Branding yourself means to develop a unique professional identity and coherent message that sets you apart from others either in your company or in your industry. Personal branding is important because it helps give a person more credibility. With more people building personal brands, you need to put yourself out there to get noticed. With this in mind, what should you do to build your brand and create a solid reputation? Here are some ideas.

Authenticity counts

There’s something about you that makes you an original, your authentic personal brand is what sets you apart. Don’t try to be somebody else. Be true to yourself, your skills, and your expertise. Authenticity is a mix of three main values namely Transparency, Vulnerability, and Integrity.

Write a Blog

Blogging for personal branding is one strategy used by many of the top influencers. Your blogs can drive traffic to your website, convert that traffic into leads, SEO, affiliate sales and maybe the most important – establish authority, your personal brand.

Add Value

We’ve all learned things as we’ve gone through business and life that we can share with the world. Adding value means doing blog posts, making videos, doing podcasts, and doing social media posts regarding things that you have learned that can help other people. People buy products or services from the influencer who helped them and taught them something new even before they were ready to buy.

Get Out of the Spotlight every now and then to build yourself back up

for some it is a disadvantage but this one somehow adds mystery and excitement. People sometimes need to miss you for a bit to realize how much they need you and how much you mean to their lives.

Consistency is key

Consistency is the secret weapon that top personal brands have in common, some will tell you that you need to have variety with your content but the truth is the more consistent you are the easier it is to grow a following. Your target market will develop attachment and connection with the way you present your content. If you change your ways, they will move on to the next one. When your communication style is clear and consistent, you’re reinforcing a brand that is trustworthy and direct. At the end of the day you are the product and your employer is the customer. Branding yourself allows you to market your skills to meet the customer’s needs. It’s just a matter of continually crafting and curating your digital presence and most importantly, keep it real! Your honesty, transparency and authenticity are the factors that will differentiate you in the long-run. You never get a second chance to make a first impression—make it one that will set you apart, build trust and reflect who you are.