The words ‘personal brand’ can often get bounced around, especially on LinkedIn, and can leave you wondering; do I have a brand? How can I build one? Does this mean I have to become some kind of influencer? Well, personal branding isn’t about becoming a LinkedIn influencer, posting every day or turning your professional life into a content calendar.
It is about making sure that when someone comes across your name, they have a clear idea of who you are, what you do, what you know and what you can offer.
Whether you’re hiring, leading a team, building a business or thinking about your next career move, that can make a real difference. People will check your online presence to find out more about you and are often forming an opinion before they even ever speak to you, so your professional presence needs to do some of the groundwork.
Recently, our Co-Founder, Nicola led a Personal Branding Workshop and so we wanted to share some of the practical tips we discuss that can help you start building a stronger presence without spending your life on LinkedIn.
So, where do you start?
Know what you want to be known for
Think about the subjects you genuinely know well, the questions people come to you with and the areas where you have a point of view. Pick a few themes and build your profile and content around them.
You don’t need to be the world’s leading expert in one very niche subject. But if your LinkedIn profile covers everything from leadership, to productivity, to running or the best local food spots then it might be difficult for anyone to work out what they should actually remember you for. Being associated with a few clear areas is far more memorable than trying to be an expert in everything.
The aim isn’t to create a personal brand that feels manufactured, it’s to make the expertise and perspective you already have easier for other people to recognise and then remember you.
Share your perspective
There is already plenty of information online, but what people can’t get anywhere else is your experience and your opinion.
If you share an industry article, explain what you think it means. If you’re seeing a change in your market, talk about it. If you’ve learnt something the hard way, share the lesson.
Your perspective is what makes your professional brand yours.
Focus on consistency, not volume
You don’t need to post five times a week to be visible. One useful post, a thoughtful comment or a relevant conversation can be more valuable than posting just because you feel you need to and let’s be honest, people can tell when you are posting just for the sake of it.
Personal branding is built gradually and the aim is to consistently demonstrate what you know and increase your visibility over time, rather than trying to become famous overnight.
Make your profile work for you
Your LinkedIn profile is often the first thing someone sees, so make sure it tells the right story.
Your job title tells people what you do but your personal brand can tell them how you do it, what you care about and what you bring to the table.
For a founder, that might mean becoming known for a particular approach to building a business or developing people.
For a hiring manager, it might be the way you think about talent and culture.
For someone developing their career, it could be the particular expertise, perspective or leadership style they are building.
That wider picture can make you more memorable and help attract opportunities that align with where you want to go, rather than simply where you’ve been.
Build a reputation before you need it
Personal branding shouldn’t be something you start thinking about when you’re looking for your next job. Build your reputation while things are going well: share what you’re learning, contribute to conversations, build relationships and let people see how you think.
Over time, those small actions create familiarity and credibility. So, whether you’re hiring, leading, growing a business or developing your career, people are more likely to open a door when they already know who you are and what you bring.
Why it all matters
At Hera, we see first-hand how much relationships, reputation and credibility influence hiring. The strongest leaders don’t just have impressive CVs; they’re people others want to work with, learn from and be part of their journey. That’s why we believe personal branding is worth investing in, whether you’re building a team, growing a business or thinking about where your own career goes next.
Being visible isn’t about shouting the loudest, it’s about making sure the right people understand who you are and what you can bring to the conversation.
Keep an eye out for more Hera workshops, events and insights designed to help you build better teams, careers and businesses.