Creating a Personal Brand (part 1)

Before you can even start creating a personal brand...

You need to sit down and answer yourself some questions.

Creating a personal brand is a very important part of any business model, online marketing, or blog.  Care needs to be taken to develop yours.  This is a two three part series on the steps you need to take to discover your brand, and create your online presence.  As I was going through and doing the research for this article, I discovered that my own brand is a little rusty, and could use some tweaking.  Saying that, I will be going through this process right along with you.

1.  What is a personal brand, and should I care about it?

A personal brand is how your readers, colleagues, and clients identify with you.

Wikipedia describes a personal brand as: Personal branding is the process whereby people and their careers are marked as brands... It has been noted that while previous self-help management techniques were about self-improvement, the personal branding concept suggests instead that success comes from self-packaging.

In today's increasingly social society, where information is at our fingertips, you need to get noticed.  Your personal brand helps create the image you want to portray.

2. What qualities and talents are you known for?

Both online, and offline.  Sit down and write them out.  Sometimes it's hard to write words about yourself.  Consider asking a few people that know you well (I did and this is what they said).

So for example, when people use words to describe me - I hear things like: brain child, sweet, shy, funny, makes me smile, hermit, patient, cautious, special mom, teacher, courageous, resilient, inspiring, belief, makes a difference, risk taker, strong, stubborn, smart, independent and loyal.

3. What qualities or talents do you want to be known for?

Again, make a list.

I want to be known for being: a loyal and trustworthy friend; a teacher/mentor/coach; a mom to those with special needs; a successful, smart, independent business women who gets it done; someone that loves to spend time at home; someone who is very positive, loves to laugh and have a good time.

4. When people think of me, I want them to think of ______________________.

Just think on this for a while, I am.

After answering these questions.  You are better prepared to start creating a personal brand.  In part two, I'll talk about just how to do that.

Hope it helps,