Are You Personal with Your Brand?

We’ve mentioned that branding is something a company is built on. The way a logo stands out, how a tagline resonates, and even how customer services are carried out reflects the meaning behind a brand.
 

What makes the successful brands stand out is not so much the marketing or public relations, but more of how leaders of businesses think and feel. A leader with clear direction and focus doesn’t have to worry about building a strong brand, since it will simply be an amplified version of him/ her.
 

This fundamental yet essential element of successful brands is personal branding. How the leader of an organisation is seen by his / her target audience, needs to be in sync with the company’s branding. Take a look at TV personalities like Oprah Winfrey and Ellen Degeneres.
 

They are highly popular and influential because these individuals genuinely care and treat people off-screen, exactly how they do on-screen. Oprah and Ellen have given at least hundreds of millions in gifts and cash away, and always to people they don’t know. What all the gift recipients have in common though, is that they have taken positive action to make other people’s lives better.
 

In turn, their organisations are known for being just as generous with their audiences. Whenever these media personalities endorse another brand, product or even mobile app, the response will be tremendous. This is because their audience relates their companies to the positive personal branding that Oprah and Ellen have built.
  

Personal branding boosts company brands, and not the other way around.

Now that you know how personal branding affects the branding for your business, how then do we begin (or continue) from here?
 
These are just a few tips that you can employ:
 

Have a business card: Your business card should contain your picture, your brand statement, a corporate logo and your preferred contact information. Give this card out during networking opportunities and when introducing yourself, start with a short introduction about yourself, and how your business is an extension of your interests and passion.
 

Build a Portfolio: Compile the works that truly reflect your beliefs and have them available online. It can be a simple blog or a professional site. What matters is that these works reflect your personal brand and how your works are proof of this aspect.
 

Have a Website: Invest in a domain that contains your name in some way. It can be separate from your business, since this is more of personal branding. If you run more than one business, then this is a good way to talk about the other companies without diluting the brands of each business.
 

LinkedIn Profile: Create a LinkedIn profile if you haven’t done so, and keep it as updated as possible. (Recommended once a month) Post things like new projects, completed works, powerful experiences, great interviews and even pictures of your favourite activities. The more your audience knows about you, the more they will trust you and your business
 

Facebook Profile: You probably have a Facebook profile by now, but is it complete? Make sure you have a presentable picture and that the content reflects what you wish to communicate to potential customers. This platform is highly personal so try not to be too “corporate” in your language. Do play around with the privacy settings, so your social activities don’t overlap too much with your professional branding.
 

Other Social Media: Browse other social media platforms available like Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, etc. Pick those that are most relevant to your business, so as to avoid stretching yourself too thin.
 

Email Signature: While we have no doubt that you possess an email address, what truly matters is how your email signs off at the end. Try to put in a personable brand statement and links to your website at the least, to keep people reminded of what you do.
 

So now that you know how to build a personal brand, do go through the list and include anything you might have missed out. You’ll be surprised at how this can help you focus better on growing your business, and even in leading the team you have built.
 

Pull the Rabbit out of the hat
Think your business can be better recognised and remembered? Get in touch with Rabbit’s team of brand specialists and we’ll arrange for a complimentary consultation.