The Key is Simplicity
Last week I introduced the concept of storytelling, and why storytelling is hyper-relevant to crafting your personal brand (read the post here). This week, I’m going to add one more crucial element to a killer personal brand: simplicity. Or in other words, your Confident Core.
Psssst! I recently created and released my newest FREE resource for my community, a 10-page workbook that walks you through crafting YOUR personal brand. Get it here.
Why simplicity?
People remember simple.
We all categorize the world around us with short, concise impressions. Those impressions are either made unconsciously or consciously on the part of those around us.
The purpose of crafting your personal brand, is so that YOU control what those soundbites (i.e. impressions) are that other people have filed YOU under.
2. Personal brand serves to “whet the appetite”.. It doesn’t need to be (& SHOULDN’T be) a full meal.
We are all complex beings, with layers of story, motivation and inspiration behind our actions and goals. However, complexity has no place in a personal brand story (unless your personal brand IS complexity).
The reason for this is if you introduce too much complexity into a personal brand, people will be confused and remember NONE of it.
All you need a personal brand to do is to leave an impression on your audience, so that when they return to a subject, conversation, or opportunity that you may have a place in, they will REMEMBER you and be able to reach out.
Here is an example from my own career that demonstrates the power of a simple personal brand, and how opportunities can come when we least expect them!
I was working as a management consultant in my firm’s Minneapolis office. I was staffed on a local case at the time and wasn’t actively looking for my next project. One ordinary day I received a ping in my email from a Chicago-based manager who wanted to talk to me on the phone about potentially staffing me for a public-sector female-focused case based in the Middle East. I had never met (or even heard of) this manager before, yet the case she wanted to staff me on was PERFECT for my passions and experience.
A week later I was on a plane flying to Dubai to start one of the most amazing and impactful 6-months of my career.
How did this happen?
It happened because I knew my personal brand (cross-cultural experience with focus on women’s professional development, at the time), and wasn’t afraid to speak to my passions with my managers, mentors and colleagues. Apparently this manager had been asking around HER network of managers and two of them happened to know me firsthand and IMMEDIATELY recommended she connect with me. After she had my name brought up to her twice, she took the action of emailing me and the rest is history!
So, what have we learned in the last three weeks on personal brand and first impressions?
First impressions matter because they create a “halo effect”, however, a bad first impression CAN be rectified.
Memorable personal brands tap into your audience’s emotions.
Honing in on ONE core feature of your personal brand allows you to simplify your story in order to be memorable. Complex = confusing!
Sharing your personal story/brand regularly will help opportunities appear to come to you ‘magically’!
Ready to get started on nailing YOUR personal brand story? Download the free “My Confident Core” workbook now and don’t waste another second wondering “what the heck is MY personal brand?!”.
Your coach,
Julia
