5 Things I Wish I Knew About Self Branding
Throughout lockdown I have been thinking more & more about #self #branding and what it takes to truly begin.
It’s #2021, and with restrictions all around, I believe it’s the best time to start dedicating time to you own self development!
I personally have a degree in Graphic Branding & Identity. But in all honesty, I have learned so much about myself throughout Covid lockdown that I decided to re-express who I am to the world. Throughout my studies I learned many key tips to ensuring great outcomes when creatively branding companies. So why not use those skills into branding individuals?!
Essentially I want to transfer the 5 key aspects I truly found crucial into preparing myself for the real world of branding, in the hope of making your life easier!
I believe that I have the best #tips for you,
No matter who you are or whatever your background when it comes to software. I am going to enlighten you on the most useful apps, preparations & things to think about, some info will be available to you in my downloadable PDF at the end!!! Also comment below if you think of anything more to add to my short list of branding tips.
1. Personal Branding DOES NOT Make You Self Centred!
This is the most important statement that you need to come to terms with to begin your journey.
Promoting yourself is NOT a bad thing at all. There are many ways you can achieve self-promotion; some people choose a quite bold/in your face approach that seems to have negative connotations to it. But don’t be discouraged!! An introvert can have just as strong of a brand as a loud extrovert.
The first thing you need to do for your self development is gain the confidence to understand what you represent. Make sure you have goals/dreams or an objective! & Highlight what you have to offer!
Pro-Tip:
Be Authentic! Don’t try and fit into someone else’s mould or what you think would “sell”.
Direct your thoughts into how what you can provide will benefit your viewers but also better yourself in the long run. You don’t want to lie to your audience, and you don’t want to lie to yourself either.
2. Make your brand a story
This is something that many people may not think of doing however, it is a MAJORLY important part of creating a successful entity for people to relate to. Telling people about what drove you to developing yourself and showing the steps you took along your journey are all valuable towards building a lasting relationship with your audience.
Knowing your audience does not mean thinking about what they would theoretically like to see… Self branding is more about creating a platform that people come to follow or learn more
Pro-Tip:
Don’t give everything away all at once! People love hearing your secret tips & secrets!
Telling your story through different media such as: openly talking, through imagery, through a blog, or a podcast.
The aim is to keep your brand true to who you are but also giving your audience something to look forward to.
3. Be Consistent
Once you have identified who you are as an individual (for example: your style, your mindset, what you stand for, the reason you create your products etc.) It is important to make sure that you keep your audience engaged with similar content regularly.
Creating a niche for yourself is a very effective way of ensuring a growing audience. Peaking an interest for people to follow and continuously providing insight towards that topic is essential. Never under-estimate your viewers.
Build yourself an aesthetic. The way you display your content online to how you act in everyday life should correlate seamlessly. Do not make fake promises to please your audience; people are very perceptive & ultimately if you are caught they will question everything you said in the past as a brand.
Pro-Tip:
Make sure that your brand is also who you truly are! If you decide to make a persona for people to follow, it will be very hard to juggle a personal life and your online presence. Keeping them the same and one will allow you to live comfortably and provide continuous content.
4. Be Ready For Changes & Adapt!
When it comes to society, don’t forget that circumstances are always changing. Be prepared to share your experiences throughout your brand as life changes around you. Encountering a problem is not a bad thing, It allows your brand to flourish and grow organically.
Sharing your brand online could not be easier nowadays. Social media is always adapting to trends and so should you. Remember to update your brand when changes take place, to get your followers to feel a part of your decisions and to engage with them on a personal level to ignite reactions and an authentic relationship.
Change can also mean failure in some cases and this does not mean you should stop. make sure you stand up and dust yourself off. Not every aspect will be easy but the ability to spread the message that your brand can survive a topple can be truly inspiring and wholesome to your viewers.
Pro-Tip:
Be inspired but do not copy! The easiest thing to do when you are forced to adapt or re-direct your brand is to follow the same path other brands take. My golden advice is to stay true to your values and to find the silver lining in the change that allows you to stay on track with your personal brand values.
5. Make Sure you Don’t Bite Off More You Can Chew
Keep yourself grounded and humble throughout your branding journey. You do not have to do everything yourself! Just because you are branding yourself does not mean that you cannot ask for help. Using online services to further your research on how you market yourself can only benefit you. Even your friends and family can help you by giving you verbal feedback on the steps you plan to take.
I have designed an easy downloadable/ printable pdf that will help you kick-start the main aspects of self-branding. The PDF is free and super easy to print out or fill in. It has a great checklist for beginners and helps you answer the questions that will essentially give you direction on who you want to be known as. Designed to organise your thoughts but also be able to show to design agencies or external entities to get help along the way.
Pro-Tip:
Don’t work hard, Work smart! Developing your brand will not happen over night, but remember that it is NEVER TOO LATE to start!
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I hope you get to try all my recommendations and share how you feel about my PDF. Feel free to send me ideas on any other post you would like to see below or dm my account on Instagram @kianazenart
Thank you all so much, Sending my care & love,
Kiana