You’ve built a business, spent countless hours on sales tactics, thrown a little strategy in there and things were going along well. But recently, things seem a little static. Revenue may not be growing as quickly as it once was, or maybe it’s just plain flat. Consider this growth tactic – the power of you.
Customers, clients and vendors are more likely to do business with a company where the leader has a powerful, compelling brand. Where a leader has a compelling brand? Thought that it was just the company as whole that was the brand focus for consumers? In today’s world personal branding is more important than ever before. In fact, according to a study done by Neilson, only 33% of buyers trust messages from a company while almost 90% of customers trust recommendations from someone they know.
Building a personal brand means thinking about who you are. How do you want to define yourself and your business? Knowing who you are, what you and your company have to offer will help you identify customers who will feel connected with what you are offering.
Determine what you want to be known for — what differentiates you from everyone else who might have a similar background or set of experiences? Think about what skills, abilities, knowledge, and attitudes you have that will make people want to work with you and ultimately your company.
Once you have determined what you what to be known for, think about what your purpose is and how that fits with how your business’ promise can fulfill your purpose. How does your purpose sync with others? Creating your brand means looking at where your brand and your company’s promise can fulfill a need, want, or desire within the marketplace.
Before going too far, give some thought to how you are perceived by others. Ask colleagues and friends what your most admirable traits are and what you bring to your business. What are your strengths? Your weaknesses? What one word describes you best?
Don’t force your personal brand. You’re bound to hear feedback from colleagues that may not feel like the real you. Instead, look for ways to capitalize on your natural personality. People want to connect with people who are sincere, reliable, and consistent. Once you have determined what your personal brand is, be the person you say you are; don’t oscillate. People don’t initially buy into ‘just’ a brand, they buy into the person. Your sincerity, authenticity, and personality will lead potential clients and customers to become your most loyal followers.
Part of building a personal brand involves letting people know you, whether through social media or networking, or maybe both. Use your personal brand to differentiate yourself on social media, post a strong statement about who you are and your unique contributions and promise. Social media plays a major role in the buying process with 77% of consumers more likely to buy when the CEO of the business uses social media.
While you are posting on social media, consider what shows up when people Google you. What is the first impression that people will have of you when they search online? 53% percent of vendors have lost orders based on information found or not found about them online.
Personal branding is a powerful sales tool. It can help you convert more leads into sales, increase your reputation so more people would want to do business with you, allow you to charge a premium for your services, and stand out in a competitive marketplace. If you are looking for a way to use personal brand to differentiate your company and drive sales, Chameleon can work with you to clarify the message and execution of the brand.
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