Contract and freelance jobs are increasing in popularity, with more and more people participating in the shift of employment, moving away from full-time and permanent roles. The changing attitudes towards work and technological advancements have prompted this shift. Autonomy and other benefits associated with freelance and contract opportunities only increase the competitive nature of these job types.
To stand out as skilled professionals in this crowded environment, freelancers and contractors must strategically promote their skill sets by investing in developing their branding. It has never been more essential to promote your services and skills in several ways and across a variety of platforms. But where exactly do you begin?
This guide will explore the importance of creating a solid personal brand and how to build one that benefits you as a contractor or freelancer. In addition, we have included five strategies to elevate your personal branding and increase the continual flow of jobs coming your way. You will become a branding master in no time!
A personal brand is how you market yourself to your target audience and other industry members. Establishing and growing a personal brand is relevant to every organisation, business, and person aiming to build industry credibility.
An increasingly competitive market means that building a clearly defined brand is becoming even more crucial for contractors and freelancers who desire a consistent workflow.
What Is Included In a Personal Brand?
A personal brand needs to have specific components within it for success. As a freelancer or contractor, you must market your personality, knowledge, and skill set to remain competitive and get noticed by other professionals. When attracting freelance or contract jobs, a strong emphasis is placed on what you know and why you stand out from the crowd.
Critical elements of a solid personal brand for contractors and freelancers include:
- Brand values
- Accomplishments and record of your previous work
- A tailored tone of voice that relates to your brand identity
- Content related to your work, achievements, and industry-related topics
- Your unique selling point (what makes you stand out from the crowd)
- Authenticity and personality
What Can a Strong Personal Brand Achieve?
Working on personal branding isn’t always straightforward, especially considering the changing dynamics of technology and the different needs of clients, but it is undoubtedly beneficial. According to a recent LinkedIn report on the value of personal brands, 70% of hiring managers stated that a solid personal brand is more critical than any CV.
If your brand remains as clear, in-depth, and updated as possible, you will:
- Establish trust and credibility: Establishing a brand that looks good and reflects who you are will encourage more clients to trust your services. The more detailed your personal brand is, the more likely clients will use and recommend your services.
- Remain competitive: Your competitors will network, market their skills on social media platforms, and advertise their services. Increasing your visibility by producing consistent content and creating a solid and captivating brand enables you to stand out.
- Create and retain connections: If your personal brand clearly displays your brand identity, professionals in your industry will be more likely to engage with you and utalise your talent. These connections can be developed until you have created a network of like-minded professionals engaged in your work.
- Progress in your career development: A strategically planned personal brand can provide you with more opportunities and expand your reach.
Define your Brand, Achievements and Goals
Creating the foundation of personal branding can be the most challenging aspect of brand development, but it is imperative for career development. Before instilling marketing or branding development strategies, a successful contractor or freelancer will establish their specialism. These aspects will be included in every future stage of brand development, so they must be perfected.
Identify Your Unique Value Proposition
Whatever your industry or specialism, you will always have competitors. The number of freelancers and contractors has increased in the last decade, with no indication of slowing down. This means securing a steady supply of freelance and contractor jobs will now require a more extensive development investment than simply applying for positions.
We invite you to ask yourself these questions to determine your industry value:
- What is your unique selling point? Is it your work itself and the positive reputation surrounding your work, or are your personal branding message and stories contributing factors?
- What do you bring to your industry? Think about your services, industry-relevant experience or flexibility.
- Why are you more likely to get freelance or contractor jobs than your competitors? Is your positive reputation, skill endorsements, or brand personalisation strong enough to stand out?
Providing value to your network and audience is a significant aspect of creating a successful personal brand. You will be lost within the competitive contract and freelance market if you have no unique or in-demand services to provide.
Along with your services, providing content based on your industry knowledge and your previous work can give your personal brand a competitive edge. This may include appropriate opinions on industry topics, images or examples of your work for previous clients, or snippets of your portfolio. Any unique content or in-demand services you can provide will assist in forming your competitive brand identity.