Everyone seems to be talking about it these days. But what is it really?
A personal brand is pretty much a summary of your experience, accomplishments, and future projects that are shared mainly across digital platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Linked In, Youtube and many more. A successful personal brand is one that informs people of its presence, but also provides value to their audience.
For example, you may be an upcoming freelancer and you do great marketing or design work. People know you locally through word of mouth, but that’s about it. You do great work and you don’t really share it with others or publicize it anywhere. You may be missing out on a huge chunk of business! Your work is worthy of being appreciated, stop being afraid to break out of your shell.
“The number of mobile phone users in the world is expected to pass the five billion mark by 2019. “ Statista
As a result, having an online presence for your business or for yourself is more important than ever. You can be a freelancer that’s just starting out or a fully blown media personality, everyone should be building on online presence. Use your portfolio, accomplishments, testimonials, and whatever else you may have accomplished (big or small) that can attract the attention of a potential client or collaborator.
But we have a problem. You don’t share your accomplishments on any social platform or personal website. You don’t have your portfolio live and organized into an easy to digest system. Your potential client will look at your social media and they will google you or try to find your website. If they don’t find one well…chances are they’re going to be discouraged and might not appreciate what you can bring to the table simply because of the fact that they can’t find anything that backs your claims.
A business card and marketing deck will get you a long way, but a social presence with positive feedback from even a small audience can do wonders for you. It’s easier to do than you might be thinking. Stop making excuses for yourself.
There’s 5 billion people on smartphones out there remember? We have come to adopt behaviors that require for us to be connected at all times. Whether it’s for paying for a parking meter on an app, browsing the web, checking instagram, or even running your business, staying connected online has become a necessity for most people. You can tap into a global network of potential clients at any moment. You can change your life.
Alex Quin is a full-stack marketing expert and global keynote speaker. Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of UADV Marketing - a member of the Forbes Agency Council.
