On the 24^th of October, I was invited to speak on personal branding at the AWTE (Association of Women Travel Executives) event held in Cork. It was a fantastic afternoon, where I was lucky enough to speak to a very engaged audience. Following the event I decided to share the information I had disclosed in this piece , ‘Brand You: Developing Your Personal Brand’.

As the afternoon was all about “Brand You”, I focused on perfecting your elevator pitch and visibility plan.

BRAND FOUNDATION

For a brand, be it for a product, service or your own personal brand, to ring true, it has to be authentic. So the first step for personal branding is asking yourself these questions:

• What do you want to be known for?
• What do you want to accomplish?
• What is the key message you want to communicate?
• What personal traits/characteristics do you want to highlight?

YOUR ELEVATOR PITCH

Your elevator pitch is a way to share your expertise and credentials quickly and effectively.

It’s all about you:

• who you are,
• what you do,
• and what you want to do.

Every strong elevator pitch has to have an ‘irresistible offer’, something unique to you that makes you stand out from the crowd. This could be an award you’ve won, a testimonial or a unique skillset.

Finally, don’t forget your call-to-action. For example, exchange business cards, or better again ask for a meeting.

YOUR VISIBILITY PLAN

Now you know what you want to say about yourself; how will you increase your exposure and build your audience? Will you:

• Guest blog (Click here for our tips on blogging)
• Give media interviews (Click here for our tips on media interviews)
• Look for speaking opportunities (Click here for our tips on speaking opportunities)
• Engage on social media (Click here for our tips on LinkedIn)
• Or look for networking opportunities (Click here for our tips on networking)

Once you’ve identified your plan of action to raise your profile, you can start thinking about relevant content and organisations to get you in front of your target audience

Post by Susie Horgan

Susie founded Springboard in 2011, and has developed the business into a leading, director-led communications agency. She has worked for over 20 years in senior marketing and public relations roles.