5 actions for building a personal Brand

Personal branding is essentially the ongoing process of establishing a prescribed image or impression in the mind of others about an yourself, as opposed to your company in this rarified world of high-end interiors and luxury lifestyle.

1. Start thinking of yourself as a brand

What do you wish for people to associate with you when they think of your name? Is there a certain subject matter in which you want to be perceived as an expert or are there general qualities you want linked to your brand? Once you understand how you wish your brand to be perceived, you can start to be much more strategic about your personal brand. This doesn’t mean you can’t be human. Authenticity is key in the digital age. A strong personal brand can yield tremendous ROI whether you are working with an organization or leading one.

2. Audit your online presence

You can’t mold perception without first understanding the current status. In other words, Google yourself and setup alerts for your name on a regular basis. Have a fairly common name? Consider using your middle initial or middle name to differentiate. Cultivating a strong personal brand is just as much about being responsive to what is being said as it is about creating intellectual property.

3. Find ways to produce value

We’ve all been there. Someone in your network posts something utterly mundane or ridiculous, and you wonder what compelled them to do so? A medium is not a substitute for a message. Find ways to add value to your audience by creating or curating content that’s in line with your brand.

4. Be purposeful in what you share

Every tweet you send, every status update you make, every picture you share, contributes to your personal brand. It is an amalgamation of multiple daily actions. Once you understand how you wish your brand to be perceived, you can start to be much more strategic about your personal brand.

5. Reinvent

A strong personal brand is dependent on a strong narrative. In other words, what’s your story? Think of those with string personal brands like Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Philippe Stark.Take a second to think of celebrities you know who have a strong personal brand. Most importantly, remember that a strong personal brand should be ubiquitous and ever evolving.