Do you want to be seen as a trustworthy expert within your industry? Here’s why your personal branding is so important – and how to get it right.
Why is Personal Branding so Important?
You have a personal brand, whether you realise it or not. What comes up when you Google yourself? These are the first impressions that people will have of you. Is it any good? Is the information you post on LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social media platforms consistent? If you have a date or a job interview, chances are someone will Google you to learn more about you. The question is whether you want to let your online reputation take on its own life or control the narrative. With the rise of social media and the gig economy, it is now more important than ever to embrace personal branding.
As Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, famously quoted, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” The term “branding” used to be reserved for businesses, but with the advent of social sites and the gig economy, personal branding has become fundamental.
A personal brand is what makes you stand out from the crowd, it’s essential to have a strong personal brand. A personal brand is the unique combination of skills and experiences that make you who you are. It’s what makes you unique and sets you apart from everyone else. By developing a personal brand, you’re giving yourself a competitive advantage.
Whether you’re an employee or an entrepreneur, developing your personal brand is more important than ever. One reason is that recruiters are increasingly using social media during the interview process. Personal branding is also advantageous from the standpoint of the employer. Employees should be encouraged to develop strong personal brands by their employers because it is good for business. Employees who are allowed to represent their company at conferences or events not only develop themselves but also provide more exposure for the organisation. Employees who are perceived as trustworthy thought leaders can help acquire new customers and retain existing ones. Personal branding is also important because the gig economy is not going away anytime soon.
Workers need to be able to clearly communicate who they are and what they do to stand out to prospective clients and employers. If you aren’t effectively managing your online reputation, then you run the risk of losing out on business.
Examples of personal branding masters
Creating a strong personal brand does not happen overnight. It is critical to be able to communicate your purpose and mission to your audience in an authentic manner. Here are some celebrities who have built incredible personal brands through hard work, consistency, and a long-term focus:
- Oprah Winfrey: Oprah is without a doubt the queen of personal branding. According to Forbes, she is constantly building equity in her brand, which has a net worth of $2.5 billion. Oprah has always stayed true to her core competency: inspiring millions of viewers to live their best lives by realising their full potential. She has inspired millions to be their best selves by being true to herself.
- Richard Branson: Richard Branson is without a doubt one of the most visible, successful, and well-known men on the planet. He has always remained true to his core values, which include adventure and risk-taking. By being himself, he has frequently done exactly what other business leaders have warned against, including outrageous publicity stunts such as dressing up as a flight attendant for a competing airline. His unconventional style and dedication to his passions have aided in the development of a strong personal brand. “Too many companies want their brands to reflect some idealised, perfected image of themselves. As a consequence, their brands acquire no texture, no character and no public trust.”
Whether you’re an employee or an entrepreneur within the hair, beauty or wellness industry, developing your personal brand is more important than ever. Branding allows clients to distinguish you from the competition in your industry. You may be a fantastic hairstylist, but there are hundreds of thousands of other talented stylists out there. Your brand communicates to others what distinguishes you, why they should trust you, and positions you as an authority figure in the industry.
Perhaps you are an expert colourist, a master at cutting, a lash or brow expert, or you specialise in blonde hair. What do you provide clients that others do not? That is the question you should be asking yourself. Your years of industry experience are no longer as valuable as the results you can produce.
What kind of person do you want to be? What do you want to do or be remembered for? Finally, branding is a tool that can help you make a bigger impact on your career advancement. But, what does it take to build a successful personal brand as a hair, beauty or wellness professional?
How to Build a Brand:
Step 1: Discover Your Individuality
What are your strong points? When you’re working with a client, what captivates and excites you? That’s what you’re trying to promote. You must make that decision, but you must also undertake the terrifying task of organising and publishing it.
Consider it like an online dating profile. Who you attract is influenced by how you present yourself. A customer looking for a specific service will be more likely to contact you if they know upfront that you excel in that service, just as you may have a match with someone who enjoys the same things as you.
Step 2: Create a Reputation
Use the tools at your disposal to present yourself in a specific light. To build your portfolio, invest in high-quality images of your work. Use lighting and editing effects to ensure your photos look flawless. Nobody wants to see blurry smartphone photos of the back of your client’s head.
Step 3: Utilise Social Media & Online Platforms
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and online platforms such as ‘Locate Your Look’ are fantastic (free) tools for constructing a vision of: 1: who you are as a person and what you stand for, and 2: what you want to do with your stylist career. Make the most of your platform by using appropriate hashtags, updating frequently, and interacting with your followers and customers.
Remember that you don’t have to limit yourself to just one thing on social media, but it’s often best to start with one and build from there. For example, do you excel at fantasy colour? Begin posting photos of each magnificent colour job you complete (with your client’s permission, of course!)
You’re great at what you do! Spread the word to get more clients to fill up your chair.
Whether you’re looking for a better job or more customers for your business, personal branding is more important than ever. You don’t need to be Oprah or Richard Branson to have a great personal brand. It’s simply a matter of constantly crafting and curating your digital presence, and most importantly, staying authentic! In the long run, your honesty, transparency, and authenticity will set you apart. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so make it one that distinguishes you, builds trust, and reflects your personality.
Locate Your Look’s unique portal can help you build a personal brand that will help you stand out from your competitors. To find out more Register your interest and a member of our team will be in touch to explain everything LYL can offer you.
Kerrie Humphrys PTLLS – Founder of Locate Your Look
