6 Steps to Building an Outstanding Professional Brand Image That Drives Success

We are all aware of the power of the first impression. Once made, the opinion others have about you is incredibly hard to change. The things work similarly in the world of business. In this case, though, the burden of that first impression will fall on the shoulders of your professional brand image. Before people have an opportunity to engage in a professional relationship with you, other parties will have an opportunity to examine your reputation within the industry.

They will base their impression of you based on this professional brand image. Let us take a look then at a couple of steps that will help you to polish that image as much as possible.

Establish a purposeful online presence

Over the last couple of years, establishing professional online identity grew from the asset that can help with networking to one of the most critical necessities of a modern business person. Where to start? Well, you will first need to decide what aspects of your professional biography you want to present. Not all details may be relevant to the networking goals you want to achieve. Once you have these foundations laid, you can proceed to build your professional website and presence on relevant social media platforms. Links to your previous works are highly preferable.

Dress meticulously

This is one of the easiest ways to prove your worth as a business owner or to your future employers. Essentially, the old saying that "clothes make the man" still holds true. Communication is, to a large extent, based on non-verbal cues. Therefore, a sloppy appearance sends the message of the sloppy individual. On the other hand, if you are meticulous about the way you look and dress above industry standards, people will take notice. They will see you as a more confident, more professional, and overall more capable person. Do your best to always be the top drawer in the room.

Be cutting-edge

Much like sharp clothing, cutting-edge gadgets send the message of you as an efficient person open to fresh ideas and technologies. The main mistake the people make is keeping things superficial. You can't have the latest smartwatch and use a decade-old printer. So, make sure that the people get a modern impression from the moment they step into your offices. Sleek flat-screen TVs and high definition sound systems go a long way of establishing a positive impression. For instance, you can decorate the lobby with the latest-gen Furrion entertainment systems and play branded videos while the visitors are waiting. The bottom line is: be as thorough as possible.

Use networking to elevate the brand

In the world of business, who you know is sometimes just as important as what you know to do. Therefore, elevating your professional brand will inevitably require expanding your professional branding. We have already mentioned the importance of putting on a strong online presence. The other actions you should consider are attending conferences and networking events, looking for a professional mentor, partnerships, and all other methods that will allow you to meet more influential people. The more chance you get to demonstrate your value the more you will solidify your brand.

Narrow down the best audience

Keeping all the things we said in mind, we have to point out that when we are talking about expanding the professional network we are talking about the valuable acquaintances. Knocking on every door and maintaining an unproductive relationship will only waste your time and effort. That is why, before you engage in any kind of wide-scale action you should do thorough research of who's who within the industry and narrow down the audience that can further your cause the best. Your professional brand perception should be tailored around this selected audience.

Have a consistent narrative

People like a good story. You should try to make your professional journey into the one worth telling to others. So, don't be afraid to use your social media outlets and networking circles to share your personal info, your previous experiences, and overall professional goals. What you should pay attention to, however, is to make your narrative consistent and live up to the story you are telling. Therefore, be very careful when choosing what kind of angle you want to put on your career. But, when you are done, stick to this story like your life depends on it.

These six tips are far from the complete story, but they should give you some general idea about the steps you should take to build a professional brand image that drives success. We are no longer living in a time when personal values are enough for a successful career. You need to find a way to sell them. We hope these guidelines will help you along the way.