Personal branding, or: seeing yourself as a brand and presenting yourself as such to others, is not yet well established in the Netherlands. “Does that work here?” or "Isn't that very American?" are questions that I am regularly asked. I believe that personal branding can work for anyone, anywhere in the world.
Why? I'll tell you more about that in a moment, let's first look at what exactly a brand is. To do this, we will take a look at the marketing books: Professor Giep Franzen (one of the Netherlands' most famous marketers) says that a brand is a network of associations between elements in a person's memory. The more the associations reinforce each other, the stronger the brand. Simply put : a brand only exists in people's brains and is formed by what the brand (i.e. you) says and does, how you behave and how the recipient interprets this. So even if you are not consciously involved with it, your ( potential customers form an image of you and your business based on what you do, say and how you come across. And that brings us to the reasons why you should do personal branding:
• Personal branding is about showing what you stand for • It helps determine your direction (for example, are you an all-rounder or a specialist) • You can increase your value • To 'stand out' and distinguish yourself from the rest • You decide how others see you
Have you ever thought about what your core values are as a freelancer? Suppose you are a freelance copywriter whose core values are: hip, ambitious and enterprising, then you are probably also looking for a certain type of customer that fits with that. Once you have determined your core values, you can also determine how you will translate them. In the case of the hip, ambitious copywriter, it would not be appropriate if he went to an acquisition interview in a shabby sweater and kept his notes on a few grubby A4 sheets. You would rather expect him to write down his notes on his iPad in a hip suit. You also expect his website and other ways in which he presents himself to be in line with his core values. It is also said that choosing a brand is equivalent to the selection procedure for job applications. A client chooses the one that suits him best and that is why it helps if you clearly show who you are as a freelancer and what you stand for.
A good example of this is a conversation I had with a freelance accountant whom I met during the New Year's drinks of ProLinker. This man had been the owner of a large accounting firm for many years. Eventually he sold his company and now worked as a freelancer. His main motivations: to focus on his profession again, instead of managing a company and directing staff. By thinking about your personal brand and what your skills, characteristics and core values are, you can determine much better which direction you want to go.
With a clear personal brand you increase your value as a freelancer. Because you profile yourself clearly, people are more likely to find you as 'the specialist in...' or 'the one with that broad background'.
Potential clients make their decision based on recognition, the information you offer them and by comparing alternatives. Nowadays the competition for freelance assignments is often so great that it is difficult to make a choice. Personal branding is the way to stand out. Because, in the abundance of choices, clients choose the one that is most appealing, recognizable and familiar to them. To stay in marketing terms: the client chooses the strongest brand.
You will be placed in a 'box' anyway, so you better decide for yourself which box that is.
By: Manon Koster - www.manonkoster.com Manon thinks communication is the best profession there is! That is why she has developed into a real all-rounder. Whether it concerns copywriting, writing communication plans, (strategic) communication advice or providing training: she is at home in all markets.
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