What is the Value of Your Personal Brand?

value of your personal brand

The value of your personal brand is based on one thing: how much you’re willing to commit to it.

Having an online presence isn’t easy— in fact, it can be downright exhausting.

Let me explain. According to Label Insight, “94% of people claim they are more loyal to a brand that is completely transparent.”

We have social media to thank for that statistic. With the rise of social media influencers who show their entire lives online, consumers are more expectant to see this type of transparent advertising from their favorite brands.

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This means that in order to succeed as an entrepreneur, you have to be willing to share your thoughts, beliefs, and opinions on your platforms. While this can help increase your industry recognition, this type of continuous unfiltered content is sometimes more than entrepreneurs can handle.

The alternative is to have a business brand where your logo and company reputation are the only factors at stake. But in a world where people buy from other people, going this route can really limit your success.

The behind-the-scenes content is simply what works. It makes your personal brand priceless. If you’re willing to go out on a limb and express your personal beliefs, then your career opportunities are endless.

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The Value of Your Personal Brand

A personal brand can do more for you as a business owner than just increase your notoriety.

By putting yourself on the front line, you’re going to open up doors to success wherever you see fit.

Just look at the new leading Tik Tok influencer, Charli D’Amelio. In just a year, she went from being a small-town teenager from Connecticut to a multi-millionaire. She’s appeared in Super Bowl commercials, landed sponsorships with companies like Prada, and her personal brand is now the face of the well-known clothing line, Hollister.

While this overnight success is rare, you’re still probably familiar with the more traditional influencers; Oprah, Elon Musk, and actors such as Sarah Jessica Parker have sparked influence in the global market. Enough so that they now have the freedom to hold any position that they want.

You might know Sarah Jessica Parker as the girl from Sex and the City. But now, she runs her own production company, Pretty Matches. Even more recently she started a partnership with New Zealand Winery Invivo & Co to produce a range of wines.

All of these people can all be described as unapologetically outspoken, inspiring, and ambition-bound. They’ve broadcasted their brand as one that is unwavering in its beliefs and they have proven that they can sell in any market.

So what exactly does Sarah Jessica Parker and Charli D’Amelio have in common? A valuable personal brand.

If you’re looking for the same type of opportunities, take a look at how the value of your personal brand can truly take you to new heights.

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5. You Don’t Have to Overthink It

You are your brand, which means the marketing should come fairly easy. A personal brand logo and a social media aesthetic are nice but ultimately, people will come to you for your personality.

Marketing your personal brand is going to come a lot more naturally to you than it would if you were promoting a company. Instead of spending hours cultivating the perfect ad or hunting down user-generated content, all you really have to do is hop on Instagram Stories and talk about your day.

The value of your personal brand comes from communicating with your ideal client about your own values and opinions. You’ll speak to your target audience the same way you speak to your friends and family. This forms a more intimate bond with your potential customers, which encourages them to trust whatever it is you might be selling. All you have to do up until that point is to provide free, valuable content.

And be yourself.

The downside to this is that you may feel like you’re constantly on the clock. When filming your morning routine becomes a marketing tool to sell your latest service, it can be hard to determine a viable work-life balance. Like all things, it will take time to find the right rhythm that works for you.

And since it’s your own reputation that you’re trying to uphold, there needs to be a little bit of strategy behind your personal brand marketing. You need to be vigilant in your messaging and make sure you don’t cross any boundaries. This means being hyper-aware of what you say, how you act, and what you endorse at all times.

RELATED: SEO on Social Media – Claire Bahn Explains Social Media Marketing

4. Your Personal Brand Helps You Land Jobs

Remember back in the day when we were taught how to perfect our resumes and cover letters to get our dream job?

Those were the days.

While it’s true that resumes and CVs have their place in the modern marketplace, it would be foolish to think that companies aren’t looking into your personal brand as well.

This could work for you or against you.

For example, let’s say you’re an inspiring journalist who has just applied to work for the Los Angeles Times. The hiring recruiter is 100% going to Google you.

Tell me which candidate they’re more likely to hire:

  1. The journalist with a public Instagram account full of late-night shenanigans.
  2. The journalist with their own blog and YouTube channel sharing their journey and giving tips on how to become a journalist.

There’s a clear winner here. And it’s the one with a clear personal brand.

Like it or not, it’s 2020 and that means that companies, brands, and investors are digging into their resources. Your image online can make or break your big career ambitions, whether that’s to work for a corporation or to land your next speaking gig as an influencer.

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How To Land the Job

With a thoughtful online brand, you can instantly shoot to the top of the list for and land your dream job.

When you’re willing to promote your values and beliefs daily through your social media content, people will take notice. There are a lot more eyes on your public persona than you realize, so you need to make sure you showcase how valuable your personal brand really is.

Here are two ways you can do that:

  • Have clean communication: Don’t be shy about which tactics you see as right and wrong within your industry. You want to keep it professional, but ultimately this will help companies see whether or not your core values align with theirs.
  • Show your expertise online: This will help companies perceive you as a thought leader who can bring new ideas to their company.

RELATED: Why Is Personal Branding Important to Your Business and Your Career?

3. Your Personal Brand Has a Monetary Value… Literally

As you work on your online presence the value of your personal brand will start to go up.

We’re talking about real, tangible dollars.

Let me give you another example. You’re a business coach who is using their personal brand to get future clients to like, know, and trust you on Instagram. You’re consistently posting, engaging with your ideal clients, and you provide value through IGTV videos.

Someone who is constantly dedicated to providing free (albeit, vague) solutions is going to prove their worth with their social media content strategy.

After some time (and strategy) you’ll start to garner a reputation as a thought leader within the entrepreneur industry. And as long as you’re also giving social proof (client testimonials, screenshots, press, etc), you’ll be able to create higher price tags for your services because you are in demand.

Once you’ve proven that people can like, know, and trust your expertise as a business coach, you can start to evolve your business. Maybe you want to make passive income with a business coaching course. Or maybe you’re thinking about garnering extra revenue by working with a brand or speaking at a convention.

If you’re handling your personal brand strategy right, you’ll have these brands and event hosts coming to you. And when that happens, you get to determine how much you’re paid for these collaborations.

And if you ever decide to scale your business, your personal brand will be something that will impress potential investors. The CEO of a company heavily determines the decision as to whether or not they will invest. If you already have an established personal brand with proven success at selling, investors will be twice as likely to elevate your capital.

RELATED: 5 STEPS TO DEVELOPING A PERSONAL BRAND FOR BEGINNERS

2. Your Online Presence Will Boost Your Credibility

When you’re looking for an answer to a question, what’s the first thing you do?

You Google it.

Sometimes that search will take place on social media platforms, but generally, our knee-jerk reaction is to head for Google.

If you have a well-established personal brand that provides consistent content, there’s a good chance you could be the answer to those questions. Especially when you’re utilizing content such as SEO blogs.

When you can appear on the first page of Google, it means that you’ve proven to Google that you’re a credible source. People rarely look past the first page, which means you’re first in line to sell your services.

Think back to the last time you Googled something. Which links did you click on? Were there links to a company? If so, did you end up buying from that company?

Probably not.

Talking To The Expert

When you read a blog from an individual, you’re going to be reeled into their expertise because it’s a real-life person! Isn’t that what we’re all looking for? A human that gave give us direct, valuable answers to our problems? And if you’re content is enticing enough, that reader might sign up for your email list or start following you on social media.

That starts the framework that will lead your audience to trust your credibility. They’ll start seeing you posting valuable content on social media or you’ll be sending them regular emails to consistently help them with their initial problem. That’s when you’ll start to see more sales.

To put it simply, people buy from other people. It’s easier to like, know, and trust a person than a company because your personal brand tells a story. Your content— whether it’s on a blog, emails, or social media— enables you to share your success, your failures, and your expertise.

RELATED: THE GUIDE ON HOW TO BECOME FAMOUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

1. The Value of Your Personal Brand Lies in the Opportunities

You honestly can’t put a price tag on your personal brand. You can do so much with it.

Just to give you a breakdown, your own brand is what will convince people to:

  • Buy your products/services
  • Reach out to you for press features
  • Contact you for a speaking gig
  • Collaborate with you for a paid sponsorship
  • Hire you for your dream job
  • Invest in your company
  • Get you a book deal

How can you get these opportunities? Well, it depends on where you’re at in your personal branding journey. If you haven’t been consistent with your social media content, videos, or blogs, now is the time to start providing that value. Working with a PR company could also help, but if you have no leg to stand on (i.e. you don’t have any type of online presence), they’re going to be hesitant to take you on as a client.

The best route to take in order to get these opportunities is to define and perfect your personal brand. Then we can go from there. If you need some help, I offer free personal branding consultations! After our 20-minute call, I’ll be able to tell you exactly what your next steps should be so that you can take full advantage of your brand.

Do you want to attract more clients and boost revenue? Learn how to position yourself as an expert, grow your audience, and attract the right clients. Watch my FREE Personal Branding Masterclass today.

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About Claire
Marketing Agency, Strategic Communications, claire bahn group, claire bahn
Claire Bahn is a personal brand strategist and the CEO and Co-Founder of Claire Bahn Group. She has been helping high achieving entrepreneurs, investors, founders, and executives create their best personal brand for over 10 years. She helps entrepreneurs leverage their personal brand to develop the authority, influence, and trust they need to exceed their business goals.
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