Branding As A Techie
What distinguishes you? What makes you stand out? What is that “zing” you can’t help but notice? It all comes down to your own brand, which is what we’ll be discussing today as a techie. Branding is not as difficult as many think. Only patience and consistency are needed. But if you take a few easy actions, you’ll be well on your way to developing your brand.
Techie, thank you for reading. Whilst you may have heard of branding and how it has aided both techies and non-techies in finding employment, you may not completely comprehend the idea of branding.
Consider this to be a condensed version of a techie’s personal branding advice. But what is branding exactly? A service or product is given a “brand” in order to be recognized. The first thing you probably think of when you see a beverage with a red label and cap is Coca-Cola, am I right? What if you think about Dairy Milk when you see a purple chocolate bar? Your subconscious has connected the product to a color or a brand trait, which is a benefit of branding. But how does branding come in as a Techie especially when you aren’t selling a product per se?
Despite the fact that you might not be selling a product, you are promoting yourself as a tech expert. You want to join prestigious businesses or groups that you admire, right? Then, you must effectively market yourself, which is where branding comes in. Your social networks are quite vocal about you. Do you appear on social media in the manner you would prefer to be addressed? Do your social media profiles even accurately represent you? Your socials might be underrepresenting you. Your social media profiles are a tool for many employers and even possible partners to determine whether you’re a suitable fit, so if they’re tacky, you can miss out on the chance.
Your social media profiles serve as an informal CV online. How does it describe you? Does it reveal your identity to the public? Do you talk publicly about what you do? Your social media profiles say a lot about you. Does it represent you and is it optimized? Can I get in touch with you through your profile? What makes your profile unique? Do you have any particular emojis? I really love 💫, it’s one of my favorite emojis. Alternatively, do you have a distinctive logo for yourself (as stupid as it sounds)? Do you possess a memorable catchphrase? Little particulars help you stand out. Answering these questions will take some time.
In a space that is getting a bit crowded, you need to go the extra mile to stand out to get noticed. Personalizing your profile is a great way to do that. Let’s take LinkedIn as a case study. Your profile picture and Header are two important features that can signal me to pick an interest in you or they can turn me off. You need to use an appropriate profile picture (headshots are recommended for LinkedIn) and your header has to give details about what you do. For Example;
Data Analyst | Student Ambassador @ Microsoft | Content Strategist | A catchy phrase you like
Colors are also a huge game changer when it comes to branding. Personally, green is my color. I just love how it gives sophisticated yet simple vibes. That’s why every area connected to me is a shade of green. From my Instagram to my Linkedin account, to Tweets and all. I always try to incorporate green in every area I can. Find what works for you and be consistent with it. Try not to be too rigid with your process. Feel free to explore from time to time.
The You factor is a crucial driver when it comes to branding. Nobody desires a fraud. Originality is still highly regarded. Be you. Your personal touch must be present in your brand. Who are you really? Your USP is that (Unique Selling Point/Proposition). Use the strength of your USP.
If you don’t talk about yourself, the world won’t know you exist. This is my way of saying stop being quiet about what you do. Push out content about what you do. The thought that nobody is watching is a huge misconception. The world is watching. When you talk about what you do, you slowly get recognized as knowledgeable in your path. The more you talk, the more you grow.
Building a brand doesn’t happen overnight It takes time but break your dream into tiny achievable goals and it will become a reality. You already have the skills but it’s time to build the image. Keep building, Techie.💫
