How To Build Your Brand

Nowadays, it seems like everyone has a personal "brand"— from their Instagram feed, to their personal style, to the way they decorate their house. When building a brand or marketing yourself to employers, it's important to know how to stand out, and how to put your best foot forward. Your brand is really just the most interesting, unique parts of yourself, packaged up in a clever way and made visible to the outside world. So, how do you build your brand?

One of the first steps in creating your brand is to pinpoint your sense of self. This can sometimes be surprisingly hard, but remember nobody knows you better than you. What values do you hold dear? What is the most important life lesson you’ve learned? Is there something unique about your childhood? What makes you laugh? What impact do you ultimately want to make? All these questions point to your core traits, and therefore, your personal brand identity.

When creating a personal brand, you also want to make sure it’s not forced. Not only does phony branding require a lot more work on your part, but it probably won’t come across well either. Being yourself is the most central ingredient here because your brand is simply an extension of who you truly are. A brand is not a facade, but rather a meaningful and purposeful way of presenting your values.

Lastly, it’s important to have a clear, principal focus in your personal brand. Maybe you want to encourage positive thinking. Maybe you want to be seen as professional and driven. Whatever it is, the more clearly you communicate your personal mission, the more easily people will get behind what you stand for. Whether those people are random Instagram followers or potential employers, it’s important to practice that clear communication when presenting who you are. Having a strong personal brand will breed trust in your relationships because people will see you as wholly authentic— they’ll feel they understand you and what you’re about.

Report: Grace Carlos

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