Myths about personal branding exist because it is a relatively new concept and because the idea of marketing oneself is unfamiliar for many people. Personal branding is a complex and multi-faceted concept, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach for creating a successful personal brand. But it is an important part of making sure you succeed.
Here are 5 personal branding myths you should stop believing right now:
Myth #1: Personal Branding Is About Bragging and Self Promotion
Personal branding is not about bragging. It is about providing value to the world and exposing your point of view based on your experience and given your unique context. It’s about self-expression and making the world a better place.
Myth #2: You Have to Have a Perfect Online Presence
Many people believe that in order to be successful with personal branding, you have to have a perfect online presence. This could not be further from the truth. You don’t have to be perfect online, you have to be authentic, but first, you have to show up. It’s more important to focus on creating a consistent and authentic online presence that reflects who you are than to be perfect. Perfection is a turn off, and it doesn’t even exist. Unless we speak about ice cream.
Myth #3: Personal Branding is Just for Famous People
If personal branding is just for famous people, how did they become famous in the first place? Everyone has to start somewhere, and very few of us start out as celebrities, maybe about 0,01% of Earth’s population? The rest of us begin by putting ourselves out there and creating a personal brand, starting small and growing with time and as we gain confidence in ourselves and in the process.
Myth #4: You Have to Have All the Answers
Another myth about personal branding is that you have to have all the answers. This couldn’t be more wrong. You don’t have to know everything. Such a thing doesn’t exist!
Your context is your context, and you cannot be where you are not. You also cannot wait until you’re “there yet” to share your message. You will never get “there yet” if you don’t start showing up. It’s a losing proposition. You have to take your message into the world and connect to your audience, just as you are.
Myth #5: To create a personal brand, you need to know exactly what you want
This couldn’t be more wrong. The reason personal brand strategists exist is to help you become clear about what you want. It’s intense work, and most of the time, you won’t be able to do it by yourself. You need someone to guide you so you can identify all that you haven’t seen before, including exactly what you want.
By letting go of these 5 personal branding myths you can begin to create a successful personal brand. Remember, it’s more important to be consistent and authentic to your brand than to have a perfect online presence. Focus on creating content that is valuable to your audience and you will be well on your way to creating a successful personal brand.
As a personal branding expert, I can help you create a unique and powerful brand that will help you reach your biggest dreams. Contact me today to see if we’re a fit for working together.
As usual, stay on the rollercoaster until the ride ends. Great things need time to manifest, so be patient with yourself!
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Love,
Claudia
