Once upon a time, personal branding was not really on the front burner. However, of late, it has become somewhat de rigueur. The emphasis seems to be geared toward online personal branding, and in my opinion, not enough attention is being given to in-person personal branding. In-person personal branding is an area of development I firmly believe can transform an individual from ordinary to extraordinary. Once upon a time, blowing your own trumpet was considered a tad vulgar, particularly here in the UK. Times are changing, and as long as your ego is in check, and hubris and arrogance are not present, blowing your own trumpet is perfectly acceptable. In fact, in order to promote yourself, in these times it is vital you know how to blow your own trumpet.
However, first you must be clear about your personal brand, either because you've worked hard to develop it, or perhaps because you are gifted. Think about how many gifted actors are not getting enough, or any work. Often, it's because their talent needs to be underpinned by a strategy. A strategy might just be a plan -- a call to action. Or perhaps their purpose in life. A plan or strategy without action is next to useless. In my considered opinion, action and a follow-up to the action are essential tools. That's because they convey that you mean business. And today, we all need to come across as though we mean business. Therefore, how you plan to promote yourself is the vital ingredient.
Once upon a time, clients and potential clients, were perfectly comfortable with vendors whose approach was considered a nice to have in their business. These days, those clients and many more are looking for vendors who they consider to be must haves. To be, or to become a must have, you need a top-notch Personal Brand, something that distinguishes you from the rest. In essence, that's quite straightforward, that's because each of us is unique, we are all one offs. Therefore, the you who can express his/her uniqueness exists. That's because it's one of the few things that's within our grasp. In effect, all that remains for you to do is to reveal what already exists. Here's a quote by Michelangelo that seems relevant: "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free."
Look beneath the veneer of who you are -- that is where your inner brand is waiting to be released. This is the first thing for you to do, because all the good stuff you have going on inside of you will benefit you greatly, once it's expressed via your outer brand. Remember, anything you discover about yourself that you are not happy with is quite normal. We all discover stuff about ourselves we'd like to delete. Conversely, you will discover things about yourself you are proud of. In fact, anything that's revealed to you that you'd like to rid yourself of is possible. And anything you find that you like, you can further enhance. The changes you wish to make, be that many or few, will be your personal journey to discovering and developing your unique personal brand.
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