Author: Irene Gerarduz
Date of Publication: 17/04/2023
After spending months or even years building a personal brand, this question definitely
needs to be asked. So, it needs to be answered with a fairly certain answer. How do you
know if your personal brand is strong enough?
Here are 10 signs that can help you understand the ''level'' of your personal brand.
1. You are recognized and recognizable
Having a strong personal brand means being recognized and recognizable within your
industry. Which means by your target audience. Your face, style, voice, and
strengths: your goal is to make sure that everyone knows them, and that they can
understand your uniqueness.
2. The social proof
From the inside, you might think you have built a sizable and effective personal
brand. But it's what they think on the outside that counts. What does your audience
think? And how do they approach your brand? You build your personal brand, but your audience completes it.
3. Customer opinions
Customers have opinions, and they often find ways to get them to the consultant or interested audience. In end-of-collaboration emails, on social networks, and in
conversations with colleagues. You should think about what your clients' feedback is
and use this information to figure out if your brand is strong enough.
4. A professional image
There are professionals who want to show themselves to be easygoing and friendly.
In order to do so they end up erasing any glimmer of professionalism and seriousness
from their image. On the other hand, there are professionals who wish to prove
themselves highly professional. So, they exaggerate and appear too distant and
detached from their clients.
5. Your brand has no expiration date
A strong personal brand is one that can last a long time, theoretically forever. This
means that your personal brand must be effective always, no matter time or
fashion.
6. Value offering
A personal brand can only be truly great if it offers something of value to its
audience. In fact, a brand that offers nothing is useless, superfluous, and ineffective.
The name, the logo, the graphics: they may be perfect, but if there is no real offer of
value, they can accomplish nothing.
7. Emotional connection with customers
The strongest brands are built around emotions. This is true for brands like Nike,
like Valentino, like Coca-Cola, but also for personal brands.
8. Consistent but evolving
To be effective, a personal brand must be consistent over time. Therefore, it cannot
vary along with fashion trends. There must be strong fixed points, such as the way of
communicating, graphic style, tone of voice, and identity. This, however, doesn’t
mean that your brand should appear static, always the same over time. Your personal
brand must be consistent, but also constantly evolving. It must develop along with
your business and your audience.
9. Your commitment is always to your customers
Your personal brand must be built with your customers in mind. The important thing is
that everything is done for your audience which is the crux of your business.
10. Authenticity
An effective and strong personal brand is an authentic brand. So, your brand can
be consistent, original, above fashion, and professional. However, if it isn’t authentic,
it will fall apart. Therefore, to build your brand you must always start with your
personal characteristics and your strengths. Hence, you should never try to imitate
someone else.
Personal branding is very important. It can help you do many things: get a job, attract
more customers, or even make you a more valuable employee. Thus, building a
successful personal brand is an ongoing process. So, if you want to be different from the
others, it is worth it.