Importance of Personal Branding: In Conversation with Chitra Lele

Never before has personal branding been of paramount importance as there are many product or service options available for customers in the market, be it a phone; toothpaste, or for that matter, a restaurant for an evening dine-out.

This bigger basket of choice brought with it the problem of clutter for the customer and it might not let a good product or service offering be found by the customer. The first step in winning customers is to make them aware (shouting out loud enough, if allowed to put it bluntly) of your existence and then let them know what your offering is.

This is no different for a service offering or if you are an entrepreneur in the initial phases of your business. If we can put it in simple terms, personal branding is all about letting customers know that you exist and also impressing them about what you stand for.

Source: Pixabay

It is about making a name for oneself in the market and building a reputation in order to increase visibility and attract career opportunities. Personal branding can be done through both offline and online platforms such as social media, blogs, or other alternatives. The main goal of personal branding is to build a personal network with qualified prospects that are interested in what you have to offer.

What better way to learn about the role of personal branding than hearing from someone who has seen the difference it has made in one's own entrepreneurial career.

We have Chitra Lele, a young software firm owner, software solution architect, record-setting author, award-winning poet, and research scholar. Her publications include scholarly articles, research papers, poetry anthologies, and academic and reference books. She has been conferred with the title of “A Versatile Writer” by the India Book of Records for penning the maximum number of books in a short span of 18 months. Some of Chitra’s titles are: English Language: The Gateway to Global Growth, Organizational Democracy: Collaborative Team Culture, Holy Hues, Ignite the Inner Spark, and many more. Her books will add great value to all spheres of life.

Source: Pixabay

Why is personal branding important?

Personal branding is an important aspect of a successful career in today’s market. It is not just about how you look, but also about what you do and what you stand for. Personal branding is a representation of who you are and how others perceive you.

What we choose to wear, the things we post on social media, and the words we use to describe ourselves all contribute to our personal brand. The idea behind personal branding is that it should be authentic and honest.

In Conversation with Chitra Lele on Personal Branding:

1. Do you see any benefits in personal branding in terms of helping you grow your business? If yes, what are they?

Answer: Yes, a strong personal brand helps me to create a direct connection with my audience like software clients, the academic community, business partners, etc.

My personal brand helps me to share my life mission and vision. It helps me to live out my pure purpose of helping people to tap into their innate powerhouse of positive energy. By following a creative content and PR strategy, I ensure that my audience recognizes who I am, what I stand for, and what value I offer through my business solutions, creative pursuits, and academic projects.

Personal branding is a lifelong commitment towards personal transformation which helps me to dig deep and find out and share my WHY. Moreover, through this process, I am not only able to tap into my innate traits of communication, leadership, empathy, etc.., but also share them with my various audience segments in order to help them enrich their lives.

2. What methods have you used so far to build a personal brand online and offline?

Answer: A personal brand is essential to one’s business growth and success trajectory, especially in today’s business landscape where a strong and stable online presence is a must. Personal branding helps one to position oneself as a value-driven expert.

I use a mix of methods, both online and offline, right from leveraging my personal blog to collaborating through podcasts, and from sharing case studies to delivering seminars.

These methods have helped me to build up my credibility and integrity which then has got mapped to loyal brand advocates.

3. What has worked for you when it comes to building a personal brand and what hasn’t?

Trying to follow others or fit in does not work. It is a trap that one should never fall into. Each one of us is unique so we should shine our light on our uniqueness and share it with the world, for the greater good of our world.

4. What are the primary obstacles that you’ve faced in creating a personal brand so far?

Answer: In the initial stage, I fell into the trap of perfection, and this kind of made me operate in a tight, closed space, but slowly and steadily, I have shifted my mindset from perfection towards exploration and growth.

Perfection is another mental myth. But positive, progressive growth is real and attainable.

5. What marketing strategies would you recommend to someone who wants to build a personal brand platform online?

Answer: One of the most effective marketing strategies is to ensure that one has strong and engaging social media profiles, and they need to showcase one’s best side in a professional manner.

In today’s hyper-connected world, it is important that one keeps one’s personal brand fresh and interactive. It is about reinventing oneself on a constant basis and then reflecting on this transformation in the outside world.

Wrap Up:

Some very important marketing tips that I follow and which will help one and all are: create a memorable blurb and value proposition, post-value-driven content regularly, help others through your expertise, share knowledge, seek feedback, etc. The main focus is to engage actively with the network, which will result in limitless benefits like networking opportunities, business partnerships, mentoring opportunities, etc.