In my previous post, you’ll find key steps to building your brand as a Freelance Service Provider and a promise to share some exercises to help you in this exciting—but also overwhelming—journey. Read this sequel, where you’ll learn insightful tips to help you in the first step towards introducing yourself to the world with a strategic image that will help you hit the target: Knowing Yourself!
Introspection
Whatever your target audience is, it’s essential that you develop an accurate professional image. The first step is to shed light on what you have to offer. Believe it or not, to do this you need a deep understanding of who you are and what your strengths and weaknesses are, to name a few elements crucial to knowing yourself. That is why I suggest the practice of introspection. Face yourself and answer the big questions honestly:
- Who am I?
- What do I love doing?
- What don’t I enjoy?
- What am I good at?
- What could I improve?
Answering these questions may seem easy, but trust me, it’s not! But don’t worry. You just need a little patience and willingness to dive in your deepest self. And if that doesn’t help, below I share two popular and effective exercises that will definitely help you find out who you are and what you have to offer.
Exercise 1
If you don’t feel in the mood for introspection, Exercise 1 can help you pass the buck:
A useful tip is to summon those who know you well—family, friends, colleagues, even clients if you consider them close enough—. Ask them to share three positive qualities they associate with you. Three things that come to their minds when they think of you.
This is an eye-opening exercise. It will help you:
- discover aspects you hadn’t consider about yourself;
- bring awareness about qualities you didn’t know you have; and
- no doubt, it’s a powerful way to assess your current reputation among those who know you best.
As a bonus, I suggest that you make a list of your qualities before asking others. You can later compare your self-perception to their answers. I promise you’ll be surprised by the outcome.
Exercise 2
Now, if you are ready to take control, then Exercise 2 is your fit. It’s more complex than Exercise 1, but it is also more exhaustive:
A great self-awareness tool is the SWOT analysis. This analysis helps you determine your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. These translate into the internal (Strengths, Weaknesses) and external (Opportunities, Threats) factors that help you shape who you are and what you have to offer.
Once you gather this information, you’ll be able to devise a clear strategy and make informed decisions, which will help you achieve your goals. But you can’t escape, you need to ask yourself several questions that only you can answer. Here’s how you can break this down from a professional branding perspective:
Regarding Your Strengths:
- What sets me apart from the competition?
- What do I excel at?
- Why do clients choose me?
Regarding Your Weaknesses:
- What areas can I improve in?
- What resources do I need to elevate my offer?
- What skills do I need to refine to exceed client expectations?
Regarding Your Opportunities:
- What external factors can I leverage?
- Where do I have a competitive advantage?
- What resources can I use to grow professionally?
Regarding Your Threats:
- In what areas does the competition outperform me?
- What trends pose challenges?
- How can I prepare to avoid negative impacts on my business?
This exercise helps you understand where you shine, what needs work, where you can grow, and what risks to anticipate.
Round Up
These are two of many exercises you can practice to know yourself and plan your brand strategy. As we all evolve and change, a valuable suggestion is to do some introspection once in a while, and to update your knowledge about the internal and external factors that shape your personal brand. Remember to consider not only the problems that your product or service solve, but also the benefits they bring to your potential clients.
Do you know other ways to help increase self-brand awareness? If you do, feel free to share them in the comments!