The Art of Personal Branding: Getting Noticed and Staying Relevant
By Stephanie Anderson
Gary Vaynerchuk, a serial entrepreneur, investor, Chairman of VaynerX and CEO of VaynerMedia, got his start by transitioning his family liquor store into an ecommerce empire. Virgil Abloh, an American designer, entrepreneur and DJ, became a household name after serving as Kanye West 's creative director, and now serves as both artistic director of Louis Vuitton's men's wear collection and CEO of fashion label Off-White. Elon Musk, known for innovation and companies like Tesla and Spacex, may have a name almost as well-known as Coca-Cola. And Joanna Gaines, lifestyle entrepreneur with a home improvement empire, empowers her followers to create spaces they love.
Despite being engaged in widely differing aspects of business and society, Vaynerchuk, Abloh, Musk and Gaines all have one clear trait in common: Their ability to create a strategic and consistent brand across all media in addition to generating a strong following of fans and brand loyalists.
This is personal branding on display: An intentional effort to create and influence public perception by positioning oneself as an expert. Akin to business branding, personal branding includes clearly conveying one’s beliefs, purpose, values and goals. A personal brand should be authentic and detail both the personal and professional aspects of the individual.
The process of branding involves finding what makes one unique and building a reputation around the characteristics and skill sets with which an individual desires to be associated. Ultimately, the goal is to convey a clear message and when done effectively, it can be monetized, though this should not be the primary motivation in brand creation.
First Impressions
“You only have one chance to make a first impression,” so the saying goes. The traditions of making a good first impression include a firm handshake (although the destiny of this business greeting during and post-pandemic is questionable), professional attire and open and welcoming body language. That is until the digital age, where access to abundant information about an individual is available long before in-person (or via Zoom) introductions.
Take a moment and search your name on Google: These results equate to the first impression people have of you. Further, the information people encounter is heavily dependent on what has been shared on the relatively recent phenomenon of social media.
Here are some tips on getting started with your personal branding:
There is one clear distinction between a personal brand and a business brand: Rather than marketing a store or product, you’re marketing yourself. Building up a personal brand has a ton of benefits, both personally and professionally, and it can help open many doors that otherwise may have remained shut. Above everything, a great personal brand will lead to opportunity, set you apart from the competition, build trust and provide a necessary online presence. So, whether you are striving to be the next Oprah Winfrey or Tony Robbins, do it with authenticity and consistency and you will make it happen!