Most entrepreneurs (or aspiring entrepreneurs) know that marketing is vital to operating a successful business. Brands spend a good chunk of their budget and time curating their business brand on their website and materials, social media, and advertising.
So why is personal branding important if you already have a business brand?
There are a lot of reasons why you should have a personal brand and how it helps your business, but it boils down to four key concepts.
Visibility
In the age of the internet—and information literacy—consumers have more access to the business sector than ever before. With one quick username or google search, users can view more than what businesses have curated for them in the form of advertising.
Business websites can contain any public information about the company like financial records, business practices, or information about the company’s founders and employees. Sure, businesses don’t have to readily advertise any information—but savvy consumers are wary when they perceive a lack of transparency.
Consumers can readily access much more information than they used to, including reviews and investigations performed by other consumers. They use this information to dictate where they do or don’t spend their time and money, so you’ll need to make sure that it’s available and up to date.
Affiliation
Since it’s easy for consumers to see founders, owners, and employees of a brand, it can be really effective to make sure the individuals affiliated with the brand cultivate their personal brand.
Does this mean you need to require all of your employees to brand their socials?
No—that’s a bit overzealous. But, if you’re the founder or owner of a company, it’s a good idea to let consumers get to know you. Potential consumers tend to be more wary of interacting with company pages and websites than with individuals. Some good ways to foster connections with potential consumers are:
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Posting/reposting about topics you care about (you don’t need to be apolitical—in fact, some prefer that you aren’t)
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Showing how and why you’re passionate about what you do
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Sharing about your day-to-day in the company
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Post your face! People love to interact with other people—not graphics, so let people see who you are (if you’re comfortable, of course)
Create a brand—or have it made for you
Ominous, I know. But, ultimately, ready access to information means that if you don’t curate content that you want consumers to read, other consumers will do the work for you, and not always in a way that’s beneficial. One bad review of a product or experience can have negative effects on an entire company.
The importance of reputation can vary by field, but I predict that it will only become more vital with time. This also goes for individuals affiliated with a company: owners, founders, and high-ranking employees have single-handedly tanked their company’s stock as a result of unsavory posts and pictures being dredged up from the depths of the web. I’m not saying consumers should judge a whole company by these things, but I am saying that enough consumers do so that you should be aware of how you and your company appear in conversations.
Competition
Besides having ethical business practices in the first place, it’s important to be transparent about the way your business works, especially in a competitive market.
In a free market, there are a lot of different factors that consumers look at before paying for a product or service. If there are multiple options that are cost-effective, accessible, and high-quality, many consumers will make their final decision based on what they can see as far as branding.
This is where seemingly-minor actions, posts, or decisions start to have big effects on company profits. A corrupt or less-than-likeable CEO isn’t a big deal when you’re the only company available—but that changes quickly as the market grows and changes.
The Bottom Line
Personal branding is important for any business in the 21st century, especially for small businesses that are still trying to generate a consumer base or for businesses in a high-competition area. And, I suspect it will only continue to grow with time.
If you’d like more information, you can also check out our recent posts: “Personal Branding vs. Business Branding” and “How Can Personal Branding Be Used to Target Your Market” to find out more about how the two intersect for a complete, consumer-friendly marketing strategy.
