Why a Personal Brand?
There is reasonable skepticism about the value of developing your personal brand. You may think that investing in your business’s brand would be better for sales, or that business owners who spend time and money chasing a personal brand are being vain.
But in the influencer-driven age, success in business as just as dependent upon who you are as much as what your business does. If given a choice, customers will partner with the company they trust the most. The development of a personal brand is essential to establishing that trust.
Offering an Objective View
Branding your business is hard enough – when you’re a business owner you can’t help but be close to the company you created. Sometimes this can cloud your perspective.
Branding yourself is even harder. A personal branding consultant can see your strengths, unique story, and opportunities to share yourself with the world better than you often can. It can be hard to see your own potential brand without the help of an objective professional.
Focus on Your Strengths, Delegate Everything Else
Success in business is always a function of your competitive advantage – what can you do better than anyone else?
If you are producing a product or service for clients, you need to focus on what aspect of that you’re the best at. Is it client meetings? Sales calls? Then double down on that and delegate everything else. Even learning the basics can be daunting. Personal branding is critical but delegation to a consultant can allow you to focus on your strengths.
Specialized Resources and Network
Specialists bring with them assets beyond just skill. For example, accountants can recommend the best tax specialist or best bookkeeping software. Their specialized knowledge and network of talent give you access to things you wouldn’t otherwise have.
Similarly, managing your personal brand can require tools and experts. You are faced with the task of identifying copywriters, PR firms, graphic designers, and other specialists you may need for a personal branding strategy. How long would it take you to find and vet these professionals?
By partnering with a consultant, however, you can avoid reinventing the wheel. A consultant will have an existing network of trusted vendors and talent that can join the team as needed for specific projects.
While it’s natural to question the value of personal branding, in today’s social media environment you can’t afford to not put yourself in front of your target audience. Just like you wouldn’t try writing your own legal contracts, you shouldn’t try managing your personal brand without a consultant.
Guest author, Katie earned a BA in English from WWU and loves to write. She also adores hiking in redwood forests and photography. She feels happiest around a campfire surrounded by friends and family.
