SIMPLE STEPS TO REFINING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND

It occurred to me after getting some comments about my last post that I hadn’t clearly stated how you can apply my experience to refining your own personal brand, which was really kind of the point! So here is the exercise in four sort of simple steps.

This exercise will provide you with a powerful statement of who you are that is backed up by your own real life revelations, trials, tribulations and joys. If you get stumped, feel free to give me a shout from the contact page, or via the comments section.

How to refine your personal brand:

1. Take stock of the last 1-3 years of your life
Write down your major events and life experiences. Highlight both the bad and good. Even during a tough year, you’re sure to find some beautiful moments. Write them all down as either a list or a story – whichever your preference. I find it easier to write them as a story because it helps me process the events and find connections. Writing things down like this can be tough, but the reflection time will do your soul some good.

2. Reflect on your strengths and beliefs
Now that you have your story or list, write down 5-10 personal strengths and beliefs that helped you make it through the period of time. These don’t necessarily have to be deeply profound things – it can be anything. Your performance increase while on coffee could qualify, as could the inspiration you get from seeing your child grow.

3. Drill down on your biggest strengths
Got that list of 5-10 personal strengths and beliefs? Good. Now, think about what it is that you do. What do you bring to your clients, family, friends, or boss? How do you help them? In this step, you will drill down your list to no more than 3 strengths. I often find that the first list of 5-10 items contains some overlapping qualities. Find the similarities and use one word or phrase to combine those into one strength.

4. Say it and believe it
Now that you have a short list of 1-3 items, you should have a powerful testament to who you are and what you offer your clients. Repeat it to yourself, and make it part of your mantra. It may well change the way you talk about yourself and market your products and services. It will definitely provide you with a powerful statement of who you are that is backed up by your life experiences.

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