ALPHA GAM ALWAYS: HOW TO BUILD YOUR PERSONAL BRAND

The following post was written by guest blogger Jen Przydzial, Zeta Delta–Towson University.

“Branding is what people say about you when you are not in the room.” – Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon

Apple. Nike. Starbucks. We know these companies well because they have worked hard to create a brand that is known and recognized across the world. Developing a brand is not just for companies or organizations. Today, more than ever, it is just as important to create a personal brand.

Personal branding is the process of creating a mark that is all about you. Creating a brand helps you express and communicate your values, personality and skills. Your personal brand can be used for your personal or professional life.

You might ask “why do I need to create a personal brand? It sounds like a lot of work.” Creating your brand does take some work. But if you don’t do it, someone else will create a brand for you and it might not be the one you want or like.

How to Build Your Personal Brand

Reflect

• Think about what you value. Write them down.
• What personality traits and skills do you want others to know you possess? Make a list of them.
• What is your life and/or work objective? They might be different, they might be combined. Create an objective for yourself.
  

Illicit Feedback

• Ask family, friends and coworkers how they would describe you. What do they think are your top qualities? Most times, others see us differently than we see ourselves. Include their feedback in the list of values, skills and objectives you developed for yourself.

Build Your Brand

• Determine how you will incorporate your brand. There are many different opportunities:
  • Online – Do your social media accounts demonstrate your brand? Will creating a website, blog or online portfolio help you expand your brand?
  • Resume – Have you incorporated your skills and objectives into your resume? If you are creative, does your resume have a design that will stand out to employers?
  • Dress – Does your dress represent your personality? Is your dress appropriate for the situation?
  • Actions – Are you living your brand? Do your actions represent your brand?

Re-evaluate

• After you have been living your brand for awhile, ask others for feedback. Are there things you need to adjust? Likely over time, as you grow and evolve, your brand will need to as well.

 The New Year is the perfect time to develop and implement your brand. If you don’t, imagine who will.