Powerful branding isn't only vital for your business ventures. As an entrepreneur, if you're making any sort of impact, you're also building a personal brand whether you like it or not.
As such, it makes sense to be proactive and have control over the development of your own brand, so that you can leverage it for greater business success. According to the 2019 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report, 76.3% of Saudis receive good opportunities to start a business. This percentage is the 2nd highest out of 49 countries. If you plan on becoming a successful entrepreneur, the following guide will show you what to do:
Work social media
Social media marketing is vital for any modern online business, but it's also important to build a separate presence for yourself. Consider building the foundations of your individual brand in a deliberate and thoughtful way.
Start by developing a reputation as an expert in your primary industry, publishing posts that can be a little wider in scope than your promotional business accounts. It does no harm to mention and interact with your competitors, nor to explore avenues with no direct relevance to your current ventures. The aim is to secure a space in your sector that doesn't rely on the prominence of your day-job activities.
Build a personal website
Similarly, your business website may put food on the table, but it's helpful to build a personal site to go alongside it. This is especially true if you're involved in multiple projects. A personal website can bring your various business ventures together, acting as a hub to boost them all. The increase in personal branding also provides a welcome bonus and an investment for the future.
Build a legend
All seasoned marketers know that a strong brand needs a point of differentiation. This also applies to your personal brand. What makes you special as an entrepreneur? Is it your background, your achievements, or your unique approach in your professional field?
While you shouldn't necessarily create a myth around yourself, it's important to build a back story that neatly encapsulates your unique points in an impactful way.
Be self-aware and realistic
That said, remember to keep things in perspective. Entrepreneurs who make outlandish claims about themselves risk looking like want-repreneurs instead. Don't be afraid to publicize your strengths and achievements, but also acknowledge your limitations
Join online communities
Once you've established a basic presence, it's time to start expanding it and making your name more widely known. Online communities such as Instagram or Twitter are a great starting point.
Create helpful posts with no obvious promotional value. Don't spam to push your businesses, but rather present yourself as a helpful expert who happens to run a few companies.
Write compelling guest posts
Guest posting is another efficient way to get your name out there. You're probably already writing guest posts to promote your ventures. Why not mix it up a little and publish a few using your name and entrepreneurial bio? You can still refer to your business, but your personal brand will benefit too.
Be available for interviews
Once your name starts gaining recognition within your niche, let it be known that you're available for interviews. Don't wait to be asked. Approach websites or social media accounts that have already published interviews with your peers, and pitch an offer to share your insights and expertise.
This will provide easy content for the interview site, as well as promotional value for you and your businesses.
Develop speaking engagements
The natural step up from interviews is to seek out speaking engagements at industry conferences or events. This isn't an activity that appeals to every entrepreneur, but the branding benefits are immense if you can make an impact on an influential audience.
Always be networking
You should by now be seeing the benefits of a strengthened personal brand, but don't be tempted to sit back and enjoy your success. Always be on the lookout for new contacts and new networking opportunities. There's always a way for you and a fellow professional to provide value for each other, if not now, then in the future. A strong network of contacts is also money in the personal branding bank.
Promote others
Lastly, don't be shy about using your resources and contacts to promote other entrepreneurs, even if they're operating in your space. Generating positive exposure for other talented and driven individuals won't be forgotten, and the benefits will find their way back to you in time as favors are repaid.
As an entrepreneur, a personal branding campaign won't show immediate results in your other commercial marketing activities. However, if you plan to enjoy lifelong success in your entrepreneurial career, a strong personal brand is a solid cornerstone to build everything else around.
