How can a Business Development professional create a unique personal brand?

The foundation of establishing a unique personal brand within the Business Development (BD) field is embracing your authentic self. This includes your strengths, unique individual story, and your passions! Once you embrace your unique identity, your interactions with others will be genuine, and you can focus on being genuinely interested in others. Dale Carnegie perfectly said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” It’s this combination that will propel you to individual success within the BD field. The strongest BD professionals have the strongest sense of self and are committed to genuinely helping others.

To establish a unique personal brand, a BD can also build his own persona and conduct his own SWOT analysis. Later, to validate it, these can be reviewed with the help of a senior or mentor. This will definitely help to know one own self better.

As a seller for many years, I have reached the top of the leader board many times. From my perspective, the most important thing that you can cultivate to build your personal brand is to exercise the highest level of integrity every day and in every way. Conduct yourself truthfully and honestly and your customers will come back again and again. Your stellar reputation will make your personal brand extremely valuable.

In the Federal Market, the primary goals of Business Development are to (1) Understand an Agency (2) Build 'Strategic' Relationships (3) Identify 'Slam Dunk' Opportunities. As an individual business developer, you want to perfect these three skills: 1. Researching any agency to understand them better than almost anyone including agency employees. 2. Creating a Target list of agency and industry POCs worth developing into 'strategic' relationships (usually 10-15 at most so you can invest the time to strengthen the relationships) 3. Identifying 'slam dunk' opportunities agencies already are planning for as well as driving the need for solutions/products you offer. These skills help you achieve a SME state as your personal goal.

When hiring BDRs or accepting an invite from a cold outreach I ask 3 questions: 1) Does this person care about what they are selling? 2) Does this person understand what they are selling? 3) Does this person enjoy their job? How can you use this to define your personal brand? 1) Show passion for what you do and be excited. Emotional connection is 90% of a successful cold call. If you're excited, I'm excited. 2) Be a storyteller. If you can tell a customer story that shows your business acumen and is relevant, you'll prove your excitement was honest. 3) Enjoy yourself. Have fun and test new things. BDR life can be mundane, so keep it light. Last tip: Don't be prideful. If you get a 'no', just move on. If you are insulted, just move on.

Choosing goals greatly influences your target audience, content type, and contact network. For instance, if the goal is sales-related, your audience will be potential niche customers, your content should showcase your expertise, and your contacts should include key industry players. If the goal is to enhance personal brand value, the audience includes potential employers who value unique experience, and your content should highlight expertise, with a contact network of industry professionals. Success Metrics Define success metrics such as lead numbers, engagement levels, or contact quantity to measure progress and adjust your plan as needed.

In the Federal Market, people buy from people, not companies. Another way of saying this is that people buy from those they know, like and trust. You need to develop your social selling skills which will help buyers and teammates get to know you. Some easy social selling assets that you can create as you develop your 'brand' as Business Developer are: 1. Sharing industry day decks from events you attended. This lets people see you as a go to person. 2. Interviewing agency personnel and sharing on LinkedIn or YouTube (not just your company website) - this lets people know you have access in an agency. 3. Tell of upcoming agency events which gain you followers - people see you as the agency guru. Always be sharing to be visible.

Building your personal brand in Business Development requires creating assets that showcase your expertise and personality. This can include a professional website, a compelling LinkedIn profile, engaging social media content, a well-written blog, or even a personal logo. These assets should align with your goals and reflect your unique strengths, values, and style to make a memorable impression on your target audience.

Your Brand is your asset. Here is how you can position yourself to be unique and establish a competitive edge: 1. Identify and communicate your values ( what your brand stand for) 2. Share your purpose, this way you truly attract the right target market/ segment/ customer. 3. Draw the line for your none- negotiables. Demonstrate strength and confidence. This will help you attract the right strategic partners and highlight your brand strengths

You are nothing without your network. Be authentic and make true friends in your industry. Don't be afraid of getting to know new people.

When people talk about “Networking” remember that it's just another way to say “find a way to help others” – understand this and you’ll do well.

Networking is about building connections through genuine interest in people, not sales. Be helpful, not overbearing. Be useful, not pushy. Start by developing connections within your team and company to increase your chances of advancement, especially if your network is still growing. Participating in conferences and podcasts will help strengthen your reputation and expand your contacts. When interacting with others, don't hesitate to ask for recommendations about people with whom you can discuss topics of interest.

Creating valuable and relevant content that resonates with your target audience is a powerful way to promote your brand. Consider starting a blog, recording webinars, or producing videos that showcase your expertise. Content can position you as a thought leader and attract potential clients or partners. Online Presence is a must! Ensuring a strong online presence is critical. Maintain a professional website or portfolio showcasing your expertise, achievements, and the value you bring. Optimize your LinkedIn profile and other professional platforms to reflect your personal brand consistently.

Promoting your brand isn't about omnipresence; it's about strategic timing. Now, you might wonder how to pinpoint that perfect moment, but there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Every business is unique, and a deep understanding of your market will guide you on which funnels to leverage and which to avoid. Nobody wants a bank advertisement when they're deciding on a restaurant. So, be astute, identify where your customers want to see you, and, if they don't, perhaps it's time to reassess your product and make necessary adjustments.

Out of sight, out of mind! Promoting your brand effectively is a continuous process that requires careful planning, consistency, and adaptability. By defining your brand identity, creating a strong online presence, developing a consistent brand voice, implementing content marketing, collaborating with influencers, engaging in community building, leveraging email marketing, and monitoring your efforts, you can elevate your brand's visibility and establish a strong presence in the market. Remember, building a brand takes time and effort, but the results are worth it.

- As you face new challenges in your career, be open to adapting your personal brand to address them. Embrace these challenges as opportunities to evolve and grow. - Invest in your own development by acquiring new skills, certifications, and knowledge. Showcase these new accomplishments on your website and other platforms, demonstrating your commitment to staying at the forefront of your field. - There may come a time when a complete rebrand is necessary. This could be due to significant changes in your career, target audience, or industry. Don't be afraid to undertake a rebrand if it aligns better with your current goals and position.

Like anything else, you have to track it to discover what actually works. Pay attention to the numbers and you will be unstoppable.

CHANGE MAKES CHANGE! Regularly updating your brand is not just a matter of aesthetics; it is a strategic business move that can contribute to your long-term success. By reflecting changing market trends, staying relevant and memorable, adapting to consumer expectations, differentiating from competitors, and building trust and credibility, you can ensure that your brand remains impactful and resonates with your target audience. Embrace the power of change and give your brand the update it deserves, and you'll reap the rewards in terms of increased engagement and network growth.

Be curious. Genuinely curious about others, what they like, what they don’t like, what’s their story and what’s their why. Focus on your audience rather than yourself.

The two fastest ways to brand yourself and grow sales in a Business Development role: 1) Help people first. If you can help a future customer without asking for anything in return - they will buy from you and be loyal. It happens all the time. Because the customer's current vendor probably takes them for granted. Help First! 2) Do what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it. It's that simple. It builds trust. That builds loyalty. And, if you don't trust your employer to perform - then you need to find a new employer before it hurts your reputation.

I've embarked on a journey to improve my personal brand. Here is my approach : 1. define field of expertise/niche 2. define target group/s 3. define your brand/value proposition (take your time and revisit) 4. define hashtags 5. define publishing calendar Biggest failure? I was too ambitious and this burned me. I wanted to publish 4 times a week at least and this was too much for me. I had to revaluate the approach. I redefined the target groups and restarted the process. Now I consistently post every tuesday and Thursday. Sometimes I will post on Sunday evening and believe it has surprisingly positive feedback. Lessons learned: 1. Start small 2. Fail fast 3. Learn from errors 4. Be consistent 5. Have fun