Before customers engage with your brand, they connect with the personality behind it. This personality comprises the customer experience you provide using already established skills and attitudes. Your impression on customers through your personality ultimately builds your ‘Personal Brand’. Learning how to avoid personal branding mistakes could make or break your marketing strategy.

Personal Branding takes a lot of effort and must be done carefully. Hence, businesses spend a hefty amount to craft a personal brand that leaves a good impact.

10 Personal Branding Mistakes You Should Avoid

Even big companies tend to make Personal Branding mistakes that can cost them. Here are the 10 most common Personal Branding mistakes you would want to avoid.

1.    Being Inauthentic

The first mistake you should avoid is basing your brand on something that is not you. People can look right through a fake personality.

Remember, being authentic and telling your story should be your utmost priority as you establish your brand. If you go down the fake road, it will be extremely difficult for customers to trust your brand.

     2. Lacking Customer Engagement

Every customer expects brands to listen to their queries and answer any problems they might face. If you’re not active on social media platforms or don’t invest time communicating with your customers, it can cost you big time.

Customer engagement forms the basis of a Personal Brand. A business needs to stay on its feet as they resolve customer issues, interacts cheerfully, and remains active 24/7.

     3. Buying Likes and Followers

There may be unsaid credibility brought about by more likes and follows on Brands’ social media platforms. However, this credibility can get tainted if you do it wrong and buy fake likes or followers.

Although an easy solution, fake likes and followers do not mean a higher engagement on social media. Hence, posting organic and meaningful content is the only way to get a deserving following.

     4. Not Outlining your Target Audience

Identifying your target audience is key to establishing an effective personal brand. If you do not know who you’re catering to, as a brand, chances are your time and effort in drafting a brand personality will be wasted.

By understanding your target audience, you can draft a personal brand that will leave a significant mark on your customers. It will help you engage and connect with customers in a better way.

     5. Snubbing Influencers and Bloggers

In the digital age, people trust the influencers they follow. If you continue to ignore influencers and bloggers, while attempting to grow your brand, you will be missing out on a good branding opportunity.

Working in partnerships with influencers with a decent following can spread your brand’s name like wildfire. The people you partner with can also add a touch of flair to your brand’s personality.

     6. Ignoring the Concept of a Personal Brand

Many small-business owners can have misconceptions about Personal Branding being something out of their reach, i.e., only accessible to big corporations and brands. It is necessary to correct these misconceptions.

Personal Branding is essential for all types of brands. It sets the tone for businesses, encourages active decision-making, and helps brands reach their goals faster. Whether you’re a fancy MNC or a local home-based business, customer perception matters.

     7. Being Inconsistent

Your brand needs to be consistent in the message it aims to spread across its target market. Personal Branding will only be successful if your values align with the message you wish to spread and do not deviate from customer to customer.

Remember, your brand is catering to a specific group of people. If your efforts are not consistent, you will end up losing the target market you have already outlined.

     8. Ignoring Feedback

Valuable feedback can turn your brand from good to great. If you’re choosing to invest in personal branding individually, without considering it to be a group effort, it’s not going to be effective.

A personal brand based solely on one person’s preferences will not suit the interests of the entire customer base. Acknowledging feedback and asking questions from relatives and friends can help you gain insights and improve.

     9. Not Highlighting your Goals

Making a checklist of the goals you wish to achieve is pertinent to Personal Branding. If you don’t have a specific set of goals before establishing your personal brand, you can be completely clueless about what you’re working towards as a brand.

Goals can help navigate your brand’s personality and clarify the direction you need to take.

    10. Not Having Your Website

Personal websites act as a digital introduction to your brand. They highlight your brand’s personality and speak to new customers. If you rely solely on social media to showcase your personal brand, your message can get lost.

Having a personal website can allow your customers to see your brand for what it really is. It can clarify your brand’s message and leave a lasting impression.

Final Word

There you go! 10 personal Branding mistakes you should avoid while establishing your personal brand.

Personal branding takes time, and the process can be pretty tricky and exhausting. But with these mistakes out of the way, your brand will speak effectively to customers in no time!

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