There have been a lot of misconceptions when it comes to personal branding. Many people think that having a personal brand as a pipe dream. They say it would do more harm than good. But here’s the truth: a narrative or personal brand that is not shaped by you will be formed and told by others. This implies that your enemy, competitors or naysayers will define your business. Do you want to take that risk? In fact, the intention and purpose a personal brand presents far outweighs the risks. In our ever-changing world where competition between entrepreneurs continues to be fierce, the practice of personal branding is more crucial than ever. While this challenge has aroused the interest of some entrepreneurs, many still get it wrong as regards personal branding. Many spend thousands of hours on social media and the internet trying to get their brand message across to their audience so they can create awareness and get more customers craving for their products. However, this approach has left many entrepreneurs feeling disappointed and bankrupt. The problem is that they fail to position their brand in ways that trigger their audience’s emotions so they can make a decision to buy.
This is the reason why Matilda Morgan founded her brand image consulting company, Impact Driven Style. Her goal is to help entrepreneurs, speakers and leaders to use personal branding to transform their image into powerful business assets. Matilda helps to bolster their unique personal stories or brand messages so they can increase impact in their audience and enable their prospects to take the desired action. Pulling from her background as a South-east Victoria Native, Matilda who is the founder of three separate successful businesses entered the fashion industry over six years ago. But, it didn’t take long for her to realize that most people didn’t put too much thought into their business attire or even know how to wear clothing that suited them.
Most entrepreneurs in the fashion industry simply brand their products without really understanding what makes customers quirk when they make stylish choices. In the quest to make a difference showing people how to make their clothes work for them, Matilda specializes in helping leaders, entrepreneurs in the fashion industry to create a great impact in their profession and business. Matilda believes that you can be more effective at developing partnerships, making a name for yourself, building your desired reputation, as well as attracting more customers and sales to your business. “Often it’s the simple shift of what we are wearing that will have the greatest impact on our marketing and being perceived as a viable option”, Matilda explains. This is especially true as we find ourselves, whether out of necessity or convenience, turning increasingly to the virtual world to build professional relationships and grow our businesses. We are now more than ever using social media and online resources to make vital determinations about potential and future business growth and relationships.
So, what does personal branding really mean? Personal branding is the intersection of perception and reality not just perception as a personal brand that is constructed purely on perception with tumble on its own weight. Personal branding is all about YOU. You are at the heart and epicenter of your personal brand. Your personal brand needs to be hinged on your voice and ultimately supported by an inter-linked web of personality, passion and interest. Think about something that reflects you not only as a professional but also as a person. The question of interest now is how can you inculcate personal branding to your business?
Personal branding can be built by a designing approach. Matilda has created some building blocks to help you better design your personal brand. Here are her four tips on how you can transform you business into a business asset with personal branding:
Get a Mentor
Since time immemorial, every successful entrepreneur has achieved success through the help of others—directly or indirectly. No one is an insular, and there is no such thing as “self-made” Millennial entrepreneur. In the corporate world, becoming a recognized expert in a field is challenging. Doctors, Corporate Executives, Lawyers, athletes and first-class entrepreneurs all have mentors, coaches, role models they look up to. Similarly, getting to the success you desire in your business will require you to get a mentor. Someone who can guide you in making life-changing decisions that not only influence your brand, but also influence your audience.
Personal branding can only be built by a designing approach. This is why you need a go-to expert like Matilda who can define your brand story, add a personal image in it, and promote your brand to the right audience. When you sign up at Image Driven Style, you will learn how to embrace your identity, create value for your audience or network, and position yourself in your personal brand in a unique and compelling way. As an entrepreneur looking to add a personal touch in your brand, you must spend 50% of your time on reaching out to experts like Matilda who understand the inner workings of personal branding and can guide you on your journey to reach your goal.
Find Your Niche
The most important benefit you get from a niche is that you can get a feel for your target audience. A niche makes you an expert in what you do. When you don’t have a niche, you can’t market yourself properly. From forming partnerships to reaching out to clients, having a niche is the first step to becoming successful in bringing that personal touch into your brand.