So, you are a CEO? It’s time to create a personal brand

The definition of CEO is arguable; everyone seems to have a different opinion of it. The one thing most agree on though, is that every CEO is expected to be a 'brand' themselves. Being unique and memorable seems to be a requirement to becoming the top-performing professional you want to be.

Personal brands are the hardest to control, and naturally the most rewarding. People's associations, beliefs, feelings, sentiments, attitudes, and expectations make up what you mean to them. All of which are incredibly difficult to get a grasp on. As they say, your personal brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room.

Here are a few less-spoken reasons why you must start building your personal brand.

It makes you seem indispensable

Historically, an articulate leader's follower interaction has always been greater than the following of their brand itself. Leaders achieve significantly more engagement than their company does. Don't believe me? Tell me what Kim Kardashian's brand name is. Or count how many brands Shakib Al Hasan has become the brand ambassador of.

After a certain mileage, your personal brand as a CEO becomes inseparable from the corporate brand you loyally represent. Customers do not simply buy your products; they buy into the vision and charisma of you.

Employees become an extension of you

Ever noticed how after a leader leaves a job, numerous employees also jump the company ship with them? This is because their loyalty is towards a human being. His or her culture is their work culture. All of which can be labelled as the essence of their personal brand. In other words, power.

Now, let's talk about the CEO-employee disconnect. Without personal branding, the CEO can seem like a distant figure, living in an ivory tower far away from the daily grind. Feeble, irrelevant, zoomed out.

It is important to remember that any dedicated team craves attention and advice, which is not always easy to give in person, but perfectly possible through the power of social media. It fills the gaps of care which you as a CEO cannot give in the day-to-day.

It opens the doors of external business

Those at the bottom complete, while those at the top collaborate.

A personal brand is like a golden ticket to the world of opportunities. And the reason is so maddeningly simple: it gives potential business partners an easy way to approach and talk to you. Example, 'Hey I loved your video on…!" How else did you imagine million-dollar conversations to start?

Legacy investors are constantly looking for valuable partners, starting with corporate personal brands. Give them a conversation starter or a reason to knock you online, and experience different partnership and collaboration proposals burst into your inbox. These opportunities can lead to establishing new strategic business units, which means more portfolios in your pockets.

Suddenly, your word matters when numbers don't

Armoured with a personal brand, you are not just a CEO; you are a trustable CEO. Other established brands and organisations are more likely to engage with you because your personal brand is a badge of credibility to them. These partnerships can lead to expanding your market reach and increasing your credit in the industry.

This further helps in gaining funds for new projects, products, ventures and SBUs (Strategic Business Units). Investors rarely believe in the slides and numbers; they will ultimately invest in you, your vision, and your capabilities. Your personal brand is the magic potion that lures potential investors, helping you fund your expansion, innovation, or scaling operations.

It is an investment you NEED to make

Once you have established yourself as an industry expert, you will be the bigwig they want on their advisory board or in their executive suite. The influence of a knowledge leader goes far beyond the corporate walls of promotions, shares and commissions. It welcomes you to generational wealth. 

I encourage you to put on your personal brand cape and soar through the competitive business landscape. Leave your mark on your industry and the world of entrepreneurship as a whole.

Service providers such as Seriously Powerful Content will be able to get you started. To get in touch, email [email protected].