Why you must invest in this skill

Personal Branding

We pick specific brands over others. "An economist would say, 'How is this possible, that a rational consumer would be willing to pay more for exactly the same thing?' (Big Think, 2021)." As we all know this has something to do with branding. Whether you like it or not, a strong brand influences your behavior. Just like products, services and companies have a brand, we as humans also have a personal brand. Now for those who prefer watching over reading, I also created a video that is an extended version of this article.

What is it?

At first I thought personal branding was all about self promotion. But a simple google search showed me that, "your personal brand is how others perceive you" (Forbes, 2021). It is "the combination of your skills, the values you present, and the impression you leave on others" (Harvard Business Review, 2023). As Jeff Bezos once said: "it's what people think about you when they hear your name, as well as what people say about you when you're not in the room. So personal branding isn't just for influencers or content creators. It's for everyone.

Why build it?

In a way we all need to sell ourselves in both professional and personal settings. We face it when we apply for a job, or ask for a promotion or even when we write a dating profile. Many of our professional and personal goals depend upon how others perceive us. Today your personal brand is visible in seconds to anyone who Googles your name. So the importance of this 'personal branding thing' has become stronger and stronger. How to build it? I dived into this world of personal branding, watched dozen of videos, read articles, listened to podcasts and it more or less all come down to the following.

The personal branding phases

The self-discovery phase

The first phase is what I call the 'self-discovery phase'. It's the foundation for building a personal brand. It involves figuring out your passions, envisioning your ideal life, and who you want to become. The ultimate goal is to find an area that matches your capabilities and interests. In addition, it must be something that can be valuable for other people. For example, you may want to become a skilled video editor or a proficient software developer or maybe even an athlete. Important to mention is that, this phase isn't a binding contract. I mean people change, as do their goals and interests. However, in order to build a personal brand, we need some kind of focus.

The building phase

The second phase is the 'building phase'. In this phase, you begin to pick up the skills that are necessary, to excel in the specific area that you identified in the self-discovery phase. Now this phase is not limited to just learning; it also involves putting those skills into practice and building a resume. This phase demands consistent effort and a commitment to continuous improvement. Now keep in mind that this an ongoing process that never ends.

The sharing phase

The final phase, is what I call the 'sharing phase'. This phase centers around communicating what you've learned and achieved. This can take various forms, whether through short-form content on platforms like X, Instagram, or TikTok, or in the creation of long-form content such as blogs and videos. However, you can also share your expertise in offline settings, like presentations. The primary objective is to communicate the value you possess. I mean if you are very good at something but nobody knows it, then what do you have? Next to this, in this phase, it's crucial to be authentic. Avoid using Chat-GPT generated content, which we see a lot nowadays. Just be yourself. Personal branding only works if it's authentic. Lastly, another important one, consistency is more important than intensity. Building a strong personal brand, isn't something that happens in a few months; it may take years.

Conclusion

In my perspective, 'personal branding' is just a trendy term for an ongoing process of getting better at something you're passionate about, and that thing is also valuable for other people. A very crucial element of this process is sharing the knowledge you've gained along the way in an authentic way, where consistency is more important than intensity. This is basically my version of personal branding, based on all the information I've consumed. It's something that I'm going to work on as well. Let me know what you think? Cheers!

PS: If you liked this post, then don't forget to check out my YouTube channel!