Your Personal Brand for 2021: A Boom or Bust

Branding does not only apply to businesses. Brands apply to people as well and as 2020 comes to close, this is the perfect time to think about your personal brand, what that brand offers and the various ways that you can use that brand to your advantage in 2021.

Your personal brand is made up of a few different elements:

–           Your expertise

–           Your influence

–           Your credibility

–           Your impact

–           Your uniqueness

Take each one of these elements and break them down. Write out how you and your actions are applicable to the people, places, and things under each of these topics. This practice will pretty easily shine a light on places where you might be able to do more or even where you might have so much listed, that you can start writing that book you have always wanted to write! Either way, this is a perfect place to start sketching out the foundation of your personal brand.

The next phase in building your personal brand for 2021 is to think about your “packaging”. What is your brand experience? What does your brand look like? (Think Angelyne) Feel like? (Think Tony Robbins) Sound like? (Think Morgan Freeman) Most interestingly, if you are having trouble figuring out your brand for yourself, reach out to a handful of people that you know and trust and ask for some feedback. Ask them what words they would use to describe you. Ask them to consider the topics above and how those elements apply or do not apply to you. Now, the truth is, honest feedback can be painful. But those are growing pains! Embrace them and use that energy towards building a phenomenal personal brand!

Finally, it is important to know that, just like with business brands, consistency is imperative. For you to be successful, people must trust you. They must trust that you are an expert, that you are influential, that you are credible, that you are impactful and that you are unique. If you break that trust, it is virtually impossible to win it back and that will reflect in how they relay your brand experience to others. Take that trust seriously and you cannot lose.

2021 is a fresh start. This is your chance to take a look into exactly who you are, where you are going and where you want to end up. With a little bit of honesty, from yourself and those you trust, you will be able to craft a personal brand that will not only leave a lasting legacy, but it will lead you to a place of happiness, confidence and success. Good luck!