When Having a Personal Brand Comes in Really Handy
READ TIME: 4 minutes
No one wants to be judged solely on the assumptions of others or how things appear. One way to prevent that is to build a personal brand over which you have control. Having a personal brand—an expectation about what you bring to the table—is a gift that keeps on giving.
Think about some of the situations in which a personal brand could be a deal maker
- Going for a new job or promotion. Imagine there are multiple candidates for a job and everyone has more or less the same experience and skills. Having a personal brand that you can clearly articulate differentiates you from the other jobseekers.
- Getting business. As a freelancer, consultant, or solopreneur, having a personal brand can get you work that would otherwise go to a competitor with a better website.
- Garnering more recognition. Having a personal brand that others can easily define places you top of mind for new projects, awards, recognition, and opportunities.
- Earning more money. Brands have a higher perceived value. So, whether you work for a company or you want to charge more for your services as a contractor, having a highly regarded personal brand can help you score a bigger payout.
- Hedging against professional misfortune. People lose jobs. Economies take a downturn, and some skill sets can become less desirable when jobs are scarce or as technology evolves. Having a personal brand built early in a career can help event professionals weather the inevitable downturns.
Cultivating a personal brand takes work. It requires that you continue growing and improving so that the brand becomes increasingly more valuable. The good news is it’s worth it. Brands endure even as offerings, deliverables, and modus operandi change. Plus, they have a way of keeping you focused on personal and professional growth, which is never a bad thing.
