“Even if you work for a company as an employee, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t build your own personal brand.” ~ Social Media Examiner

There seems to be this thought process that believes personal branding is reserved only for entrepreneurs, authors, small business owners, leaders, celebrities, CEO’s, etc. The belief is that if you work for a company, personal branding is not needed.

This could not be further from the truth.

Why? Because people do business with people they like. If you believe in the mission and vision of the company you work for, then your personal brand will not only increase exposure for your company but also your role within the company. Your personal brand can open multiple doors of opportunities for you. Opportunities like:

• Promotion-from-within
• Salary increase
• Professional development opportunities
• Increased authority
• Increase in job duties
• New title/advancement
• Speaking/writing opportunities

Here are 4 ways to build your personal brand in the workplace:

Claim Your Name: If you haven’t already, I highly recommend you to “claim your name” on the social media platforms that you’re committed to being active on and also, a URL with that same name (for when you decide to build a website). This will no doubt require that you brainstorm some different ideas, but this is the first, most important step you can take. When I decided to “rebrand” myself, finding a social media handle and URL with my name, Jennifer Bennett, was not easy since this is a popular name. But what I soon realized was that DrJenBennett was available everywhere. Needless to say, I grabbed it!  Brainstorm different versions of your name, including initials, abbreviations, nicknames, middle name, etc.

Claim Your Message: What message are you passionate about? What idea moves you? What area do you have much knowledge in? What message do you want to become “known” for? When I first started building a “name” for myself online, I was very passionate about social media marketing. What I noticed was that while everyone else was teaching on numbers, followers, ads, I was excited about helping people #BeWorthFollowing. So, I ran with this message, so much so that I wrote a book about it. What’s your message?

Claim Your Content: Once you’ve claimed your main message, begin creating content around that central message. Break it down into smaller pieces. Write blog posts, create videos, create social media posts around this central message, etc. Don’t be afraid to put your ideas, your thoughts out there. Building an online personal brand will not only build your credibility, but it will also help you stand out from the competition. Don’t be afraid to position yourself as a thought leader.

Claim Your Opportunities: It used to be that hard work and being good at something was enough. Those days are long gone. If you want to experience the success you feel called to, be willing to step out of your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself. Don’t be scared to engage in projects and opportunities outside of your job description. See a conference where speakers are needed? Apply for it! See a chance to write a blog post around your area of expertise? Go for it! Claim your opportunities!

Remember, building a personal brand doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time. It takes changing your course of direction at different points throughout your journey. It takes consistency.  But I can promise you this, if your committed and open to helping others on their journey, doors of opportunity will open for you!