3 Reasons to Strengthen Your Personal Brand in 2023.

By Sarah Garner – Digital Bloom

Fun fact: You, yes you, are already a brand. It’s up to you to discover what it is about your brand that makes you shine.

Think about a particular celebrity or politician. From the moment you hear their name, a characteristic, whether that be positive or negative, comes to your mind immediately, right?

Putting aside the flashy movies and marketing campaigns, these people have had to establish the WHY behind their name first and foremost. Characterised by their values, objectives, and messaging, it all begins with crafting their personal brand.

Personal branding isn’t limited to the rich and famous; literally anyone from any industry can have a personal brand and maximise it to expand their name in their field and showcase what makes them, them. Just like ‘that’ one word or feature that comes to mind when you hear the words “Oprah” or “Tony Robbins”, the exact same thing can happen when your name is mentioned.

So, what is a personal brand? Our brand strategy hero, Marty Neumeier describes what a brand is in a single sentence and we think he did a pretty good job of it…

“A brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room”.

The exact same can be said for a ‘personal brand’. It encompasses the way you communicate and present to the world including your beliefs, values, goals, and innate purpose – aka your WHY. It represents all your unique characteristics and celebrates your expertise and strengths.

When you have a clear and purposeful personal brand, it allows you to seamlessly identify opportunities that work or don’t work with your brand. Just like the brand of your business or ones that you admire in the industry, every decision you make is guided by the values your personal brand is built upon.

Now we know what a personal brand is, let’s take a look at three reasons why strengthening your own personal brand should be on your radar in the second half of 2023.

You are an extension of your brand;

Let’s face it. People connect with people. As a small business owner, you’re often much more connected to your audience and clients deeply and intimately than that of the CEO of a big corporation. Whilst your business brand and personal brand are separate strategies, they often share similarities in values.

If we think back to the idea that a personal brand introduces you before you even speak, then everything you share online is a reflection of this. Naturally, the qualities people associate with you personally, influence their thoughts, feelings, and actions towards the brands you’re associated with, such as your own salon, spa or clinic.

From the way you show up on social media, the messages you share online to the way you visually present yourself, these all-foster characteristics of your personal brand that people will remember. As people’s interest in your personal brand grows, they naturally find themselves learning about your business and offerings with a pre-existing understanding of the qualities behind it.

Your personal brand should always be the most authentic version of yourself. There’s no point in building a brand around someone that you’re not because at the end of the day, authenticity and transparency will always shine through.

One of the things we love most about successful personal brands is that despite them being in control of the way they’re perceived to the world, it’s not always about rainbows and sunshine because let’s face it, that’s not real life!

Impactful and memorable personal brands show vulnerability and are open about the positives and negatives of their field because that’s where relatable, human connection can be made. Personal brands shouldn’t just be about being ‘someone others aspire to be’ but rather someone they can relate to and feel connected with. Be clear on your values, purpose and mission, and the way you want to present yourself to the world by using these as guiding principles when communicating.

A strong personal brand enhances trust and expertise

As the hair, beauty and wellness industries grow and expand, we’re seeing more professionals step forward as total powerhouse experts in their field, ready to share their knowledge and lessons with the wider community.

One thing that those that have done this most successfully have in common is that they’ve spent the time building and nurturing their personal brand. Whilst they may be known as a successful salon owner and operator, their personal brands allow you to establish their name as a thought-leader and total expert in their field. If you have a speciality that you want to share with the world, your personal brand is where that first impression begins.

People cannot find out that you’re a go-to in your field unless you tell them which is why your personal brand needs to drive this message and boost visibility with your audience. Like many branding initiatives, you need to give people a reason to like and trust you and when it comes to personal branding, this begins with showing people you care about them.

Ask yourself; How can you boost your credibility? What initiatives can you be involved in to expand your reach? And, who are the people you need to be networking with to grow your audience? The most authentically visible you can be to your target audience, the stronger that long-lasting impression will become and the more opportunities to influence arise.

It helps you to identify your greater purpose Deciding to strengthen your personal brand can be a powerful step towards uncovering your greater purpose and mission. Ultimately, your personal brand is here to showcase your strengths, expertise, and the legacy you want to be remembered for so when you begin to craft it, your mind begins to race with goals, ideas, and ways you can share your purpose with your audience.

Just like developing any brand, defining your personal brand should begin with outlining the core values that it is built upon. With first impressions so integral to a personal brand, we believe this should be the non-negotiable first step to your development.

These are your driving force behind all activities you undertake within your personal brand and decipher the opportunities and initiatives you get involved in. On the flipside, it also assists you in easily identifying opportunities that are not a good fit or aligned with your personal brand.

Secondly, what is your WHY? What are your strengths, purpose and what do you want to do with them? These hard-hitting questions help you to pinpoint the direction you want to head in, where your energy is worth investing and the path you inevitably want to follow. This can be in both your personal and professional life because remember, your personal brand is a well-rounded reflection of yourself.

By doing so, you’re able to attract and network with like-minded people who are also connected by similar values or purpose. This then widens the community of people you can be exposed and aligned to and most of all, share your purpose with.

Sarah Garner is the Founder and Creative Director at Digital Bloom, an industryspecific branding boutique dedicated to making your hair, beauty or wellness brand turn heads for all the right reasons. Connect with Sarah on the ‘gram (@digital_bloom) or send some petal power to hello@digitalbloom.com.au