Building Up Your Personal Brand As A CEO

ChicExecs Co-Founder and Co-President, Nikki Carlson, shares the steps needed to build up your personal brand as a CEO on Forbes blog. Below is a highlight from the piece.

Your business might have a brand already, but do you have a brand? Whether they like it or not, every CEO has a personal brand that transcends their business. Personal branding is the reason why CEOs like Elon Musk and Steve Jobs have such a hold on the public — they created an enduring brand not just for their businesses, but for themselves.

Not sure how to brand yourself? Follow these five tips to create the perfect personal brand as a CEO.

1. Know your audience.

While your personality and beliefs should definitely fit into your personal brand, you have to remember that your friends and family aren’t the audience here. As a CEO, you need to consider your business’s audience.

2. Tie in your personal values.

You’re a CEO, but you’re still human! Your personal beliefs should have an impact on your professional brand. Your values are your strongly-held beliefs that are the backbone of who you are — whether you’re at home or in the boardroom.

3. Lean into your expertise and experience.

Every CEO is an expert in their field. As a leader, your personal brand should cater to your niche experience and expertise in your industry.

4. Don’t forget your differentiators.

Nobody wants to read another generic, “blah” CEO bio. Every CEO cares about teamwork, customer experience and growth. How are you different? What makes you memorable? Why are you a visionary leader?

5. Spread the word — consistently.

Consistency is the name of the game with branding. Once you create a personal brand framework, stick to it! If you want consumers to trust you, you need to show that you’re reliable, stable and trustworthy.

The Bottom Line

Emotion is key in the world of branding and PR, and a personal brand can help you tap into consumers’ emotions. These five steps will help you make something as intangible as a CEO brand into something tangible and actionable.

Read Nikki’s full blog here.