Your personal brand can land you the job of your dreams – or get in your way.
Establishing a personal brand is something many professionals do to get noticed by the right people and make themselves available to the right opportunities. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to see people drawing conclusions about personal branding that are simply wrong.
As we all look to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the online world, I encourage you to be smart about building and growing personal brand.
So let’s take a look at the five most common mistakes you may have made and how you can fix them.
Mistake #1 – You think it doesn’t pertain to you
Whether you’re an entry-level, a c-suite executive, or somewhere in between, personal branding has a role in helping you advance your career. Personal branding is all about marketing yourself and showcasing your expertise and your personality online. It’s about building your professional reputation and taking control of your narrative to help you achieve your goals.
Mistake #2 – You pretend to be someone you are not
We all try to showcase the best side of ourselves. It’s normal. It can help us gain someone’s attention and forge connections. You want to give yourself the best chance of getting the attention of companies, and potential clients. But if you take it too far, it’s a matter of time before it backfires on you. Nobody wants to build a relationship, hire, or partner with a fraud. So don’t make the mistake of pretending to be someone you’re not! Authenticity is key!
Mistake #3 – You’re not focused
Building your personal brand is about breaking through the noise. The best way to do that is to have a clear and consistent message catered to a specific audience. Whom is your message tailored to?
My message is quite clear: I support Women Break the Glass Ceiling in Leadership Roles through Personal Branding, Strategic Positioning & Online Presence. My positioning is focused on knowledge-sharing and coaching to professional women. Most of my keynotes, content, interviews, etc. are focused on either professional or women entrepreneurs.
You don’t want to dilute your message nor your audience. Focus!
Related topic: How to gain clarity in your personal brand
Mistake #4 – You don’t share your story
Your story is what people want to know. They want to hear about your ups and downs, the good, the bad and the ugly. How you started, the barriers you overcome, your failures, the lessons learned.
People want to be able to get to know you. When building your personal brand, think about your story.
People want to hear it and want to see how you pushed through.
Related topic: How To Use Storytelling To LEVEL UP Your Personal Brand
Mistake #5 – You don’t create your own content
If you exclusively share content or articles published by other people, then we need to talk about it.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to give shout outs to your peers or to share articles on given related topics. But the problem is that by doing so, you’re convincing your audience to go elsewhere for industry knowledge.
So rather than relying only on shared content, make an effort to create your own. Develop your own voice, share your tips, anecdotes. In other words, content that your audience will care about.
Keep in mind that personal branding is all about marketing yourself and showcasing your expertise and your personality online.
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