A personal brand is cultivated over time. It is a strategic art form. Your personal branding is your strategic “sticky.” It is a consistent way to showcase your difference and connect with people so that they want to be connected to you.

There are three things you should consider when optimizing your personal brand: 1) understand the current state, 2) distinguish the gaps, and 3) create a vision for your brand moving forward?

What is the Current State of your Personal Brand?

What do you see? Understanding your current state is key. This is the opportunity to understand your strengths and areas for development.  Identify the qualities you bring to the table. Take inventory on how you are representing your brand today.

Where are the gaps in Your Personal Brand?

Perception is reality. Have people give you feedback about yourself. Get out of your comfort zone and remember the feedback is to help you grow. Having a 360 view of yourself will provide valuable insights so that you can to leverage your strengths, develop your weaknesses, and optimize your brand.

Managing Your Personal Brand

After you have assessed your current state and distinguish the gaps. Here is where you bridge those gaps to create your future state.  What would you like for your brand to represent?  Create a vision, your raison d’etre. From there develop a plan and create actions to support to your overall vision.

Your Personal Brand is All About You

Your personal brand is all about you. What you think, say, and do should be aligned to your overall vision. Be authentic to yourself, about your brand, and take care of how your personal brand is represented. If you don’t believe it, people will know it, and all your efforts would not yield the desired effect.  Your personal brand essence drives your true intentions and creates the reason people care to connect to you.

Simone Sloan is an entrepreneur, pharmacist, mentor, business and leadership coach. As a Business and Leadership Coach, Simone brings balance and energy to support her client’s professional and personal goals. More information about Simone can be found at www.YourChoiceCoach.com