Personal Brand Checklist to set up your business year
If you are thinking of up-levelling your personal brand this year, here’s a checklist of key elements to consider for your plan. While this list is created with business leaders in mind, or those responsible for business development and sales, much of this checklist is easily applicable to those forging their professional career, whether in early career or in advanced stages such as applying for Non-Executive Director roles. How you approach each task on the checklist is what changes according to your goals.
Of course, many of these steps are more involved than simply checking off a task; clarifying your value proposition and perfecting your introduction are examples of where you will require some time and probably several drafts to get to the heart of your message in a way that achieves the desired results of your communication with others. If help is needed, there are plenty of resources to get you started, both on the NWC website and beyond. If you decide to work with an expert, be sure to check out our Personal Branding FAQs which will help you discern between providers!
Personal Brand Checklist to set up your business year:
Identify your goals for which your personal brand is a vehicle this year. |
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Identify your key target market/s or audiences for your personal brand message and describe who they are, what problem you help them solve, what their core concerns and values tend to be, and where you find them. |
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Identify your personal and professional core strengths in terms of value to these targets and any ways in which you differentiate from competitors. Write a summary of your Professional Value Proposition (PVP). |
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Use elements of your PVP to craft a very short positioning statement for use in verbal introductions. |
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Extend your PVP to write a positioned bio which also includes examples of key achievements or projects where you’ve added value. |
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Choose the key platforms for communicating your personal brand to your targets. For example: LinkedIn, a website and via networking/business conversations. |
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Update basic online pages and marketing materials with your personal brand messages e.g. LinkedIn profile, website, PDF documents. |
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Plan out how you will amplify and build your personal brand through your chosen platforms e.g. create a thought leadership content plan, a speaking and media plan, or a networking plan for the year. |
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Schedule monthly actions, seek support if necessary and implement! |
It is highly recommended that you approach the items on this checklist in order! People are often tempted to do the exciting things first, such as create a website… but when they do this, it shows… because the content is weak or confusing at best, or counter-productive and unprofessional at worst. Get clear on your personal brand for yourself first, and the best language to communicate it, before actually communicating!
Wishing you all the best for your personal brand success this year!