Personal branding is a business strategy that’s continuously growing into popularity among business owners today. With social media becoming the top marketing platform for businesses, standing out is a challenge that can be overcome by building a personal brand.
The success of personal branding is perfectly portrayed in enterprises built at the start of the social media era. There’s Tesla, with Elon Musk as its face, Mark Zuckerberg for Facebook, and Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics. These brands show that while straightforward, transactional relationships with your customers work, building a more personal connection with them can help you develop brand loyalty.
Being the Face of Your Company
Let’s say you have a law firm in Salt Lake City. There are literally hundreds of other practicing lawyers potential clients may choose over you, but not all of them have one face that represents their firm. By showing your face and representing your firm’s values, potential clients can relate more to you because most people relate to other people, not to companies.
Of course, being the face of your brand involves more than just hiring a business photographer in Salt Lake City and posting your headshot on your website, though that’s very important, too. Studies have shown that the mere presence of a face on a website’s landing page can increase conversion rates. To further personalize your brand, consider taking the following steps:
1. Publish Content Under You Name
Content that’s relevant to your audience is key to converting leads, and articles written from a genuine and first-person perspective is the way to go. This way, you can reveal bits of your personality through your writing and, as a result, your audience gets to relate to and know you.
2. Become Active on Your Own Social Media
Your company’s social media presence is vital in reaching your online audience, but it doesn’t mean you have to hide behind your brand. Establish your own social media or use your brand’s platform as yourself. The more active you are, the more visibility you’ll earn. A bonus? You’ll become accessible to your audience.
3. Take Advantage of PR Opportunities
Have you noticed that companies like Facebook and Tesla, embodied by Zuckerberg and Musk, respectively, get more press than “faceless” businesses? That’s because the media and people, in general, are more interested in a brand to which they can ascribe a face. This is how you can take advantage of PR opportunities. You can be in the news while speaking at events or be on the cover of a magazine. With a personal profile, it’s easier to attract attention to the brand you’re carrying.
4. Be Consistent
Once you’ve established yourself as the face—and the voice—of your brand, be consistent. Your audience will start recognizing your specific brand once they’ve encountered it several times. If you suddenly change your image or the way you conduct business, clients may get confused and ultimately not recognize or trust you.
People are less likely to trust impersonal brands, especially today when there are various ways to get personalized services and content. With personal branding, you’re not just saying that you’re the owner, but you’re also showing that you’re the client, as well, and therefore can relate to them.