For entrepreneurs, professionals and freelancers, building a personal brand has never been more important than it is today. Anyone with access to the internet and social media can build an audience, position themselves as an expert, and start attracting clients for their business. And that’s exactly what a lot of people are doing.

A recent study by Upwork revealed that the freelance workforce is growing at a rate 3x faster than the overall workforce in the U.S. By 2027, freelancers are expected to make up the majority of the U.S. workforce.

While it’s great to see that so many people are embracing their entrepreneurial spirit, this also means that every self-employed freelancer, independent contractor, and entrepreneur will soon face more competition than they already do. The key to differentiating yourself from your competition is building a personal brand.

Why every entrepreneur should build a personal brand:

When you’re building a business around your area of expertise (as an author, speaker, coach, consultant, freelancer, etc.), the concept of building a personal branding probably comes naturally to you. When you’re the face of your business, building your personal brand makes perfect sense.

Your brand is what distinguishes you from your competitors, helping to form a lasting impression in the mind of your audience and customers. Without a compelling personal brand that attracts your target audience, you may find yourself struggling to build a profitable and sustainable business.

But even if you’re building a company that has its own brand (a software or physical product company, for example), building a personal brand still has its benefits.

Most people are more interested in following other people than they are in following specific companies. Therefore, building an audience for your personal brand can actually help increase exposure for your company.

Elon Musk, for example, has more Twitter followers than 3 of his companies (Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity) combined. The same is true of Richard Branson (Virgin), Arianna Huffington (Thrive Global), Gary Vaynerchuck (VaynerMedia), and countless other highly successful entrepreneurs. They all have strong personal brands that they leverage to increase exposure and attract more customers for their companies.

You don’t have to choose between building a personal brand and a company brand. You can build both simultaneously. #personalbranding

“Having a personal brand is important for an entrepreneur because now more than ever, it’s important for CEOs and founders of companies/brands to come out to the forefront and connect with their audiences. People connect with people.” – Kevin Stimpson

Benefits of building a personal brand:

• Trust and authority:

Having a personal brand helps to build trust with your audience, and position you as an authority and a thought leader in your industry.

• Get featured in media:

Having a personal brand makes it easier for you to pitch and be found by media (online publications, magazines, television, radio, podcasts, etc.). The media is in constant search of experts that can share their insights with their audience.

• Build your network:

When you have a personal brand that clearly articulates who you are, what you do, and how you help others, it makes it easier for other people and entrepreneurs to see value in connecting with you. You can leverage your personal brand to build your network, both online and offline, quickly and effectively.

• Attract more clients:

Building a personal brand that positions you as the go-to expert in a specific industry or niche helps you to attract more of your ideal clients. When you’re positioned as an expert, it’s also easier for people to refer clients to you.

• Premium pricing:

Having a strong personal brand helps justify charging premium prices for your products and services. Without a brand, you become a commodity that competes on price. And there will always be competitors that can beat your price.

• Create a lasting platform:

Over time, your business will evolve. You may even start multiple businesses in different industries over the course of your career. Your personal brand stays with you as you move from one venture to the next.

“With SO MUCH content and SO MANY small businesses popping up online, a brand that connects to a person’s face is much easier to trust faster. It takes less time and effort to build a relationship with a personal brand as compared to a business brand.” – Pia Silva

Check out the Article TIPS FOR BUILDING A PERSONAL BRAND THAT CAN BOOST YOUR CAREER