Branding is the act of giving a product a distinctive identity by means of characteristic design or packaging. The characteristics design and packaging in the above definition simply indicates the unique value that is provided by the brand or product when it is been used. Similarly, personal branding involves creating a unique identity for yourself. It is a promise of the value you are competent to provide for a set of clients. Your personal brand is what comes to the mind of your clients or people when your name is mentioned. You are what your brand is. A typical example is the relationship between Facebook and Mark Zuckerberge, Steve jobs and Apple, Sam Adeyemi and motivational speaking, Tuface and hip hop music etc.

Just as Rome was not built in a day, so also is creating your personal brand can’t be done in a day. Creating a well established personal brand requires time, effort, and consistency. I am persuaded that the following steps will help you to develop your own personal brand.

1. KNOW YOURSELF

The know yourself concept could be traced back to the days of Socrates, the great Greek philosopher, who lived between 469-399 BC. His dictum was very simple and easy to understand, "Man know thyself." This was also emphasized in a Japanese legend, as "the power of the mirror." This indicates self knowledge. The average Japanese were taught to respect three major kinds of power. The power of the sword which stands for weapon, the power of Jewel which stands for money and the power of the mirror which stands for self knowledge. However, more emphasis was placed on the power of the mirror compare to the other two kinds powers .The know yourself concept is a universal tool for personal success and originality. In the quest to create your personal brand, you must take a swot analysis of your personality. You must have a thorough knowledge of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and your limitations. This is an unavoidable task in creating a genuine and unique personal brand. In most cases, we are often tempted to do what others are doing, forgetting our own uniqueness. There is something that is unique about you that the world needs, and that is your brand. In life we are not rewarded for our similarity but our uniqueness. You must be able to identify the things you do easily without much preparation or practice. The area you are truly brilliant should be what your personal brand should revolve around. It should be based on your outstanding inherent capacity to solve certain human problems. Self discovery is a simple, but powerful tool that will separate you forever from the league of the vast majority of people who lie aimlessly at the base of the pyramidal society, because of their total ignorance of the well of treasure that reside within them. Your personal brand is the key to your relevance in life. Your answer to the question: what do you want people to think about you when you name is been mentioned, is a key to you personal brand.

2. WRITE YOUR VISION AND MISSION STATEMENT

Vision defines the way an organization will look in the future, while mission includes every step that is taken to achieve the desired end. Your personal vision statement should define your ultimate priority in life. It should state vividly what you want to become in the future or the kind of relevance you want to attain. Some years ago I stumbled into a material that emphasized the need of writing ones obituary while still very young. To me, it was a powerful idea and if you can take this approach, then that will give you some clues as regards your personal vision statement. I strongly believe that vision without a mission statement is useless . Having a good personal vision statement without a mission statement can be compared to an individual who desires a beautiful product, but lacks the purchasing power .As you write your personal vision, it is vitally important that you put in place your strategies for the realization of the vision, and this is where your mission statement comes in. Many appear to be working hard on their personal brand but often produce little or no result. The reason in most cases is because they apply force in the wrong direction. Your personal brand will begin to gain ground, the moment you start acting in the direction of your vision.

3. IDENTIFY YOUR MARKET

The sole aim of creating your personal brand is to produce value or service that will serve as solution to your clients’ problems. Your market constitutes where there is demand for the value or service you provide or the problem you solve. It includes Individuals and organizations that will be ready to pay for your service or brand as a result of providing valuable solutions to their problems. It is essential you identify your market as you develop your brand, because developing a brand without a market is effort in futility. I'm a success coach, personal development trainer, and a motivational speaker. My clients include everyone from all works of life who is interested in personal growth and extraordinary achievement. Likewise, you should identify your market, because that is where you exhibit what you've got and earn the dividend of your personal brand.

4. CREATE AWARENESS FOR YOUR PERSONAL BRAND

I'm very convince that no one who put so much effort in lightning a candle will put it under his bed, instead of where it can illuminate the room. Developing a personal brand takes a bunch of effort that no one can afford to waste .Having identified your market, next is to reach out to individuals and organizations that constitute your market to keep them informed about what you do and how you do it better than anyone else. This can be done directly or indirectly, but it must be noted that irrespective of the method you're adopting, you must be very smart at selling yourself to your prospective clients. You can create awareness about your personal brand by one or the combination of the following methods.

· Create a business card: Your business card should contain some vital information about your brand, and how you can be contacted should your service is needed. A good business card should contain your name, position, email address, phone number, blog url/website address, office address in case you have one, the logo of your organization, and a succinct phrase of what problem you solve in the world.

· Blogging: One of the ways you can get people to know about your brand is by owning a blog, and writing post that are related to the problem you solve for you clients. As a personal development trainer, a post like this one you are reading is a good example, because it's related to the problem I solve. Through your blog, several persons in the world can get to know your personal brand.

· Social network: Meeting people on social network is a very good way to connect your prospective clients across the world. The invention of the social network has bridged the barrier which exists among people in the world, unlike before it is now possible to connect with just anyone through the available social networks. For example LinkedIn is a good professional social network where you can provide a detailed description of your personal brand, so as to get hired by prospective clients. Others include, facebook, Twitter, Google+ and so on.

· Organize seminars and attend conferences: Among others, one of the ways you can create awareness for your personal brand is by organizing seminars, and attending conferences .In a seminar , you have the privilege to disclose to your audience what you do and the problem you solve for people. A seminar will also help you to exhibit your credibility since you will be taking an active part, and performing the role that is associated with your brand. Similarly, attending conferences will enable you to meet people who share your passion and the relationship in most cases results in a symbiotic one, where you can get hired by your new found friend, or get invited to assist in solving a problem. It is essential you make contribution in every conference you attend. This may enable other attendees get some hints about your credibility or competency in your chosen area.

5. PROVE YOUR CREDIBILITY

The major objective of creating awareness for your personal brand is to get hired. However it is vitally important to keep in mind that first impression matters a lot. This implies that you should make judicious use of every opportunity that is available for you to render service to clients. Your job should be so amazing that it will speak of your credibility. Anytime you perform a good job for a client, there is a high possibility of getting referral from such client, and that is the best form of networking you can ever get. Establishing a high credibility will not only help to retain your existing network, it will also create for you more clients through the referral service of your existing network. The rule here is that you must be excellent in what you do or the service you render.

6. MAINTAIN YOUR BRAND

Personal brand maintenance has to do with consistency. You must be consistent in the value/service you stand for. For example, if yesterday you told your client that you are a success coach, and today you are a barber, definitely you are not consistent. To be successful in any human endeavor consistency is a core factor. You must keep working on your personal brand until you get your desired result .Consistency in this situation involves rendering the same service over and over without deviating from the value you provide.

7. ALWAYS GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR EXISTING NETWORK

You must create a system through which you can always get in touch with your available network. Corporate organizations and some personal brands often make use of bulk sms, newsletter, emails and social network to keep in touch with their customers or fans as the case may be. You can reach your clients by any of the listed method or find out a suitable means through which you can reach them. The merit is that it keeps you in the mind of your clients, and enables them to get in touch with you should they need your service, or refer their colleagues who may be in need of your service.

8. GET YOURSELF UPDATED

Change is one thing that is constant in life .Compare to any other time in history, the 21st century is uniquely characterized with a rapid change in the way things are done. Being an information age, the rate at which information doubles has become faster .As a result of this, the knowledge of yesterday may no more be valid in solving today's problem. If you must meet up with global competition, then you must be consistent in upgrading your knowledge in your chosen area of influence. You must stay in tune with every recent development, and flow in line with recent knowledge. This will not only boost your credibility, it will also prevent you from being a one eye king in the city of the blind, or a local champion.

Create your own brand today!!

Source:http://taiwoemayosan..com/2015/07/strategies-for-personal-branding.html

Your opinions and comments are welcomed.

#powerful

Great and deep tips @ Op, would throw in my own cent , guess it boils down to how much or how deep one truly wants this things, I mean everyone wants to be great right? but how many are willing to pay the price... liken to someone who wants first class but not willing to read or a great body and not willing to work out, I mean really work out, ........ HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT IT? is the mantra ......

Once again nice tips, definitely learnt, like the post reads, Consistency is key.... Stay Classic peeps...

ortopazz:
Great and deep tips @ Op, would throw in my own cent , guess it boils down to how much or how deep one truly wants this things, I mean everyone wants to be great right? but how many are willing to pay the price... liken to someone who wants first class but not willing to read or a great body and not willing to work out, I mean really work out, ........ HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT IT? is the mantra ......

Once again nice tips, definitely learnt, like the post reads, Consistency is key.... Stay Classic peeps...

Thanks for your contribution.

Whatever you are looking for is within you. Find yourself and show it to the world through personal branding. I wish you a happy day.

You were born ORIGINAL, don't die a COPY. Personal branding is the key to exposing your ORINALITY.