Part two of my Building an 'Authentic Brand You' blog focuses on what goes into the building of an authentic personal brand and its subsequent roll out.
In my opinion the essence of an authentic personal brand is made up of the core elements that define your passion, purpose and value system.
A clear idea of your passion and purpose together and an accurate vision of yourself (one that is free of ego and self criticism) are the foundations upon which your brand is built.
These three elements mandate how you bring your brand to life and portray it to the outside world through a variety of physical, verbal and visual cues.
The critical thing about these three deceptively simple elements is that in order to create a successful and sustainable personal brand they need to be based on your own authentic truth rather than an ideal you will struggle to uphold over the long term.
Defining your PASSION and PURPOSE.
Much has been written about finding ones passion and purpose and it is fast becoming a topic that inspires more confusion than it resolves. The biggest misconception about operating true to ones passion and purpose is that it requires radical lifestyle and career changes, which may not always be practical or achievable.
In very simple and practical terms finding ones passion and purpose is about understanding two things: what you want to achieve in your life and what ignites your inner fire.
One is about the career path that you want to take and the other is about what will feed your soul and create your unique point of difference in the execution of your purpose.
The two may not always be obviously linked but when both come from your personal place of truth there will inevitably be a common thread. Take the time to examine what makes up both of these categories for you, view them for what they are rather than their potential for career and financial growth and the links that tie them will begin to emerge.
Remember that the concept of passion and purpose is to help you live a life well lived - as defined by you and on your terms. There is no judgment other than that which you yourself impose.
Living ones passion and purpose does not always require major shifts in either your personal or professional life. A subtle blend of the existing and newly found can be just as soul enriching and personally satisfying as a radical spring clean of all that has been before in favor of the new.
Adding your VALUES.
Your values and what they mean to you will define how you execute on your passion and purpose and will form the value system by which your personal brand operates.
Your value system creates the emotional, physical, and moral boundaries within which your brand will play. Straying outside of these boundaries leads to personal dissonance and means you are operating outside of your authentic self which from a personal brand perspective (or any perspective at all) is simply not sustainable.
Your value system must both support and in turn be supported by your passion and purpose.
A personal brand is a living and breathing thing that requires constant recalibration to ensure that those three elements remain aligned.
Once the foundation stones are in place the fun part of rolling out your personal brand begins.
The art of personal brand COMMUNICATION.
Much like any brand, your personal brand needs to be communicated consistently and effectively.
Engaging, and consistent communication across every touch-point is critical to the impact your personal brand will have and continue to have on its intended audience.
Whether it is a personal one to one communication, or a more general one to many interaction, the impression your brand leaves needs to be consistent.
Achieving a consistent and authentic portrayal of your personal brand requires that; what your brand says, how it behaves, and how it presents visually are all in sync and representing the same story.
The keys to your personal brand SUCCESS.
Your ability to effectively package and harness elements of your passion, purpose and vision will define how engaging and memorable your personal brand is.
Your ability to replicate it consistently will not only drive brand recognition but more importantly the loyalty it inspires, and it is this loyalty that ultimately defines your personal brands long-term value.
To help you achieve a consistent visual representation of your personal brand I invite you to download a complimentary copy of my 'Style Secrets for the Authentic Woman' - a distillation of my years of experience in helping real woman find their authentic personal style.