
Ever wondered why Lara Looloo (change as appropriate) ends up getting all the exciting opportunities, guest panel invites and plum pick of the jobs, when you’re just as good as her?
Because Lara has built up her Personal Brand and is now reaping the benefits.
You don’t have to be the BEST in your field to stand out. You just need to be knowledgeable in your field and willing to do a bit of work to put yourself out there. You have to be in to win it…and everyone (including you) can build a strong personal brand, if you put some thought into it.
Building your Personal Brand is more important than ever
Job for life? Those days are long gone. A rich and fulfilling career is all about the ‘squiggly’ now and there are bundles of opportunities to be had, all perfectly tailored to you, if you position yourself in the right way.
But how do you find those opportunities, when you don’t even know they exist?
You build a strong Personal Brand.
It’s no longer enough to do a ‘good job’.
Doing a great job is important, but not enough if you want to build a career that fulfills you. If you want exciting opportunities and the right people to be attracted to you, you need to understand what you stand for, what you bring to the table, and be able to communicate that to the world effectively…and that’s why having a strong Personal Brand is a must, not a ‘nice-to-have’.
I know. I learned this lesson the hard way. I spent years doing a ‘good job’, but still got passed over for opportunities, until I decided to take control and write my own story.
Your Personal Brand can help you be ‘front of mind’
Everyone’s so busy these days, if they’re looking to work with someone, they’re going to go for the first person that springs to mind, a person they can trust. Why would they spend hours searching the internet for you, if they don’t even know you exist?
When I was a time-pressed journalist, desperately looking for quality programme guests to fill a few minutes of air time, I seized on the first people that came to mind (that I knew I could rely on to do a good job). That’s the reality for most people looking to fill a role, book speakers or someone to work with. Your job is to make sure you’re front of mind when those opportunities come up.
Chuck your preconceptions about Personal Brand in the wheely bin
As a quiet and introverted person, I was hesitant to take control of my personal brand, as I was worried about what people would think and that I’d need to be something I wasn’t – loud and shouty. I needn’t have worried, because it turned out I could create my own story in my own way.
What a strong personal brand ISN’T:
A strong personal brand isn’t being the shoutiest or loudest person in the room, it’s not only for extroverts.
What a strong personal brand IS:
It IS being clear on what you stand for, and being known for it, so that you attract the right people to you.
You get to build your own Personal Brand story – how cool is that?
The beauty of it all is that you get to build your personal brand story in exactly the way that is right for you. You’re the author of your own story, and you have the power to shape it however you want. But if you don’t, other people will write it for you.
Who needs a strong personal brand?
Whether you’re an employee of a large corporate, and you want to stand out, or a business founder looking to grow your personal profile, growing your Personal Brand is an important step to safeguarding your future, and attract new opportunities (even ones you don’t know about!)
Personal Brand building is important for everyone who wants to create more opportunities for themselves now and in the future.
Here are a few examples where having a strong Personal Brand will help you:
You have a different niche to other people in your company, and you want to raise your profile, so you can attract new customers and opportunities.
You want to stand out in a competitive industry, to attract new work opportunities and get a promotion.
You want to attract the right customers, partners and collaborators to your business.
You want to build a solid foundation for the future, when perhaps you might want to move on from your current role.
You’re looking to attract speaking opportunities, or Non-Executive Director roles.
Six benefits of working on your Personal Brand
I’ve seen magical things happen when my clients focus on their Personal Brand.
Here are the top six benefits of working on your brand:
1. More Clarity and Confidence
-
- A clear personal brand helps you know who you are, what you stand for, and what you are naturally good at —which makes your decision-making easier and more aligned.
-
- It helps you communicate your value more effectively, which boosts your confidence in conversations, pitches, or interviews (and gives you a bigger chance of getting the job).
2. More Trust and Credibility
-
- People buy from (and back) people they trust. A strong brand builds that trust faster—especially if you’re showing up consistently with your values, expertise, and voice.
-
- It positions you as an authority in your niche, even if you’re not the loudest person in the room.
3. Bigger Visibility and Recognition
-
- You become memorable. When people think of your space, they think of you.
-
- It increases your chances of being referred, invited to speak, collaborate, or be featured—because people know what you’re about.
4. Attracting the Right People (and repelling the wrong ones)
-
- A well-built personal brand repels the wrong people and attracts the right clients, collaborators, or employers.
-
- It makes it easier for your ideal audience to find you and feel aligned with you and everything will flow so much better.
5. Get Opportunities on Tap
-
- Whether it’s media, speaking gigs, partnerships, or dream clients—your brand does the networking for you while you sleep.
-
- You become front-of-mind when an opportunity that you don’t even know about pops up.
6. Future-proof your career
-
- A strong personal brand travels with you—across industries, roles, or projects — and future-proofs your career, whatever the changes in your industry or if your role changes. It gives you back control of your own destiny.
-
- It gives you the freedom to pivot, expand, or evolve, because you are the brand, not just your current offer.
Let’s get started building your Personal Brand
There really are no downsides to working on your Personal Brand, but by not building your presence, you really are losing out on opportunities.
Ready to work on your Personal Brand? Check out our Personal Brand Story Makeover Package, which will give you all the tools you need to build a personal brand that’s perfectly aligned for you.