Written by: Vanita Lee-Tatum, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
If you run a business and are aware of the power of social media for its vitality, you value the importance of building a personal brand. Your personal brand is a combination of how you see yourself and how others see you. To create a winning personal brand, every business owner and executive must go through the strategic process of definition to position themselves as the authority in their respective fields.
If executed properly, you will effortlessly attract business and financial opportunities. While this process is ever evolving, here are my recommendations for effectively crafting a winning personal brand!
1. Define Pillars of Expertise
What is your core base of knowledge? What are you so passionate about that you can do it in your sleep? The first step towards building a winning personal brand is to define the pillars of your expertise clearly. Also, that's where you get to see if your passion and career are in alignment. The world is changing faster than ever, so the need to remain on the cutting edge is always crucial.
2. Position Yourself as the Authority
Now that you have identified your pillars of expertise, the next step is to polish and enhance your professional skills. You've invested in yourself, so you know what sets you apart from the crowd. Once you start gaining that confidence, you position yourself as the authority. Present yourself as an industry expert on social media by posting content that is relevant and informative in your field. Your consistent effort to add value to people's lives through social media will establish you as a brand.
3. Lead with Authenticity
Living an authentic life both online and offline has become the need of the hour. Authenticity builds trust! Always be yourself and use the authentic voice and perspective from within. Your voice should reflect your core values and align with your personal beliefs. As Zig Ziglar perfectly said ‒ “If people like you, they will listen to you, but if they trust you, they'll do business with you.”
4. Define Your Core Values
Your core values define you and your business. So, determining the values and ethics you live by is one of the fundamentals of building yourself as a brand. Your actions on social media or the internet will reflect who you actually are and what you believe in. Whatever content you serve on your social profiles should highlight your principles.
5. Understand Your Audience
You know your core values, and your personality reflects them. Your content and your message should always connect with the ideals of your audience. As an industry expert, you believe in the power of learning every day, so make the effort to identify your target audience and understand what they expect from you. Monitoring followers' engagements and activities on posts, timely surveys, reviewing data and analytics, etc., are a few ways to help you gain a better understanding of your audience.
6. Fine Tune Your Image
Now the fun begins! You are capable of taking your business to new heights by projecting your one-of-a-kind image. Build a team that can help bring your vision to life. I recommend hiring a professional stylist and photographer to craft and capture the image that accurately reflects your vision. Professional photography is one of the essential assets needed to catapult your brand.
It's time to take action! Opportunities don't just happen, you create them. So get out there and create new opportunities through a winning personal brand!
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Vanita Lee-Tatum, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Vanita Lee-Tatum is a world-class business developer and strategy consultant, specializing in helping organizations and individuals grow their business potential. Drawing on her own experience as an entrepreneur and her financial skills honed as VP of Banking, Vanita inspires and ignites business owners to create financial growth by teaching them the business development skills needed to flourish. Dedicated to making an impact by sharing her knowledge and expertise to encourage business owners and entrepreneurs of all types, Vanita is a positive force of nature who clients and partners enjoy collaborating with.
