5 Steps to Build a Personal Brand

I often get asked by young leaders about how they can create or build their own personal brand? And I know it seems hard and complicated to build a brand for a person versus a product, service or company, however, if you keep it simple it is easier than you think.

Public Versus Personal Branding

Brands are built every day for musicians, actors and athletes. The process they use is no different than when you’re creating a brand for a company, which makes this type of branding neither real, nor authentic. They take the ‘person’ out of the equation, and create what they want.

When it comes to Personal Branding, we need to build a brand that is first and foremost real and authentic. The ‘Real You’ in other words. If you don’t like the real you then you have some life decisions and choices to make…

How to Build a Personal Brand

Here are 5 steps that I recommend following to build a personal brand that is real and authentic:

1. Discover Your Purpose. Have you ever watched a dog first thing in the morning who knows he is going out for a walk? I don’t think there is a better visual of ‘unbridled passion’ anywhere else! What is your unbridled passion? What gets you so excited that you dance and bounce around like a dog that is heading out for a walk? Discovering this ‘purpose,’ and then living it, is hugely motivating, inspiring and energizing. When you live your purpose, people notice. Good things happen.
2. Being Someone Else Is Exhausting! When you are not living the real and authentic you, you are living a lie. It is exhausting and fake. Others will notice and distance themselves from you. Focus on your superpowers (strengths) and stay away from your kryptonite (weaknesses).
3. Make Your Brand Visible. Get out there – literally and virtually. Make sure that every aspect of you (which is your brand) is in alignment.
   1. Build your online brand. Make sure it is in complete alignment with your brand strategy. No sense portraying a brand of professionalism and having photos of yourself partying topless on Facebook.
   2. Speak and present as often as you can.
   3. Give back by teaching, mentoring and coaching. When you do this, you learn volumes about you and your field.
   4. Write blogs, contribute to other thought leader’s publications, and get published.
4. School Is Never Out. It takes 20 hours to become proficient at something. It takes 10,000 hours to become an expert. People will often marvel at my ability to create a vision and develop strategies with little effort. They forget that I have been studying strategy for thought leaders and authors, as well as leading strategy development for over 20 years… And I still have things to learn.
5. Network. Build as many relationships as you can with others in your field. They can introduce you to others that can help your brand become known.

Robert Murray is a Vancouver, BC based Business Strategy Consultant, #1 Best Selling Author, and International Keynote Speaker. For further advice, insight and inspiration on how to unlock your inner leader, follow Robert on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

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