In this day and age, your personal brand has become an integral part of gaining a foothold in any industry. It drives people’s perceptions and holds an ability to control one’s trajectory in the future. Business leaders know that creating a strong brand creates greater credibility, builds rewarding partnerships, facilitates recognition and prestige, and provides a higher perceived value.
Vaughn Granger, a personal branding expert, serial entrepreneur, and performance coach, has developed strategies to help leaders define and build a personal brand that moves the needle for their businesses and lives. His take on branding? It’s your strongest asset in getting what you want, and your biggest liability if you’re not spending time on building it. Granger states, “If you’re not paying attention to your personal brand, you’re in the riskiest position possible.”
So how do business leaders create a personal brand that matters?
Step 1. Know who you are.
Whether you are an entrepreneur or an employee, you need to have an overview of who you are as a personality and be clear on what you value. Once you step into your authentic voice, your audience will naturally gravitate towards you. “You’ve got to understand who you are. Who and what you value, what you tolerate, your standards, are all part of what building an exceptional personal brand requires,” says Granger.
Step 2. Establish an image that you want people to see.
When you work and interact with others, you should care about the image you convey to the public. This includes what you wear, how you present yourself, and more. Granger states, “Your brand is who you are and what you’re about. It’s how you look, how you sound, the results you deliver. Personal branding is the opportunity to craft an idea of what it would be like to experience you in real life.”
Step 3. Share your voice.
Part of a strong personal brand is the ability to establish your value quickly. Whether it be on social media or center stage, individuals who are interested in getting ahead must be able to talk about certain issues and discuss certain things on their platforms to showcase their expertise. Developing your unique selling proposition, taglines, values, are also essential to building a strong personal brand. How can people quickly identify you?
Step 4. Be consistent.
“Consistency breeds confidence and confidence propagates into trust,” explains Granger. By being consistent, trust will follow afterward. Evaluate how you’re showing up online, in meetings, and in relationships. Are you consistent? Building familiarity and making your standards clear is a must for every great leader including Steve Jobs, Disney, Oprah. They have all mastered the art of being memorable, consistent, and authentic.
Step 5. Invest in yourself.
In developing a good personal brand, you must continue to develop your skills, abilities, and knowledge in order to keep up with the times. In this ever-evolving world, you must adapt to the fast-growing nature of every industry worldwide to stay afloat in a sea of talented contenders.
While other factors also serve as a go-getter’s catapulting device, Granger believes that developing a personal brand is key to growth and success. By providing these steps to carving a success-enabling path, the power player hopes to see others secure coveted positions at the pinnacles of greatness through personal branding. “Personal branding is for everyone,” states Granger, “and it’s the fastest way to go from working in the mailroom to becoming the CEO.”
About Vaughn Granger
Vaughn is among the go-to authorities whose guidance has enabled people to amp up their game. He is the founder of The Game Method™ and the widely recognized host of The Game podcast who has an in-depth understanding of what it takes to dominate one’s target field. Currently, he serves as a testament to the power of personal branding, having built multiple seven-figure businesses, including Granger Owens and Liam John USA.
“Helping people create brands is what I do. Understanding who people really are, creating a brand around that, and sharing that with the world is a daily adventure,”
Learn more about Vaughn Granger by visiting his website and check out The Game on Apple Podcasts.
