What are the best practices for auditing your personal branding?

Think about what you're aiming for. Is it to be known as the go-to expert in your field? Or maybe you want to grow your network? Your goal could be as simple as wanting more followers on LinkedIn to broaden your reach. It's like setting the destination on your GPS before starting a road trip. I hope this gives you clarity while defining your objectives.

Auditing your personal brand? Look at these 5 elements: Position - Where you stand in the market. Differentiation - How you stand out. Message - How you convey uniqueness. Touchpoints - Where you reinforce your brand. Sales Numbers - Is it boosting revenue? Remember: Your brand should drive and enhance sales.

The best way to audit your personal brand is to get feedback and see what others think your brand is. Is it what you think? The best way to get that feedback is anonymously through the Reach 360 Personal Brand Assessment.

First objective in personal branding is to find your target audience that will help to build your personal brand. You want to make sure that the content you create and share online is relevant and valuable to the people you want to reach. Start by thinking about who your ideal audience is. Once you have a clear idea of who you want to reach, think about what they're looking for. What are their pain points? What challenges do they face in their work or personal lives? By understanding your audience's needs and interests, you can create content accordingly.

When auditing your personal brand, a few key steps make a difference: Define your audience: Know who you're talking to and what they need. Tailor your content to resonate with them. Highlight your unique value: Identify what sets you apart. Showcase your skills, experiences, and personality traits that make you stand out. Set measurable goals: Be specific about what you want to achieve. Whether it's boosting online visibility or expanding your network, set clear, trackable objectives to stay focused and make progress.

“I could think the world of myself, but what do others think about me? And how do I want them to see me and what I stand for?”. Ask yourself these questions then find the answers from your colleagues, your peers, your network. Show your genuine, authentic self if you want authentic feedback. This will help you to assess your current state. I recently did a mini audit on myself. I’ve made lots of progress but there’s always room for improvement.

The next phase is a comprehensive analysis of your existing online presence and reputation. Utilize tools like Google Analytics for your website, social media analytics, and platforms like BrandYourself or Mention for broader online presence monitoring. Don't overlook the value of direct feedback from colleagues, mentors, or clients. This step is about understanding how you're currently perceived, identifying strengths, and recognizing areas for improvement. For example, you might find that while your LinkedIn profile is strong, your personal blog lacks recent updates, indicating a need for more consistent content creation.

When you know your goals and how you want to be seen, I always recommend doing an analysis of how you are currently found online. Does it align with your goals? Is this how you want to be seen? Are you happy with what other people can find about you online? Adjust if needed and align your profiles with what you wish to stand for.

Soliciting feedback on every element of your brand might be overwhelming for both you and your audience. Prioritize specific aspects you want to improve upon, offering clear prompts for feedback.

Ask yourself these four P's questions: POWER: Do I know what I stand for? What are my values? Do I effectively showcase my competence and credibility in my brand? POSITION: Do I know my audience? Do I understand their needs and communicate with them appropriately? What sets me apart, and what do I want to be known for? PACKAGE: Is my brand communicated cohesively and consistently? Are my Brand Message and Visual Style aligned with both who I am and the needs of my audience? PROMOTION: Do I know how to make my message heard? Am I recognized in my space? What channels and platforms could I use to amplify my message and promote my brand?

Imagine you're putting together a puzzle, but some pieces are missing. These are the gaps in your personal branding. Maybe you're great at your job but haven't really shared your knowledge online. Or perhaps there are opportunities to connect with influencers in your field that you haven't explored yet. It's about finding those missing pieces. Once you find it, it's a cakewalk thereafter. Hope this brings in more clarity.

After analyzing your current state, identify discrepancies between where you are and where you want to be. These gaps might manifest as outdated website content, social media inconsistencies, or a lack of engagement with your content. Simultaneously, look for opportunities to enhance your brand. This might involve tapping into emerging trends, exploring new platforms suited to your skills, or leveraging your network more effectively. For instance, if you find your Instagram presence is minimal, yet your target audience is highly active there, this represents both a gap and an opportunity. Prioritize these identified areas based on their potential impact and your ability to execute changes effectively.

Checking data and listener feedback enables me to pinpoint personal brand gaps to address or chances to grab hold of. Monitoring emotional impact via engagement also clues me into how my content lands and where I can enhance my brand experience. It's an ongoing process, but an important one to strengthen my offering.

Use data for insights, but consider qualitative feedback, gut feeling, and your passion to guide your direction. Don't try to tackle everything at once. Identify the most significant gaps and opportunities with high impact and feasibility, focusing your efforts for maximum results.

Once you've assessed your current state, identify any disconnects between your branding and your goals. Are there skills you need to highlight more prominently? Do your online profiles accurately represent your desired career path? Recognizing these gaps reveals opportunities to refine your brand strategy.

Obsessing over every gap and opportunity can lead to inaction. Prioritize the most impactful changes and avoid getting bogged down in minor details or fleeting trends.

Now it's time to translate insights into action. Update your resume to emphasize relevant skills. Refine your online profiles with powerful descriptions and targeted keywords. If you don't have a website, consider creating one to showcase your expertise in detail.

Re-evaluate your profile from your Ideal Client's point of view. - Check for the things that your ideal client would check. - Ask the questions and then change your profile to ensure that the questions are answered. - Address the most common pain points of your Ideal client and offer multiple solutions. - Make sure the solutions include 1 creative solution and 1 revenue generating solution.

Personal branding represents your personality and Behaviour which helps to put yourself in front of the audience. For auditing your personal branding some points must be followed: - Check your knowledge area in which you want to make your brand. - Identify your audience. - Keep yourself ready to answer all the situations which will come during the presentation.

While staying informed about industry trends, strive to become a thought leader who sets trends rather than following every fleeting fad.

Your brand audit is an ongoing process. Once you've implemented changes, monitor the results. Track website traffic, engagement on social media, and industry recognition. Are you attracting the opportunities you desire? Regular evaluation ensures your brand remains dynamic and aligned with your evolving goals.

Here’s my approach: Define Objectives: Clearly outline what I aim to achieve with my personal brand, distinguishing between short-term and long-term goals. Regular Check-ins: Every three months, I review my progress towards these goals, adjusting strategies as needed. Annual Review: Once a year, I take a deeper dive to evaluate. Identify Wins and Losses: I assess which strategies have been successful and which haven’t. Implement Changes: Based on these insights, I refine my approach, enhancing what works and what doesn’t. Effective auditing involves an understanding of your goals, regular evaluation, and the agility to adapt. It’s not just about recognizing what works, but being proactive in making changes for continuous improvement.

The process of auditing your personal brand is ongoing. As an individual brand, you continuously live your truth and embrace authenticity. When something goes against your expectations, reacting to it offers an opportunity for growth. The discomfort or anxiety often stems from self-imposed limitations, such as beliefs, assumptions, or past memories, which need to be reexamined and overcome. The true test is when you achieve a state of effortless living where nothing disturbs you. In that area, you have successfully addressed and dismantled the limitations that used to bother you. As you carry on with this the authenticity is embraced and you evolve one step at a time and one limitation is knocked down. Try for yourself and see.

Blindly jumping on every new platform or trend may result in a scattered and inconsistent brand. Align your brand with long-term trends and choose platforms that truly resonate with your audience.

One of the biggest challenges in personal branding is keeping your brand up to date and staying relevant over time. During your brand audit, assess whether the information you communicate about yourself remains accurate or if it's due for an update.

Seek External Feedback: Ask trusted colleagues, mentors, or even potential clients for their honest impressions of your personal brand. Their insights can illuminate areas you might have missed. Stay Current with Trends: The professional landscape continuously evolves. Stay informed about industry trends and adapt your brand messaging to remain relevant and competitive. Embrace Authenticity: While it's important to strategize your brand, don't lose sight of your authentic self. Your unique personality and perspectives are what set you apart and make your brand memorable.