How do you build a personal brand, step by step?

Your personal brand already exists: it is what people think when they hear your name. The question is whether you are building it or whether it is forming on its own, from whatever others happen to see.

I have been designing brands since 1994, and I have built mine the same way I build my clients'. This is the path I recommend, step by step and without magic formulas.

What is a personal brand and why does it matter?

A personal brand is the way people recognize you for what you do, how you do it and what makes you different. It makes people look for you, not for "anyone who does the same thing": it helps you win clients, better projects, promotions or invitations to speak about your field.

It is not only for influencers. Lawyers, doctors, consultants, architects and entrepreneurs need one, because in their work people hire people before companies.

How do you build a personal brand from scratch, step by step?

1. Define who you are and what makes you different. Write down what you are good at, which values you do not compromise on and what you love to solve. That is where your difference comes from.
2. Choose who you speak to. A brand that speaks to everyone reaches no one. Define your ideal client: their job, their problem and where they look for you.
3. Write your promise in one sentence. What you do, for whom and what result you deliver. If it does not fit in one sentence, it is not clear yet.
4. Create your visual identity. Your name or brand, a simple logo, two or three colors, a typeface and, above all, a good professional photo. The same everywhere.
5. Choose two or three channels. You do not need to be on every network. Pick the ones your client uses (for professionals, it is almost always LinkedIn, Instagram and your own website).
6. Share content consistently. Teach what you know, tell real cases and show your process. One useful post a week beats seven pointless ones.
7. Look after your reputation and adjust. Ask for testimonials, answer messages, check which content works and correct course every few months.

Should you use your own name as your brand?

Using your name works very well when you are the service: consulting, design, health, law, coaching. It feels personal and it follows you wherever you go.

To make it work as a brand:

• Always use the same version of your name (with or without a middle name or title).
• Add a descriptor: "Liz Horta • Design Creative Lab" says what I do without explaining it.
• Register the domain with your name and, if your brand will grow, consider registering it as a trademark.

If one day you want the business to run without you, that is when a separate brand with its own name makes sense.

What are famous examples of personal brands?

• Frida Kahlo. Her image (the flowers, the rebozos, the brows, the colors of Mexico) is so clear that you recognize her from a silhouette. Read Frida Kahlo's story.
• Steve Jobs. The black turtleneck, the jeans and the presentations on an empty stage became part of his message: simplicity. Read Steve Jobs's story.
• Oprah Winfrey. She built her brand on closeness and personal stories, and took it from television to a magazine, a network and a book club. Read Oprah Winfrey's story.

None of them started with a logo. They started with something clear to say, a consistent image and a lot of consistency.

What mistakes should you avoid when building a personal brand?

• Copying someone else. What makes you different is exactly what is valuable.
• Changing your look every month. Consistency is what makes people remember you.
• Talking only about yourself. Talk about your client's problems and how you solve them.
• Old phone photos. Your photo is the first thing people see; invest in a good one.