The distinction between the brand of a business, and that of the person or people that run that business, is growing ever thinner. As smaller, more specialized businesses grow out of individuals’ laptops and garages, what sets these concerns apart at the point of impact is their impression of reliability, transparency, trust – and a certain unique character that customers can identify with. The nature of these aspects will vary from success story to success story, but what’s clear is that in today’s informal, crowd-sourced culture, consumers are looking for a face they can rely on. The term we have for how you achieve this is personal online branding.
Your personality will manifest on your business website through the personal touches you add. But broader business opportunities will require a consistent personal brand across different web platforms. These can both assure potential customers of your experience and stability (LinkedIn) or attract new customers and publicity by sharing your personality and knowledge (YouTube, your blog).
The key is consistency: figure out who you are, what you represent, and how you want to communicate it – and set these ideas in stone, so you have something to refer to each time you want to make a post or establish a profile on a new platform.
If you’re having trouble getting started, make a shortlist of some of your personal heroes, and think about what you find admirable about them and how the tone and quality of their communications draws you in. Then, find which parts fit your own character and put an original slant on it – whatever skill or interest you have that makes you unique.
If you’re serious about your home business, you’ll want to run through the infographic below – which offers further tips and guidance on how to create you personal brand and take your business profile to the next level.
