and putting stuff out there. In fact, I very much wished someone had taken the time to discuss this with me, ten years earlier.
It was only once I left the corporate world and started my own business, that I realised how important reputation building over time is. Actively taking intentional steps to figure out what you stand for and where you want to show up, can help build positive impressions that create difference, uniqueness, and memorable associations with who you are, and what you bring to the party. This in turn works towards building perceptions.
Catherine Kaputa, author, speaker and expert in personal branding said this in her book “You are a brand”
“The yin is conventional wisdom wrapped in a positive thinking package: hard work, total dedication, and constant improvement in every aspect of your life are bound to bring you not only happiness but also the success you believe you deserve. Conventional wisdom is always wrong. Positive thinking might make you happy (the yin), and it is a terrific approach to life in general, but it won’t bring you success. To become successful, you need to focus on the yang.”
So, if you are passive in this space, don’t wait like me, get going with a plan, even a few small steps or commitments to be present and visible will add up for you over time.
For us here at Matter Inc, we have started an Instagram channel (please follow us here) and now try to write thought articles and contributions to industry magazines. We are far from figuring it all out, but we hope what we put out helps provoke some positive thoughts and conversation around growth and development. Our aim is to help anyone who wants to connect and build in the space of growth and development in creativity.
So where do we begin?
Have a clear sense of self identity. Then know how you are different
Always come back to the same anchor which is to know who you are and want to be.Your identity is made up of your talents as well as who you are and what you stand for.
Do you know your strengths, values and unique qualities?
What is the real power of “you” and how do you want it to show up in the world?
Both professionally and personally.
When you are clear about what a full expression of yourself would look like, then take steps to figure out how you want to show up.
When people know the unique, authentic, and trustworthy “you”, it can often open doors, land clients, build credibility, move you closer to other interest areas and connect you to like-minded people.
Evaluate the brand that you currently are
We are in fact unconsciously creating a reputation and image of ourselves in the minds of people around us. So, whether we are making the impact we want or whether we are being misunderstood, it’s probably a good starting place to understand how we are being perceived.Where and when helps build your image
What are you putting out there? What are your views and what do you associate yourself with? Who are you connecting with? How are you coming across? What perceptions are you building?
This not only includes social but also for example an email to your boss or team. It may also include how authentically you want to show up. How much you want to share.Author Mike Kim offers some questions to think about if you want to start building reputation, that can serve as a litmus test for you:
"Can I build a campfire around what I'm sharing?" Is there warmth? Are you building something that is attractive and inviting to others? Can you build a community around it? Are you someone who others want to invite onto their stages, in front of their employees, or into their lives?
First impressions are key
What’s your first 15 words in the first 15 secs.
Everyone you encounter has endless to-do-lists and too much on their minds, how do you get attention and hold on to it.
An audience forms their impression of you in just 15 seconds. What keeps people listening or engaged is curiosity about what’s coming next.
Once you have spent some time on this, you have done it and can keep using it.
So, what is that interesting sentence at the top of your resume.
How can you be different and memorable?
What is your niche?
Decide on a content strategy
What do you want to use each of the channels you are comfortable with for?
And what type of content do you want to put on those platforms and for whom?
My personal Instagram page is filled with my daily musing around family, art, travel, and interests. It is also closed and only for people I wouldn’t mind inviting home over for a meal. A friend of mine describes her Instagram page as her ‘personal visual diary’. Another friend started a handle to post the coming together of her new home and life in her new space.
From a professional perspective, decide your interest areas and what you want to post, share and comment on. That is what you will be associated with. Sounds simple enough but few of us do it with much thought.
Consistency is key
It is important to be consistently visible but for me it’s equally important to be consistent in what you say. What is your tone, approach, interest area etc.
“What we choose every day is what we become”
And here is a bonus. We asked our good friend and top dog strategist Benoit Weisser to give us his top tips and here is what he had to say:
Have a point of view
If you participate on an ongoing basis on a high volume conversation e.g. sustainability, diversity etc, be clear about what your beliefs are and what you are trying to champion, so it all adds up into a coherent thread and also comes across as authentic.
Find your voice
This is both about cutting through, being engaging but also about building your own brand especially on platforms such as LinkedIn where you are mainly known in your professional capacity. There are two points of view on this, speak in your corporate capacity or blend in your own flavours. Clarity on your approach is helpful.
Add value
This is critical. Try to add and build positivity to the conversation and debate on the topic - be benevolent, try to be useful, acknowledge others, don’t get into gratuitous criticism and trolling, and don’t be a dick.
Wise words.
While building a personal brand is a lot of work, the key is to just get started. It will take time to find your flow, but once you do, the payoff is usually great. When you are on your way, and people see ‘you’, it will feel like suddenly you are being acknowledged, people see your worth and will think of you first when new opportunities arise.