Transform Your Career With Your Own Powerful Personal Story

Author: Hector Del Castillo, CPM, CPMM

This discusses how you can supercharge your career by building your own powerful brand story.

We are wired to remember stories. This is why storytelling is a powerful technique for building relationships. It helps you connect with people you meet and keeps them engaged. Whether you’re updating your resume, your LinkedIn profile, or a cover letter, you need to capture your audience’s attention in less than 17 seconds.

We only have 7 seconds to make a strong first impression when meeting someone new. A powerful personal story helps you create a meaningful, lasting first impression. According to the book Primal Branding by Patrick Hanlon, a powerful brand not only helps you attract followers; it builds a community.

That’s why it’s crucial to take the time up front to fully develop your own personal brand story when you’re seeking to transform or advance your career.

Here are 7 tactics from Primal Branding you should use to build a powerful personal brand story:

1. Creation Story. Include a creation story that tells your target audience where you come from.  This will help you connect with your audience because it gives them something they can believe and trust. Ask yourself: What path did you take to get to where you are today?”
2. Creed. Identify the values you believe in and how you might be different or similar to other people. This will strengthen your connection with your target audience. Ask yourself: “What values do you hold close to you?”
3. Icons. Identify unique associations that you link to your brand.  They can be specific logo, unique visuals, sounds, or smell. Ask yourself: “What logo, visuals, and/or sounds sum up who you are or what you’re about?”
4. Rituals. Determine habits or repeated practices you have and link them to your brand.  Rituals allow your audience to associate a unique experience to you that engages them. Soon they build a certain expectation about your brand. This includes future experiences they can expect to have when they interact with your content. Ask yourself: “What rituals set you apart and make you successful?”
5. Sacred Words. Using your own language link a memorable phrase with a special meaning to your brand. This allows you to stay in the mind of your target audience.  Ask yourself: “What phrases or motto sum up who you are or what you’re about?”
6. Pagans. Assess your belief system and that of your audience. Be aware that for every belief system there is a group of non-believers. Evaluate the differences and use this to decide the direction you want your brand to take or which directions to avoid. Ask yourself: “Which set of beliefs guide what you do and achieve?”
7. Heroes. Identify your heroes, people you admire.  This could range from famous individuals to other leaders you admire because of what they have achieved or stand for. Share this information with your target audience. Ask yourself: “Who are your heroes and why?”

Use the questions above to add authenticity to your personal story. When you incorporate all seven tactics, your personal story will be more powerful. Put this to practice and your target audience will take notice.  The more pieces you can incorporate into your brand story, the more cohesive and engaging your brand image will be. You will find it easier to attract and keep prospects interested in what you are doing and offering.

I hope these insights help you build and strengthen your personal brand. Most important, use this knowledge to your advantage to become more successful to accelerate or shift your career.

Thanks for taking the time to read this article written by our friend Hector Del Castillo.  You can learn more about Hector here.