They say branding is power, but are you in control of your personal brand?
First, let’s get one thing straight: You already have a personal brand, whether you’re aware of it or not.
Unless you live off the grid in total solitude, your personal brand is currently out there, telling a story about your professional values, work ethic and reputation.
That story is made up of all the digital and in-person interactions you’ve had over the years – and it’s a pretty powerful narrative. It determines how people see you, or don’t see you, in your community.
By taking a backseat to your personal brand, you’re handing over control of your professional reputation to everyone else who talks, writes or posts about you. In the absence of an intentionally branded presence, your silence and the opinions of others speak on your behalf.
On the other hand, taking an active role in creating your personal brand allows you to control the narrative and show your audience what you want them to see – not what’s there by default.
That’s why it’s so important to ask yourself the question: Are you in control of your personal brand?
What’s A Personal Brand?
Your personal brand is the unique combination of values, experiences and skills people associate with you, as well as the physical and digital collateral you use to represent you.
That’s why your personal brand is as dynamic and complex as you are. It’s influenced by the way you do business, the energy you bring to networking, the commitment behind your word, and the word-of-mouth reputation you leave behind. It includes the stories you tell about your failures and successes, as well as the way you present yourself in life and business.
On a more detailed level, it also includes all of the content you create, from your social media platforms to your business card. Creatively, your personal brand is shaped by color and font choice, the consistency of your graphics, and the look and feel of your photography and video content.
Now, we understand that covers a lot of ground. To help you break it down, here are some of the main components that influence a personal brand:
- Mission / Vision Statements
- Core Values & Beliefs
- Personal Strengths & Weaknesses
- Skills & Areas of Expertise
- Likes, Interests, Hobbies & Quirks
- Personal & Professional Goals
- Brand Stories & Messaging
- Obstacles & Challenges
- Passions & Inspirations
- Relationships, Partnerships & Networks
- Differentiating Factors & Unique Value
- Professional Appearance
- Marketing Content
- Media Coverage
- Reviews & Testimonials
- Customer Interactions
- Digital Presence
- And More …
Why Does Your Personal Brand Matter?
If controlling the narrative of your professional reputation isn’t enough of a reason to take personal branding seriously, let’s look at the numbers:
82% of customers trust firms whose senior managers are active on social media. If they can see you, then they trust you. (LinkedIn 2017)
77% of those same customers are now more likely to buy from that company. If they trust you, they will buy from you. (LinkedIn 2017)
54% of consumers want to see more video content from a business or brand they patronize. If they buy from you, they want to see more from you. (Hubspot 2018)
If you maintain a consistent brand presence across all platforms, your revenue could increase by around 23%. If they consistently see more from you, you’ll see the impact on your bottom line. (Inc. Magazine 2017)
When executed effectively, a personal brand differentiates you from your competition the way a business’ brand separates it from the rest of the industry. It helps you find and relate to the unique audience of people who might be looking for you – it helps you find your people.
That’s why, in today’s world, it’s absolutely necessary to have an intentional and well-defined personal brand.
Are You In Control Of Your Personal Brand?
If you’ve been neglecting your personal brand, please understand that it’s never too late to take control and begin writing your own professional story with intention. There’s always time and opportunity to create a personal brand you can be proud of – and it’s not as hard as you might think!
All it takes is a little organization … and the courage to put yourself out there.
To get started, you have to be willing to do a little self-exploration. Discovering your personal brand, after all, is about discovering what makes you successful. If you want to leverage your unique set of skills and beliefs, you need to identify them first!
We hope this kind of personal development is a never-ending process for you, but in the beginning, it can be a tough place to start. Saying nice things about yourself shouldn’t be hard, but for many self-starters and over-achievers, it just is.
The only solution is to start taking action.
Try out some strength tests to discover where you shine. Write down everything you believe about what you do and why you value it. Consider what gets you fired up about your profession. What pushes your buttons? What drives you to produce better results? Why? Keep asking yourself why.
Figure out what you stand for, and use those convictions to set yourself apart from people who are simply maintaining the status quo.
That’s how you begin taking control of your personal brand.
Need More Help?
We’ve made it our personal and professional mission to become experts in the visual aspects of branding and marketing. After all, that’s why our clients come to us at SchlickArt Studios.
We don’t simply point and shoot. We help you learn how to maximize the branding power – and the results – of your visual content.
It’s our passion and our pleasure, and that’s why we’re more than happy to share our top tips with you.
Give us a call, shoot us an email, or schedule a coaching session with us to answer all your questions and walk away with a clear and easily executable plan for all your visual content.
After all, you should be the only one in control of your personal brand.
Learn More About SchlickArt
Visual Marketing In Santa Clarita
At SchlickArt, we offer more than photography and video services to the Santa Clarita area and beyond. We do our best to provide our clients with marketing expertise and direction every chance we get. We know you need your images and video to help grow your business — that’s why you invest in them, and that’s why we do, too. Please take a minute to search through our blogs to find the visual marketing information that will help your business, or give us a call. We’re happy to help!
Marketing Photography in Santa Clarita
When it comes to marketing photography, our goal is simple: We want you to walk away feeling like you have the best headshots in Santa Clarita. That’s why we’ve designed a line of Marketing Photography Sessions that are custom-made to make you happy. How do we do that? Simple. We pay attention to you, your needs and your business. We take the time to create a photography experience – we don’t just point, shoot and send you on your way. We bring our visual marketing background to every session, to help you make smart choices in wardrobe, appearance, posing and expression.
Video Marketing in Santa Clarita
With years of professional experience, Brian not only has an eye for crisp visuals and engaging shots — but also an ear for powerful storytelling. In his vision, marketing video should communicate the why behind your business and present it to the world in the most compelling visual format possible. With a camera in his hand, Brian can turn a vision into reality and business-as-usual marketing videos into an opportunity to connect.
About SchlickArt Photography and Video
SchlickArt, a boutique photo and video studio in Santa Clarita, started in March 2012 with the simple idea that empowerment creates a kind of beauty and authenticity that shines through every camera lens. Built on a philosophy — rather than a product, service or person — SchlickArt has rapidly evolved, meeting professional portraiture, business photo and business video needs as diverse as the community we capture. It’s the desire to take care of you, the client, that drives us at SchlickArt.