Personal Branding-How to Build a Profitable and Powerful Public Image

Branding is creating a name or identity that appeals to the public. It says a lot about the organisation, its product and service. Branding builds a trust. It is basic, essential, powerful and valuable. People identify themselves with the brand. Organisations build themselves around the brand. Though it's a marketing tactic, it is crucial. Agencies allocate great amounts of funds and resources for branding. They want to root themselves for decades to come. Branding is the ultimate deal. Presently, social media is a great platform for organisations to get started. They can brand, market and sell their products and services globally. Just like organisations, people are now engaged in personal branding. Personal branding is similar to image building. Its how one presents oneself to the potential employers and the world. People have to know and acknowledge their true selves. They have, to be honest with themselves. One cannot show others something which they are not. People can work on and enhance their skills and talents by participating in workshops and volunteer their services. In personal branding, a person should reflect what they believe in and stand for. They should highlight their strengths and work on their weaknesses. It's better to introspect on oneself. Here are some tips for personal branding: 

•    Be true to yourself-always be honest. If you are trying to present something you are not, it won't last for long. People will find out, and that's the end of it. It's better to be your true self than something which you are not.

•    Don't hesitate to support a course you are interested in - stop following the crowd. If you support a course and are interested in it, go for it. Don't let others make you drop the course. People are individuals. They don't think alike.

•    Standout - you are an individual. Don't always be looked in a group. Standout and speak your mind. Personal branding requires uniqueness. Highlight your unique ability or skill.

•    Videos - don't just go for the word, make videos and use visual effects. Present your personal branding to captivate and intrigue people. But be sure to show your true self, not something you are not. Highlight your strengths.

•    Grow-go through your daily routine and turn it into something creative. You can go through videos on YouTube and see how people have put themselves out there. They have dared to be different. You can do the same and grow as an individual and expand your outreach.

•    Consistency - be consistent and firm. No one likes unstable and flaky people. If you have set a goal, work towards it. Be steadfast and allocate time for it every day. Share your ideas with family and friends and get feedback.

•    Change - the world is changing every day. Nothing remains the same. You should accept and welcome change; be open to change. It brings about new ideas and projects. Be ready for the modification.

•    Audience - you should know the audience and know what they want. Present it through your personal branding but make sure to stand out from the others. Give them something to think about. Put yourself in their shoes and how best you can present yourself.

•    Commitment - be ready to commit yourself. And it doesn't happen overnight; you have to dedicate yourself and your time. You need to be serious about what you want and how you are going to achieve it.

•    Strengths - develop your strengths. Participate in workshops and get certification for it. It's good to keep track of and update one's skills. It is a great plus factor.

Personal branding proves to be very useful in developing one's career and development. It assists the person in getting the right job. Like organisations market themselves, people can market and present themselves through personal branding. It takes time but the results are always good. Many people don't like the idea of personal branding because they find it narcissistic. They say it's not good to focus on oneself, as it sends a negative impression. It is not true.  If it improves the person's chances of getting the dream job that he or she wanted, why not. After all, in the job market, everyone markets themselves in one way or the other. Some do it by hiring professionals to design their resumes and project presentations. Some wear business suits for interviews to strike a cord and some even highlight the past work experiences. Overall, these are all part of personal branding. It increases the chances of employment.