Personal branding

workbook
Learn how to create your personal
brand story for your resume, social
media profiles, and bio
How to use this workbook
Learn what a personal brand is and why it’s important, then create your personal brand story and a plan for
how to communicate it.
What is a personal brand?
Simply put, your personal brand is the way
people see you; everything from your skills and
expertise to your achievements and the way you
present yourself.
Whether online or offline, you already have a
personal brand.
The key is to make sure that your brand
represents you the way you want.
Why is your personal brand
important?
Your brand differentiates you and helps you
stand out from the crowd.
When you’re intentional about your personal
brand, it attracts the right audience and
opportunities, and people know what they can
expect from you.
Where to begin
1 Create your personal brand
story
2 Create your communication
plan to share your brand
Before you get started
Creating and communicating your
personal brand is a journey, so give
yourself as much time as you need for
introspection and planning. It’s all about
you, and there’s no right or wrong way to
create your brand. Just stay authentic,
because no one else can be you.
Your personal brand story
Create your personal brand story
Part 1: About you

1 Where is your personal brand story right now?

Before you create a new personal brand story, you’ll want to take stock of where it is right now. Ask people you trust “How do I show up for
you?” and collect words that describe you. Try creating an anonymous survey to get honest answers.

2 What attributes do you want for your brand?

As patterns emerge above, ask yourself if you’d like to modify those words. If so, what attributes do you want? You can pick as many as you
want, but starting with even two or three is a manageable way to begin.
Create your personal brand story
Part 2: Your audience

1 Who is your audience?

The people you hope to serve or attract are your audience, and all your brand communication will come back to them. Your message and brand
won't connect with everyone, so define a group or cohort you want to serve. Having a target audience will help you measure if your brand
message is impacting your intended audience.

2 What does your audience need?

Now, ask what your audience’s core need is. This can be on a physical level, but also consider their emotional needs. For example, my audience
needs to feel safe, my audience needs a quick solution for healthy eating. The impact your brand has on people should be intentional and
purposeful. Take time to assess how your brand can impact your intended audience.
Create your personal brand story
Part 3: Your brand’s mission

What is your brand’s mission?

Now that you know the attributes you want for your brand and what your specific audience needs, it’s time to put it all together in a brand
mission. Every piece of your brand will come back to this statement, from the way you talk to your audience to the articles you share with them. 

I am _____________ because my audience needs _____________ in order to _____________ .

Examples
• I am feminine and kind because women in tech need
to know they’re not alone in order to leave a legacy
of powerful women in tech.
• I am positive and kind because aspiring writers
need to know that their writing and publication
goals are achievable in order to bring a more
diverse set of stories to the world.
• I am funny and sharp to help post-partum mothers
find humor, even in dark situations, to help bring
them hope and peace.
A note about your brand’s mission
Your brand's mission should share the story of the core emotional value that you bring to
your audience. This story should be authentic for you, since this will be the way you're
showing up for your audience. 
As humans, any time we interact with other people, we come back to two core questions:
1. Can I trust this person? 2. Do I want to know more?
Authenticity is key to building trust and connection, and your brand's mission will
encourage your audience to want to know more. Ask yourself "Is this mission authentic to
me and my values?" If you need to, change the mission so you can apply it consistently.
Your communication plan
Create your communication plan
Part 1: Turn your brand's mission into a bio

Now that you have a brand mission, it's time to apply it. If the mission is the storyboard, the communication plan is your design brief—how you'll share
who you are and what you're about. 

To start, write a bio about who you are and what you do to highlight the value you bring to your audience. You'll want two versions, a longer and a shorter
one, which you'll then use on social media channels, articles you've written, websites, and more. Be sure to bring your personality to the table and align it
to the attributes you've chosen.

1 Your long bio

I (verb) and (verb) to (outcome). My work has been recognized by (awards). (Other things about me)

2 Your short bio

I (verb) and (verb) to (outcome). My work has been recognized by (awards). (Other things about me)
Create your communication plan
Part 2: Create a visual identity

In addition to making sure the content you share and create aligns with your personal brand mission, you'll want to create a consistent visual identity so
people recognize you across different platforms.

1 Select a professional headshot

Your profile photo is the first impression many people have of you, so go the extra mile to make sure it's polished and Click to add your photo
professional. We suggest having a professional photographer capture images of you if your budget allows. Keep in
mind that you'll want the photo to be recent to represent who you are. You'll then want to use this photo on all digital
assets for brand consistency.

Tip: Back up your photo in OneDrive, Microsoft's cloud storage service. That way, your photo will always stay
protected, and it will be accessible from any device.

2 Consider a color scheme and fonts

Along with your headshot, the colors and fonts you use say a lot about your brand. Specify your top colors and fonts to bring consistency to your
online presence.
Create your communication plan
Part 3: Take stock of your digital presence

With your personal brand mission, your new bio, and a visual identity, you'll be ready to take on the world! It's time to make sure the image you're
working to cultivate comes across on the digital platforms where people can find you.

1 Update online profiles

Visit top apps and websites where you might have a profile, and update them to include your headshot, bio, and other visual components, as
applicable. Here's a list of some top online platforms to start with, though be sure to also include sites that are specific to your industry.

 LinkedIn  Tumblr  Vimeo

 Facebook  YouTube  Medium
 Twitter  Pinterest  Slideshare
 Instagram  Quora  Snapchat

Note: You don't have to use all these channels on a regular basis, but you should have some sort of presence so people can find you. For channels
you don't use frequently, it's a good idea to direct your audience to the platforms where you're most active.

2 Create a personal website (optional, but recommended)

Among all the online platforms, the only one that you can completely control is your own website. If you don't have one, you might want to
consider creating a personal website that delivers your bio and some info about your work. If you're in a creative or design field, for example, a
portfolio section on your website can help audiences know the kind of work you do. How often you update your website is up to you—just make
sure it provides your contact info so people can get in touch with you.
Create your communication plan
Part 3: Take stock of your digital presence, continued

3 Create and curate content

Part of your personal brand is the way you communicate with your audience and the kind of content you share. Content includes posts on social
media, articles you share, and more.

You’ll want all this content to match your brand’s attributes. So, for example, if your goal is to be kind, before you share, ask yourself if an
overly-sarcastic post fits your attributes. 

Here’s a guide to the amount and types of sharing, but your can customize this to work for you and your goals:

33% Industry-specific 33% Inspirational 33% Personal

This content should match the industry People love to be inspired, so share what’s Your audience wants to know about you as a
you’re in or hope to work in. Be sure to add inspiring you or what might inspire your person. Share some behind-the-scenes info
your spin on things when you share. audience. about who you are and what you love.

4 Continue to update content and connect with other people

Cultivating your personal brand is an ongoing practice. Over time you’ll want to continue sharing new content and connecting with people,
always with your brand mission in mind. Be empowered to reach out to people you admire, and focus on growing your presence. Then, don’t be
afraid to update your brand as your goals change.

5 Update your resume

Your online profiles, especially your LinkedIn profile, will serve as your online resume, but you’ll likely run into occasions when you’ll need a
more formal resume. Update your resume to include your new bio and career highlights that ladder up to your mission statement. For an updated
look, try one of our resume templates.
Personal brand examples
Mission
I am knowledgeable and kind because my audience needs quick, budget-friendly solutions for healthy eating in
order to empower people to make balanced choices for their health and wallets.

Audience Audience needs

My audience is working women on a budget. My audience needs a quick, budget-conscious
solution for healthy eating.
Attributes
Bio • Warm
• Kind
I share quick, budget-friendly recipes, meal prep tips, and health hacks for women on the go. My blog won an
• Helpful
award from Best for You Organics in the emerging talent category, and my work has been featured on
• Straightforward
numerous food sites and in popular food magazines. I believe in the power of hard work and good cheese, and
I live in Oklahoma with my husband and two hungry toddlers, who are my first taste-testers. • Knowledgeable

Posterama
Short bio Avenir Next LT Pro

I share quick, budget-friendly recipes, meal prep tips,

and health hacks for women on the go. My award- Teal #03ecf4
winning blog has been featured on numerous popular
food sites. I believe in the power of hard work and
good cheese.
Business card template Pink #e408a6

Resume template
 FITNESS
FITNESS
GURU
Mission
GURU
I am enthusiastic and knowledgeable because my audience
needs accurate, compassionate, doable, and fun fitness advice
I am…
Inspiring
Enthusiastic
Attentive
to help each one feel their best.
Knowledgeable
Audience Vital
Energetic
My audience is men and women 40 and older who want to
find a suitable exercise program that will sustain, challenge,
excite, and nurture them.
They need time- and cost-effective exercise that will help
them gain and retain fitness in a safe and healthy way.

Bio Business card template

I am a passionate champion for exciting, doable exercise for anyone at any
age. My video channel is 100,000 subscribers and growing every day, and I
tour and speak at major cities across the country. My goal is to show people
that fitness can be both fun and effective.

Short bio
I am a passionate champion for fun, exciting exercise for anyone at any age.
Subscribe to my video channel or catch one of my tours to be educated and
Resume template
inspired!
 Sustainability Consultant
My mission
I am experienced and adaptable because small businesses need actionable, cost-effective ideas for implementing
meaningful sustainability practices.

Bio My audience
My attributes I help small businesses to find easy-to-implement, cost-effective ideas for making My audience is small businesses
• Resourceful meaningful sustainability a natural part of they way they do business. Over the without sustainability expertise.
• Knowledgeable past 15 years, I’ve helped a variety of sizes and types of small business discover
• Effective what they can do to make their business more earth-friendly with common sense My audience needs
• Friendly sustainability practices. My small business audience
• Capable wants to implement cost-effective
Short bio sustainability practices that will
I help small businesses to find easy-to-implement, cost-effective ideas for making contribute to the health of our
meaningful sustainability a natural part of they way they do business. planet.

Resume template Business card template