Rita Okoye: The Importance of Building a Powerful Personal Brand

Do you want to stand out from the crowd?
Do you want to be noticed before your competitors?
Do you want to draw business opportunities to you?
Do you want people to immediately see the unique value you bring?

Personal branding is the key to standing out in a tough and crowded market. It’s a way to strategically differentiate yourself and get noticed before your competition. It’s a unique promise of value.

Personal branding is no longer about self-promotion, but about being a more effective leader who people will listen to. It is about making your voice heard and your identity respected.

It has become increasingly important to develop a personal brand because modern audiences tend to trust people more than corporations and it is vitally important to establish one to stay competitive.

Another important factor to bear in mind is that people do business with people they know, like and trust.

In this competitive world, you don’t want to get lost in the crowd. You need to deliver “first class” excellence and watch your personal brand value grow.

Did you know that less than 15% of people have truly defined their personal brand. Even less live it out. So if you care about your career, you don’t want to be among the statistics.

Some people think that building a powerful personal brand is only for celebrities or politicians. But everyone is a brand and the services and products you offer represent your brand. It does not matter which industry you belong to, whether you work for someone or are self-employed or even unemployed; you always have a brand that comes to define you.

Some people don’t like self-marketing and think that if their products or services are good, consumers will notice them. Unfortunately the market is too crowded and consumers have more choice than ever. Personal branding requires being visible to decision makers and influencers. Strong brands don’t go into hiding. “Being visible is only part of the personal branding equation, and it’s not the biggest part. Demonstrating your value is the key.” William Arruda

Another important fact factor about building a personal brand is that, it’s not about creating a false image of who you are because everyone can spot a fake, even online. Your reputation matters, so you need to build a good one. Put your best foot forward. Be excellent. Stand out. Only the best will do.

How does one get started on developing a strong personal brand? It starts by taking stock of who you and what you want to achieve. You also need to decide what your best gifts are and how to communicate them to your target audience. Once you have done the inside work of soul searching, then you will be ready to market yourself to your target audience in a more strategic and deliberate way.

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