A Checklist for Nailing Your Personal Rebrand
Like it or not, personal branding can make or break you when it comes to winning new clients, receiving a promotion, or even gaining the respect of your colleagues.
Whether the concept of personal branding leaves you scratching your head or you’re a seasoned pro who simply needs to refresh your LinkedIn headline, this article has you covered.
We’ll explore the following topics:
What is personal branding?
Do I need to rebrand?
How to gain intel about your personal brand
A checklist to follow to rebrand yourself
What is personal branding?
Your personal brand is your professional persona, both in digital format and in person. It encompasses a wide variety of elements, including:
How you present yourself – Are you casual or buttoned-up? Are you emotive or reserved?
Your speaking and writing style – Are you effusive or matter-of-fact? What’s your take on humor?
Your values – What are the core values you want to be known for? Integrity, adaptability, positivity, something else entirely?
Your unicorn quality (AKA your uniqueness) – What do you have that no one else can offer?
These elements and other factors blend to create your personal brand, which shouldn’t be confused with your reputation.
As Harrison Monarth wrote in the Harvard Business Review, “Everyone has a reputation. The first impressions you make, the relationships you form with managers and peers… All of these things impact how others see you. Your personal brand is much more intentional... Whereas reputation is about credibility, your personal brand is about visibility and the values that you outwardly represent.”
When considering how you define your personal brand—and if you think you may need to rebrand—it’s crucial to consider how you want your colleagues, clients, and competitors to perceive you.
Do I need to rebrand?
Here are a few reasons why you might want to consider a personal rebrand:
You want to make a career shift. Rebranding is necessary to let your network and potential new clients/employers know what it is you want to do.
You want to change how others perceive you. Maybe coworkers don’t take you seriously enough, or they take you too seriously.
You want to advance at your company. Sometimes a rebrand can expedite your career ambitions.
You’re not differentiated from the competition. You struggle to articulate your unique selling proposition.
Gaining Intel About Your Personal Brand
Before you start the rebranding process, you’ll need to take stock of the state of your current personal brand.
The fastest way to understand how people currently perceive you is to simply ask them. On the Dear HBR: podcast episode “Personal Rebranding,” Executive coach and author Dorie Clark suggests conducting a focus group… about yourself.
“Have a literal personal focus group, just like a CPG brand would do for a product,” Clark says. She encourages you to gather friends and/or colleagues and ask them two questions:
What’s your perception of me?
What could I do differently?
Don’t worry: You’re not alone if the thought of hosting your own personal focus group sends you into a panic. That’s why she suggests asking a trusted friend to moderate for you, so you can take notes and do your best to listen with an open mind.
A Checklist for Your Personal Rebrand
Now it’s time to take action. Follow these steps when you want to start the rebranding process:
Clarify your goals. When you’re working on your personal brand, you have the luxury of operating on your own timeline. Make a point to clearly define the professional values you want to portray, your goals, and any shortcomings that you want to overcome. Taking these steps will help you lay the foundation for a successful rebrand.
Rewrite your personal brand statement. What’s your personal brand in a paragraph or a sentence? A simple formula for crafting a compelling statement is: What you do + who you help + how you’re different + why people should care.
Take a new headshot. Raise your hand if your headshot is over 5 years old. 10 years? 15? You get the picture—and you probably need a new one. The great thing about taking a new headshot in 2022 is that most people have access to a decent camera on their smartphone. Grab a friend, find some natural light, choose a polished outfit, and you’ll have a professional-looking headshot in no time. (More tips here.)
Update your digital presence. Now that you have a fresh headshot and a crystal clear personal brand statement, it’s time to update all of your digital assets, including but not limited to your LinkedIn page, website, and any external sites where your photo & info appear.
Reach out to your network. Spread the word with clients, colleagues and friends via email and/or social media. Consider reaching out to key contacts with a personalized email. Now would be a great time to let people know you’re looking for new collaborations or clients.
Be a valuable content creator. Speak at a conference or on a digital panel. Host a webinar. Publish your own articles on LinkedIn or Medium. You can set yourself apart from the competition by consistently sharing your expertise and unique takes. Create a reputation for yourself as a thought leader.
You have the power to create a powerhouse personal brand.
Additional Sources:
Entrepreneur, “10 Steps to Future Proofing Your Personal Brand for 2022.” Nov. 2021
Indeed, “How To Rebrand Yourself in 5 Steps.” Feb. 2022.
Indeed, “10 Effective Personal Brand Statement Examples.” June 2022.