But today I want to talk about a third important aspect of personal branding which is, how to cultivate an intentional brand image. 

Which means, how to define and curate the image you project to the world. Not because you’re trying to get anyone else’s approval or conform to anyone’s narrow standard of how you should look. 

Just the opposite.

When you cultivate a brand image that truly reflects who you are, it creates feelings of confidence. Pride. Empowerment.  

And as we’ve shared before on this podcast, when you feel positive emotions, that leads you to take positive actions and you’ll get positive results. So, when you feel proud of the image you’re projecting in the world – when you truly feel that how you’re presenting yourself is a reflection of YOU – everything you feel and do will be about delivering the kinds of results you want in your life.

Foundational to a personal brand is having a very intentional self-image. And self-image is the core tenant of my business and one of the first things we’ll work on together. Because before we start working on all the *external things* you want to change about your self-image – whether that’s your job, your boss, your career path, your earning power – we have to first work on transforming you. In my business, we teach you how to define who you are, what you want, what you’re good at, what’s important to you, how you want to show up, how you present yourself, what it’s like to interact with you. And align all of that with how you wish to see yourself.  

And we do this BEFORE we start making any external changes to your career or life.

Why?

Because no matter how many times you change jobs, bosses, or career paths – no matter how many businesses you start – you’re never going to get the things you want until you first change YOURSELF.

A brand reputation is important because more than the things a company says through its advertising or marketing, the actual experience customers have with the brand will do more to shape its image and reputation than almost anything else a brand can do. 

That’s where hardcore brand loyalty comes from. And, once that image is established in the minds of customers – whether it’s good OR bad – it can be difficult to change. And they can do all the strategy work and spend millions and millions of dollars in advertising trying to reposition, but if a certain image or reputation exists, it can be really hard for a brand to shift out of that.

The same is true when it comes to your personal brand reputation. Give the episode a listen to learn more.