Branding isn’t just for Bravo personalities. A strong personal brand does a few things well:

Many professionals mistakenly avoid the idea of personal branding because it feels self-promotional, awkward, or “too influencer-y.” But that’s a misunderstanding of what a strong brand is.

On a national sales call, a sales Area VP once said I executed flawlessly on an initiative. I rode “flawless execution” when amplifying my brand until the wheels fell off.

Remember, you already have a brand. And chances are, if people stop talking when you enter their space, your brand needs some rehab. Even if you’re introverted, skeptical, or time-strapped, here are five steps to begin taking control of your brand.

This is the foundation. What problems do you solve better than anyone else? What are your values? How do people describe working with you?

When I work with executive coaching clients, I take them through an exercise of solving for X. This is a quick and effective way to uncover their superpowers. It’s that thing they do so well and in a way no one else can.

I turned it into an algebraic equation.

RESULTS = (SKILLS + TALENTS) / X

You solve for X by listing your skills and talents, and then reflecting on how you apply them to get your results.

Here are some hints to understanding your superpowers:

If you want to know what others think of you, ask. Your manager or customers should be giving you feedback, but if they aren’t, sincerely try to find out.

Make it easy for people. Ask them:

Another framework is:

Unfortunately, many managers don’t give effective and actionable feedback, and many recipients don’t take it well either. Feedback doesn’t have to be a nasty word. I once had a direct report who would get frustrated and say, “Just give me the feedback so I can do better”. The thing was, I was constantly giving feedback. But one day I realized they didn't perceive it unless the feedback was brutal or loud. I’ve also had managers who withhold feedback and hit me with the gotcha in the review. Ick. The worst.

A way around this is to develop mentorships and ask only peers you trust to share feedback.

However, once you have this information, you know where the gaps are in your self-perception and external perception of you.

Now that you know your superpowers and blind spots, it’s time to build credibility. Your receipts should be longer than CVS’s.

Every time you have a win, collect that testimonial. At work, save and share kudos emails with your manager. Keep a brag book of your accomplishments. And when it comes time to write your self-evaluation, you put every relevant win in there. One of my pet peeves is when a manager says your review is too long. Don’t go crazy and rewrite War and Peace, but take up space. It’s literally in their job description to evaluate you.

As an independent or small business, collect testimonials for social proof. Then, display them on your website or social media.

And toot your own horn. There are lots of people who do it for any reason at all. I don’t care what you ask them; they take it as an opportunity to draw attention to themselves. Someone once asked me my background, and every other sentence, they would tell me how they did that but better. I stopped sharing after about four minutes. Don’t be obnoxious about it. Be savvy by saying, ‘oh, I think that’s something I can help you with.’ or ‘I can help you solve that problem because I used to XYZ’.

It’s time to shine.

First, there is enough light for everyone to shine. Please don’t be one of those people who jump into someone else’s light and then says ‘not to steal your thunder’. You did mean to steal their thunder.

Second, sometimes amplifying your brand means using it to highlight the good work of others. People like working with gracious people, and this signals that it’s not all about you.

Third, show up. Choose a platform to amplify your brand. LinkedIn tends to be the best one for professionals, and TikTok has quickly become a platform for small businesses. Regardless, target your audience by consistently discussing what you want to be known for. This will train the algorithm and put you in front of others who can provide that next opportunity.

Fourth, share what you know. People are less interested in what you did and more interested in how you think. When you share your approach, point of view, or a lesson from failure, you become a trusted expert instead of a highlight reel.

This builds credibility and relatability.

Try this format:

It might feel performative, but it’s not. You’re investing in building your reputation and brand. A brand that may attract your next great opportunity. Be yourself. There’s nothing more damaging to a brand than to pretend to be someone you’re not, and then it gets discovered.

That’s the real cringe.

Once you gain momentum, ask three to five people you trust to weigh in on your efforts. If it’s a work environment, give it about two quarters. If you ask too soon, it may feel fake or performative to others. For a business, ask after about three months. It takes 7-10 interactions for people to engage with your business. If you have a small group or organization you’re a part of, ask as often as you like.