There are dozens of ways to establish your reputation as a sales rep or revenue leader. Still, one of the best ways to elevate yourself professionally, both in the short and the long term, is by building a solid personal brand. A personal brand is the general perception or impression of an individual based on their experience, expertise, abilities, and achievements within a particular industry. Branding is a concept most recognize as essential to success, especially in a sales organization where authority, trust, and relatability are highly valued. So, by establishing yourself as a knowledgable and trusted source within your field, connecting with your audience and potential clients becomes a breeze.
Why you need a Personal Brand
Building a personal brand takes time and effort, so you have to ask yourself, "Is this process worth my time?" In short, yes, it most definitely is. A well-thought-out and executed personal brand, especially as a seller, can do the heavy lifting for you. By building a personal brand that tells the right story to the right people, you can quickly boost your ability to sell, connect with the right decision-makers, and most importantly, establishes you as a trusted industry leader.
Being a trusted industry leader is important because it can drastically boost your inbound sales prospects. By building up your personal brand, you can increase the quality and the number of individuals reaching out to you via social networks, emails, and even calls. Those short-term gains may be tempting as is, but your brand can even help you land the next great job on your journey as a sales rep. Companies love outspoken, passionate, and knowledgeable sales reps, and with a few thoughtful posts, blogs, or additions to your personal site, you could see your market value skyrocket. So, in short, your personal brand brings in more prospects, better prospects and furthers your career. Mic drop.
Getting Started
The first and most crucial step in building your brand is establishing your goals and what you want to accomplish. Setting clear goals early on allows you to tailor your content and strategies better so that you aren't wasting your time. Then, once you have established those goals, be it to increase your followers (the short game) or become a true titan of the industry (the long game), you can get into the meat of your work.
First and foremost, few things are more important than authenticity. The adage "fake it till you make it" is not the phrase personal brands are built on. If you are not coming from a place of authenticity, your audience will quickly catch on, so you must treat your readers like the intelligent individuals they are. Be honest about your skill level, understanding of topics, interests, and influences. You are selling yourself, so don't try to cover that up.
Next, start to dive into what you like and what motivates you as a professional. Tailoring your content around your interests in your field and what you genuinely care about will empower you to build authentic content that actively engages your targets and pushes your sales cycle forward.
It is also vital that you always think about the industries and clients you want to go after. Your content and messaging have an end goal, and if the focus is not on the common pain points of your target demographics, all your work could easily fall flat. Finally, don't be afraid to flex your muscles and let people know WHY you should be listened to. Of course, people enjoy humility, but no one will listen to you if they don't have faith in your knowledge.
There you have it! Your personal brand is well on its way to leaving the next and crushing the sales game. But why stop there? Get more tips on how you can shorten your sales cycle, be your best self, and level up from our blog. For managers looking to build a better sales team, request your free SalesScreen demo here.
Stay tuned for the next installment of Building Your Personal Brand!
