Page 8 - Dallas Vol 5 No 4

De ne and Build Your Personal Brand BY KIMBERLY RICE
Weall live an inter- esting dichoto- my: as digitally connected as we all are, the task of being memorable has not changed, perhaps grown more challenging. Yet, to succeed in busi- ness, one must take consistent steps to be seen and be known. Personal branding is placed at the very center
of that.
In today’s business culture, it is not
enough to be memorable. You need a personal brand that is a “promise” of your unique value proposition and consistent quality to your targeted au- diences (i.e. clients and referral sourc- es). Building a personal brand re ects the essence of why clients retain you and what she will receive when she does.
As you build a prosperous business, de ning your unique personal brand is a meaningful way to provide you with a competitive advantage. Take the strategic step of outlining how you are di erent from your lawyer peers, what is uniquely you, and, ultimately, why clients should retain you over your competitors.
BELOW ARE QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
How should I describe myself to others? How do clients, prospects, and referral sources perceive me? (If you don’t know, ask them). What do I want others to remember about me?
A personal brand begins with knowing yourself, your interests, pas- sions, core values, the services you o er, what makes you di erent from your competition. It is about identify- ing what makes you unique.
De ning your personal brand is the rst step to building a professional reputation.
BELOW IS A STEP-BY-STEP DATA DIVE TO DEVELOP YOUR PERSONAL BRAND MESSAGE:
1. Identify the primary service(s) you provide.
2. Identify your core values.
3. Identify your passion. What do you enjoy most of practicing law? 4. Identify your gi s and special skillsets. What do you do better
than most people?
5. Dra a statement that weaves the
items from your lists into a state- ment of your area(s) of legal fo- cus.
6. Dra a short paragraph high- lighting your value proposition and your top key gi s, integrat- ing your most important values, passion and skills.
is is your personal brand. How does that feel? Does it adequately re- ect you?
EIGHT ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS TO A SOLID PERSONAL BRAND
For your personal brand to ‘stick’, incorporate the characteristics below.
1. Clarity. You must be clear about who you are, what you stand for and what you o er to clients. Why do you do what you do? You must commu- nicate this verbally and visually in a clear manner.
2. Authenticity. How congruent and aligned are you with the real you? In our noisy world, people can smell
a fake. When your brand message is clear, authentic and aligned with your values and you walk your talk, you will attract a following with whom you are meant to work.
3. Remarkability. Look at the “tone” of your brand. When people look at your business can they see and feel your brand personality. Step out of the box. It’s OK. In fact, your uniqueness will di erentiate you in the marketplace. Separate yourself from the herd and be willing to be yourself.
4. Energy. Everything is energy and your brand is a living thing. With each interaction with your clients, you will issue subtle energy cues. Your brand will be unsustainable if you’re not passionate about your practice. If you infuse your business with passion and energy, however, your brand will be irresistible.
5. Emotional Connection. Emo- tions make the brain sit up and pay attention. In order to have a power- ful personal brand, you must under- stand how you make your audience feel. e late, great Dr. Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you say and will forget what you may do, but they will absolutely remember how you made them feel”. is is the core of an in uential personal brand. In order to resonate strongly with your target audience, you must make an emotional connection. e most powerful question to ask yourself is, “How do I want people to feel when they experience my brand?”
ATTORNEY AT LAW MAGAZINE · DALLAS· VOL. 5 NO. 4 8