Recap: Branding Yourself Workshop

During this year’s Indyfluence, we are hosting three small-group event series throughout the program. These events will give Indyfluence interns access to exclusive networking opportunities with leaders in the Indy community.  

This week, interns attended our first Workshop Wednesday event, featuring Nicole Pence Becker! Nicole is a former news anchor and reporter who’s now the Founder and CEO of Pence Media Group, a public relations and media consultancy company. With over a decade of experience, Nicole is an expert in personal branding, and she shared her knowledge during this week’s workshop: Branding Yourself. 

After a quick introduction, Nicole explained why it’s important to establish a personal brand both professionally and socially. After all, your personal brand is the way you present yourself to your network and clearly establish your career goals.  Then, Nicole walked us through her own three-step branding process. She even shared a “Branding Yourself” Worksheet to help everyone follow along during the workshop!

Here are the main takeaways from each step of Nicole’s personal branding strategy.

STEP 1: GET INSPIRED

When it comes to branding yourself, Nicole says you should start by looking at other people’s personal brands. Think about the people you admire in your industry and consider what you admire about them. Although every personal brand is unique, these established brands are a great starting point for creating your own! 

When you’re looking for inspiration, make sure you ask these key questions::

1. What characteristics describe this person?
2. Where are they seen most often?
3. What makes them unique?

STEP 2: BRAINSTORM YOUR PERSONAL BRAND

Once you’ve found some inspiration, then it’s time to brainstorm your brand! Nicole encouraged our interns to sit down and ask themselves questions, like:

• Right now, how would others perceive you if they only saw you online? 
• Who do you want to appeal to?
• What is your personal style?
• What do you want to be known as?

As Nicole explained, answering these questions can help you identify what you want your personal brand to achieve. Nicole also suggested asking your friends, family, and coworkers about your “unique and valuable skill sets.” It can sometimes be difficult to think of your own personal strengths, but that’s why outside opinions can help. Nicole even said that she did this with her husband—right before creating Pence Media Group!

STEP 3: CREATE YOUR PERSONAL BRAND

Finally, Nicole talked about the last step: actually creating your personal brand! She said that the best way to craft your brand is to start with your story. While you’re building your brand, think about your personal background and the values that helped shape the person you are today. Then, when you showcase your brand online, focus on what’s most important to you and “make sure it’s consistent and authentic.” 

There you have it! We were so thankful that Nicole was able to personally share her experience with our Indyfluence interns! If you missed the event, you can watch the replay at any time. And make sure you follow @NicolePence on her social media to get a glimpse of her personal brand in action!

Interested in creating your own personal brand? You can download Nicole’s “Branding Yourself” Worksheet here.