a guide to building a personal brand

I’ve written about building a personal and professional brand in several other leadership posts… I love talking about branding, leadership, and networking (although I consider myself a newbie to this space over the past 5-ish years and have no formal education in marketing. I’m fully self-taught by the University of Google and Instagram.)

This guide is jam PACKED with steps and valuable tips to help you carve out your niche and amplify your impact in your industry - whether that’s wellness, mental health, or something else. I believe that everyone can benefit from building a personal and professional brand.

Dive in with me!

What Makes You Unique

Begin by identifying what sets you apart from others in your field, area, or community. Reflect on your unique skills, experiences, and values. What is your mission? What gets you up in the morning? What excites you? What matters most to you? Who do you want to be as a leader in your field? What impact do you want to make? Who is your target audience? Who is naturally drawn to your services? Establishing a clear and distinctive value proposition is the foundation of a strong personal brand.

Truth is, if you don’t know who you are or what you stand for, no one else will know who you are. It takes a lot of effort to dig into this, but you must start here. Spend time journaling and thinking about what makes you unique and what matters most to you as a leader or professional.

Who Are Your People

Understanding your audience, clientele, or population is crucial for effective personal and professional branding. Define your ideal clients and tailor your messaging to address their specific needs and concerns. This will help you create content (even if it’s your website copy or bio) that resonates with your audience, fostering a sense of connection and trust.

A Note for Newbies: When I work with interns or those just starting out in their field, often they try to niche too fast. If you’re new to an area, it’s okay to start broad and work with a variety of clients. Overtime, you’ll discover who you love working with and can niche down and focus more of your content or language around one specific population. Your population will and should always be adapting and shifting as you gain more experience overtime.

Craft a Compelling Story

People connect with stories. Share your personal journey and experiences that led you to your field and motivate you to do the work you do. Highlight challenges you've overcome, lessons you've learned, and how these have shaped your approach to your work. A compelling narrative humanizes your brand and makes it relatable.

One of my favorite ways to craft a story is through my weekly newsletter. There’s no better way to share challenges, lessons learned, and stories than in a newsletter, on social media, or through a blog (personal or professional… I have BOTH). You can also craft a compelling story through your website or even by meeting others in person through networking. However you’re sharing your story, make sure it’s strategic and compelling.

Be Consistent, Have Integrity

Maintain a cohesive and visually appealing brand across all platforms, including social media, your website, and promotional materials. AND maintain this personal brand in person too. Duh. BUT have you ever met someone who you followed online only to realize they’re nothing like their online persona? Not a great look.

(Although I’ll make a small note that when folks meet me after following me online, they often think I’m more extroverted than I am. I’m highly introverted, but I like to write and share stories.)

I say this all the time, but having integrity means being the same person privately, publicly, personally, and professionally. The same should be true of your personal brand. It should reflect YOU.

For a brand to be consistent online, use consistent colors, fonts, and imagery to create a recognizable and professional image. This builds trust and credibility among your audience or community. This is the easy part of personal branding. Integrity and consistency must come first. This ultimately comes from your unique why.

Another way I love to be consistent with my personal brand is through the clothes and colors that I wear (i.e. my style), even down to my nails and hair. I’m known for having funky, colorful nails and short, blonde, wavy hair. This is me. So much so that people send me photos of people’s nails, outfits, and hair all the time on social media. They say, “You should do this!” Folks know when something is “so coco!” (a nod to my Instagram handle - @cocothax). One thing I recommend to every professional is getting a color and style analysis done from House of Colour. (I have a gal I recommend if you’re local to ATL.) I’m now known for the colors I wear. It’s all about the personal brand. And tbh, I just love it - ha!

You decide how seriously you want to take your personal brand. But these are my recommendations, thoughts, and things I’ve done overtime to develop more of my own voice and brand.

Optimize Your Online Presence

In our digital age, your online presence is often the first impression you make... this includes professional and personal accounts like your website, social media, and networking sites. Trust me, people will look you up. Even having NO online presence is communicating something to potential clients, etc.

Ensure that your website is user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing, and contains valuable content. Utilize social media platforms strategically to showcase your expertise, share insights, and engage with your audience in a professional, yet personal way.

My first tip (if you have no strategic online presence) is to get an updated headshot and update your website and bio every 3-4 months. I update my website weekly…

Next, update your wording/copy on all of your online platforms to reflect your professional brand. Each of your accounts need to reflect the same message.

Once you have an established and cohesive online presence, foster a sense of community around your brand by actively engaging with your community and online audience. Respond to comments, answer questions, post helpful content, and participate in conversations. Create engaging content for others to connect with and share. This not only builds relationships but also positions you as an accessible, expert, and caring professional.

What is a personal brand, really?

In the end, a personal and professional brand takes time, intentionality, and investment to think through and implement. It’s not just about throwing together a website and never thinking about it again. A personal brand allows you to share your expertise with the world, and it allows others to know who you are and what you have to offer. If you’re someone who wants to serve others in any capacity, you need a personal brand.

By approaching branding with purpose, authenticity, and a commitment to serving others (if that’s a part of your values and brand), you’ll continue to have success personally and professionally. I can’t wait to hear about how you’ll put these suggestions into practice. Let me know if you have specific questions or want me to dive deeper into any of these topics.

Thanks for reading! Want more writings and resources? 

Here are a few blog posts you might enjoy: 

001. Read me if you hire other leaders

002. Read me if you want more leadership lessons

003. Read me when your inner mean girl is loud

004. Join the weekly newsletter for resources, essays, and encouragement.

Disclaimer: This blog is not intended to substitute professional therapeutic advice. Although I’m a mental health professional, no content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct professional advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health concerns and before starting or stopping therapies or treatment recommendations.

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