Why Creating A Personal Brand Is A Good Thing

By: Mandy B. Anderson

If I told you that "you are a brand," what would you think?

Chances are you would look at me cross-eyed and be tempted to argue with me. We typically think of brands as big entities like Target, or Old Navy, or Nike. The average human being does not go around seeing themselves as a brand. It's just not a normal perception!

But what if we DID start to see ourselves that way? Would it change how we show up each day? Would it change what we post on social media? Could it be that by simply thinking of ourselves as a brand, we could connect the missing dots in our lives in new ways that finally help us get to where we want to go?

I think so.

I fully believe that you are a brand. As an employee. As an entrepreneur. As a person. You are a unique human being with experiences and skills that nobody else has!

I know, it sounds...a bit sleazy to think about creating an image for marketing purposes, right? It's okay if you think that way right now - I totally get it! However, when I started diving into the reasons why a personal brand was even a thing in the first place, it began to make sense.

In fact, according to Forbes magazine, a personal brand is simply "the unique combination of skills and experiences that make you who you are. It is how you present yourself to the world."

Now, I'm not about faking it and pretending to be something you are not. Nope. That's setting yourself up for failure in the future. What I want to share with you today, are the reasons why creating a personal brand is a good thing.

1. A personal brand helps you increase your visibility and influence to connect with the right people.

According to Entrepreneur Magazine, 70% of U.S. recruiters and HR professionals have rejected candidates based on information they found online. In a nutshell, people are CREEPING on you on the internet!

You've got to ask yourself, if you were in their shoes, would you hire YOU based on what you have found online?

If you're not sure, it might be time to take inventory of what you post and why. Make sure your profiles are congruent across platforms and that your privacy settings are not so tight that they can't even find you. That looks suspicious. Figure out who you are - at your core - and make sure that what you share with the world lines up with that.

2. A personal brand elevates your psychological and social value.

Psychological value boils down to how you make people feel. Or, how you want to make them feel. Do people feel better when they are around you? Or do they feel worse? When you hold space for other people, it adds a psychological value that is very valuable in every area of your life.

Social value is HOW you connect with people. Are you even connecting with other people? When you are introverted, it is easy to stand in line at Walmart, looking at your phone and hoping nobody talks to you. Including the checkout person. That is a crappy social value! TALKING to the people around you is social value!

You can enhance your Psychological and Social Value by asking yourself these questions:

• How do I want to make people feel at my job?
• How do I want to make people feel Online?
• How do I want to make people feel when they interact with me in public?
• How do I want to make my family feel?
• How can I spread that value in my social settings in person, at work, and online?

Identify the answer to those questions and you’ll become intentional with the psychological and social value that you bring.

3. A personal brand adds value to your company.

Entrepreneur magazine reports that "on average, employees have 10 times more followers than their company's social media accounts."

This means that you have the power to help your company grow by sharing their content, posting their website link in your bio, and being an example of their core values! When you are happy to be identified with your workplace, it shows! And when you're not, that shows, too. And, it can have a negative effect on future job opportunities or entrepreneurial adventures when you aren't aware of how and what you post online.

People are watching you, more than ever before. Rise up in your own personal leadership by cultivating a personal brand that sets you apart from the competition and shines a light in this dark world!

Helping you live and lead well,

~Mandy

Hey, before you go!

I have a lot more to share about skills to grow your influence and a boost of hope to stay the course, and would love to email you with more tips and strategies on a regular basis. Just CLICK HERE and enter your name and best email and we’ll get started right away. As a thank you, I’ll send you our Becoming An Influencer Guide. You'll find out how to get people to like, know, and trust you, your top life values, and questions that will help you identify the message you want to be an expert on! No strings attached.