Breaking into event management is all about getting your name out there. If you have a natural talent for event management and you are willing to learn on the job, breaking into the industry without much experience is entirely possible. And it all starts with building your personal brand.
Personal branding is the practice of marketing yourself and your career. It can help you to get your name out there and let people know what you are capable of. You might use your personal brand to launch a freelance career or you might use it to land a job with a top agency. If you’re interested in building your personal brand, try following these 5 steps.
Set goals
Before you can build your personal brand, you need to ask yourself some difficult questions.
- What do you hope to achieve?
- What motivates you?
- Where do you want to be in 5 years?
- What is your dream role?
- What will make you truly happy in your career?
Make a list of everything you want to accomplish and then set yourself some goals. These goals will help to keep you accountable. And the difficult questions will help to keep you on track. If you are motivated by money, set yourself goals that are based on this rather than other aspects of your career. This kind of focussed career planning will make it easier to develop a personal brand that resonates with clients.
Pay attention to the details
Every successful brand in the world is obsessed with the details. There’s a reason you can recognise the McDonald’s Golden Arches from a mile away, and why Apple advertising leaps off the page. When building your personal brand, you need to become equally obsessed with the details, making sure that everything you put your name to is cohesive with your personal brand.
What do we mean by this? You should focus on your voice as this will be the way you connect with your audience and define your brand. The words you use to express yourself in real life are powerful and memorable, so make sure you reflect this in your communications.
Choose your platforms
There’s no shortage of platforms for you to share your brand. The most obvious place to start is LinkedIn. This will allow you to connect with people and share your expertise in the industry. You could also build a portfolio website so that you can share your best projects. If your events are typically visual spectacles, then an Instagram or Facebook profile could serve you well. And finally, Twitter is an excellent place to spark and join conversations. The important thing is that you choose where to put your attention wisely so that you don’t spread your brand too thin.
Get your name out there
No one will be lining up to sing your praises unless you encourage them to. A key part of building your personal brand is getting comfortable with getting your name out there. Create some buzz by sharing your insights on the industry or just sharing your best work. Make sure that all communications are as bright and vibrant as your work. This will allow people to get a feel for your personal brand, even if they have never met you in person. And remember, always keep things professional. It might feel good to rant on Twitter, but everything you put out into the world can come back to bite you.
Stay true to who you are
Developing a personal brand isn’t about becoming a different version of yourself. You must embrace authenticity and always stay true to yourself. If you craft a personal brand based on a fake persona, you will struggle to maintain it. It’s so much harder to create a personal brand that isn’t based on your true self. Instead, stay true to yourself and the goals you have set yourself and you will find it much easier to stay on course.
If you’re ready to take your career in events to the next level, speak to the specialist events recruitment advisors at Live Recruitment. We’ll help you to grow your personal brand and develop your career with the best new roles in events. We operate throughout the UK, including London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester. Get in touch today!