There’s nothing complicated about personal branding. In fact, it’s as simple as ABC:
A = Authenticity. Personal branding is about your true, colourful, complex and interesting self. Anything else comes a pale second.
B = Benefits. What do you bring that nobody else does? Attention to detail? You have high standards. Finish projects on time? You’re reliable.
C = Consistency. You’re unvarying in your message and what you deliver. You know that it’s the only way for people to understand your brand value.
D = Direction. Some call it vision, you call it directed passion. You know that knowing where you’re going is the first step to getting there.
E = Engage. Personal branding doesn’t happen in isolation. The more you genuinely connect with people, the greater your brand.
F = Figureoutable. Taken from Marie Forleo and with the internet on your side, you can work out how to do anything!
G = Google. What do your online profiles look like? What are people saying about you? Where do you appear in search results? Make Google your friend.
H = Honesty. It’s no use pretending to be someone you’re not. Your clients/colleagues/customers are going to figure it out in the end.
I = Ideal Client. Who are they? What do they want? Where do they live? What do they eat? What keeps them up at night? What do they dream about?
J = Juicy. Nobody is interested in bland. Make sure you represent your honest self in a way that’s confident and convincing.
K = Keywords. What are the relevant keywords that are going to bring your customers to you? Use them often.
L = Leadership. You don’t have to be born with specific traits to be successful. Your greatness comes from being the person that you know you are.
M = Message. What’s the one thing you want people to know about you? Yes, one. Communicate this clearly and consistently.
N = Network. It’s no secret that people do business with people they know, like and trust. First, you have to get known.
O = Own. Your brand, your business, your message, your power.
P = Photograph. Do your online profiles have a picture of you (just you) in work-appropriate clothing? Is it taken by a professional? This is one area you absolutely cannot scrimp.
Q = Qualify. No longer can you rely on your job contract to keep you safely employed. You have to qualify daily for that honour.
R = Reputation. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? What people say about you when you’re not in the room.
S = Story. Everybody loves a story. What stories do you have that enhance your personal brand and make you relevant and relatable?
T = Talent. Share yours with others. Give back to your community whether its through donating time or expertise.
U = Unique. Personal branding is all about what makes you special, different and better. How do you show up?
V = Values. What’s most valuable to you will inform your every action and decision. How can you ever become rich if using your money to travel is more important to you?
W = Write. Articles, blogs, slideshares, ebooks, whitepapers. Write, publish and curate content so that you become known as the go-to person in your industry.
X = eXcellence. It’s better – and more attainable – than perfection.
Y = You. Remember that whenever you’re engaging with your audience, it’s about them, not you. You as the reader are far more important than me as the writer.
Z = Zen. Be patient, mindful and unattached to outcomes. Your life is in harmony and perfect balance. Ohm.
Did I miss any, or can you think of better ones? Let me know.
