How A Social Media Marketing Firm, Denver, Brings Branding Into The Conversation
What Is Personal Branding & Why Should You Care?
Work Selfie At Tintero Creative Headquarters!
We typically talk about branding and we think of big companies. We might picture the giant golden arches or the bullseye icon when we think of successful brands. However, even those in the business, let alone the average professional, fail to focus on personal branding. We’d argue that this is something everyone should care about…It’s THAT important.
So, what is personal branding you ask?
Personal branding involves being aware of and telling the world who you are. Whether you are trying to sell yourself as a coach or speaker, or as a expert in car mechanics, you create a brand for yourself. At the most basic level, we can all related to resumes and your resume is a foundational piece of your brand.
Social media makes it very easy today to position yourself as an authority in any given field. By doing so, you can create a personal brand that can go with you through any job change or transition in the world. Social media allows you to craft your own story and tell the world how much you know and how much they need you. For me, this means that I spend time building up my personal LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter followers. I regularly evaluate what kind of tone I give off to my audiences. It forces me to check some of my bitterness and frustrations at the door and knowing that I have a personal brand pushes me to live above reproach in my online (and offline) interactions.
Personal Branding Matters
We all give off a personal brand, whether we realize it or not. However, those that think about it can make sure they are giving off the brand they want to, and do some damage control if they’re steered away from their core messaging. However, the best thing about personal branding is that you can take it with you. You may work to promote and grow the company you work for, or the company you own, but if you take the time to build up your own personal brand based on “Your Name”, you can take that with you wherever life takes you. Looking for new jobs, establishing new companies, or just finding new, like-minded friends is easier because you have this digital presence about YOU, not a brand name.
Reflective Questions for Personal Branding
- Have you claimed your own domain name? Do you want/need to make a website for www.insertyourname.com?
- Have you claimed your Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. names?
- What key topics do you want to be known as an expert for?
- Do you spell those out in your social media profile descriptions?
- When was the last time you updated your LinkedIn profile?
- What kinds of content can you create to position yourself as a leader?
- Do people know what you stand for and what you are passionate about?
Learn more about personal branding from some of our digital friends:
“When it comes time to develop a brand, you will need to consider whether it should be based on your company or on Y-O-U.”
“The point is that it will train you to do things that you wouldn’t normally do, to get you to not worry so much about what other people are thinking and just take action—no matter how silly or ridiculous an idea may be at the time.”
“Your personal brand also includes the reputation and relationships you have built over time.”
“Is it vain to want to be personally branded? I say no. Before you leave the house, you brush your teeth, get ready and make yourself presentable for the world. Taking the time to present the best version of you is smart. Don’t load a bad, blurry photo and add a sloppy bio. Social media is a very visual world with people making a snap decision on who to follow by a glance at an avatar maybe followed by a peek at your bio if you are lucky.”