Africa-Press – Eswatini. In our fast-paced and ever-changing world, personal growth and reinvention have become essential aspects of our lives.
Whether you’re seeking a fresh start in your career or personal relationships, rebranding yourself can be a powerful tool for personal transformation. By understanding the concept of personal rebranding and implementing a strategic plan, you can make a positive and lasting impact on your life.
Personal rebranding goes beyond simply changing your appearance or adopting a new name. It involves a holistic approach to rediscovering and showcasing your true self.
By aligning your values, passions, and strengths with a compelling brand image, you can present yourself in an authentic and impactful way.
When embarking on a personal rebranding journey, it is important to understand that it is not just about changing your external image. It is about delving deep into your core and understanding who you truly are. This process requires introspection and self-reflection to uncover your values, passions, and strengths.
Once you have a clear understanding of your authentic self, you can begin to shape your personal brand image. This involves creating a cohesive narrative that reflects your values and resonates with your target audience.
Your personal brand should be a true representation of who you are, allowing you to connect with others on a deeper level.
Today we had a quick chat with a renowned motivation speaker, seasoned journalist and MC Nathi Gule as we discuss the importance of rebranding and being a brand as person.
His brand represents positivity, empowerment and hope. He says it came about after a conversation with a brand strategist Zwakele Hlanze of Barcode Creative.
“I keep the brand relevant by benchmarking with some of the leading personal brands in the world which are in the same line of my brand. I constantly refresh the brand in line with the environment and seasons.
Last year I undertook a six months course at Vega in South Africa on Brand and Marketing Management which also helped me to strengthen some of the weaknesses the brand had,” says Gule.
This course has helped him develop theoretical and practical competence in the broader field of brand building and marketing, while exposing him to real-life case studies and solution-based brand building challenges.
His competency in branding was developed by applying theories and principles to real-life scenarios.
He passed with a distinction and went on to improve the ID to a minamalistic one.
“I also now have a deeper understanding of the broader concepts of brand building, marketing, communications, creativity and innovation. Interestingly in terms of brand refresh Brand Navigator Mpheni Thwala of Sibuko Acres has been active in ensuring that the initial identity is constantly brought to new dimensions.
The latest look is another gem by him. He actually designed my first CV while I was a teenager and I instantly got the job. It just goes to show that presentation is everything. In terms of branding presentation plays a huge role,” he shares with SCENE.
Gule says it is important to start rebrand yourself as we embark on a new year. He says a personal brand is a widely- recognized and largely-uniform perception or impression of an individual based on their experience, expertise, competencies, actions and/or achievements within a community, industry, or the marketplace at large.
“You cannot be effective in sectors you have an interest in without a personal brand strategy. In a digital era where attention spans are fleeting, the 4Cs of Personal Branding – Clarity,
Consistency, Content, and Connection – provide a roadmap to building a strong, enduring personal brand. People think a personal brand is making yourself a celebrity or influencer but that’s not it. It’s having an identity,” he shares.
“Nowadays some employers ask for a profile not a CV and a profile is derived from a personal brand manual.
A well-established personal brand can build your credibility and help you establish a reputation as an expert in your field. It communicates your experience and value, showcases your expertise, and establishes you as an authority in your area of expertise.
Last year I was invited to train Miss Cultural Heritage South Africa contestants on personal branding. After the session each of them refreshed their profiles to be intentional on who they are and what they stand for.”
Gule says rebranding in a new year means reflection on how the brand is at the moment, a fresh audit of the brand’s Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities And Threats for the new year.
“To see if I’m still meeting the Four Cs. For a corporate brand the same applies but with more internal and external consultations to ensure that the information sourced is relevant. It also means a time to look at with you are and how you want to be perceived and the steps towards and that’s personal branding.”
“My wish is that influencer marketing eventually takes off in Eswatini so many people who invest in their branding can reap rewards. And also that authentic brands get the recognition in an attention economy where you need to be proactive and visible to get ahead of the noise.”
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
“I have personal and professional goals for the year but they are all synonymous with just doing better.
This is all in line with scripture Philippians 3 vs 13 to 14 “I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
“So all these resolutions are periodical. But to share just three, the first is better health through better eating. To be productive one needs to ensure that their health is optimum and this includes mental health.
Anything toxic to my mental health is being eliminated. The second would be random acts of kindness, doing better for others makes the world better. And lastly to learn something new each day and that means an improvement of 365 per cent by the end of the year.”
…Advice to peers
“My peers are already shining I actually need notes from them. But perhaps the question is advice to those with an interest in personal branding, public speaking and consultancy?
One of the key things is networking. So I would advise them to join the Southern African Freelancers Association (Safrea) to which I’m an elected Regional Chair for the Emerging Regions and sit in their Executive Committee.
The website will unlock a world of opportunities and give you access to some of the best brands and branding experts that can assist you in growing your brand. I would also advise that people go for branding short courses. We are told a lot about finding your purpose but not enough about branding yourself which is the next step once you know the purpose.
And I would also advise them to be vulnerable. What helps one grow is having a small mouth and big ears and always looking to learn.”
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