For decades, if not centuries, B2C companies have relied on trusted and well-known faces to endorse their products and services. From celebrities to influencers and famous doctors, companies have public names and faces and the reputation they carry to help construct narratives of trust, reliability, and quality around brands.
At some point, brands started to realise that recognisable faces not only attract attention but also build a sense of familiarity and credibility, crucial elements for consumer engagement and loyalty.
It’s only in the last few years that B2B business leaders have caught up with this strategy, recognising the value of using the people behind the company - especially their leaders - to humanise their brand and build stronger connections with their target audience.
And as they should when B2B customers are 2x more likely to choose to work with a brand that conveys personal over business value.
Personal Branding as a Strategic Asset for CEOs
Ultimately, when we do business, we do business with other people. Humans buy, humans sell, humans exchange ideas, and humans deliver.
And, in the business-to-business realm, where transactions are typically larger and the sales cycles longer, trust and credibility are even more critical.
So I answer this honestly…are you more likely to do business with a faceless brand you don’t know or trust or a human you believe with 100% conviction will deliver the result you’re after? If your answer is the latter, then same here.
The same applies to hiring and investing. You work with humans. Humans run the businesses investors pour money into. Don’t you think they’d be more inclined to invest in or work for a brand run by someone they know, like, and trust?
These days, leaders are the face of their companies whether they like it or not. In the digital world, we live in, gone are the days of anonymity of a CEO position, your reputation is already out there, ready for people to analyse and judge.
So why not take control of it?
Why Personal Branding is a Game-Changer for CEOs
There are a number of specific reasons for building a personal brand:
Builds Trust and Credibility
When you as a CEO have a robust personal brand, it reflects your commitment and passion, which resonates well with customers, investors, and even your team.
Research backs this up big time—executives worldwide attribute up to 43% of a company's market value to the CEO's reputation. That’s a huge chunk.
Opens Doors to New Opportunities
With a strong personal brand, you won't have to chase opportunities; they will come knocking at your door.
Even if you don’t have a specific goal in mind, building your personal brand attracts opportunities you wouldn’t have otherwise received whether it’s PR features, partnership opportunities, or simply a stronger network.
You might have future goals you don’t even know about yet that your personal brand can help you reach if you start putting the groundwork in today. Your future self will thank you.
Attracting Quality.
Whether it’s talent or clients, everyone wants to work with the best. A strong personal brand essentially says, ‘Hey, I know my stuff and I’m good at what I do.’ It acts as a beacon for attracting the right kind of clients.
By providing valuable, unique, non-generic content with actionable advice that your network can learn from or implement. You’ll not only generate more leads but also increase your conversion rates and the amount you’re able to charge.
We’re not kidding - People are willing to pay up to 13.57x more for those they consider to be elite experts, compared to the average person. (Hinge Marketing).
Attracting Top Talent.
Top talent, especially in younger generations, is no longer driven purely by financial incentives. They want to work for organisations and leaders that excite, inspire, and align with them. Building your personal brand is the easiest way to attract great talent that fits your culture.
Attracting Investment.
Investors want to know that they’re investing in good operators and their money is in safe hands. You can reach new investors, gain their trust, and help them buy into your brand and its journey, by spotlighting the growth of your company, sharing what you’re working on day to day, and commenting on industry trends.
Landing Consulting, Advisory or Non-Exec Positions
By positioning yourself as a thought leader and building your personal brand, you can attract lucrative consulting or advisory positions that can diversify income streams or help you transition out of full-time work, as your audience sees the level of experience and expertise you have to offer.
Networking without Trying
Ever been to those stiff networking events where you awkwardly shuffle around, unsure who to talk to? With a solid personal brand, you’re more likely to be the person others are seeking out. But with a really strong personal brand, we can do you one better than just being the person people want to network with…
Be the person people want to hear speak at networking gigs.
Event organisers are constantly on the lookout for speakers, but they are always most attracted by those with a strong online presence and a unique point of view. Leveraging your personal brand will help you present a unique point of view and encourage event organisers to book you.
Boosts Confidence
Knowing who you are, what you stand for, and how you want to lead makes a huge difference. And sharing that with your company will make an even bigger one.
Crafting and building your personal brand helps you clearly define your values, opinions, and perspectives in a way that you usually wouldn’t take the time to consider closely. And, this type of clarity doesn’t just up your game - it enhances your entire team’s morale.
Why Do I Need A Personal Brand?
If after all that you still aren’t sure if you need a personal brand, a simple way to answer this question is to answer these questions.
Would you benefit from any of the below:
- Having more customers or clients?
- Being able to charge your customer/client more?
- Attracting top talent to work in your business?
- Attracting investment for your brand?
- Landing speaking opportunities?
- Improving your network?
- Landing NED/Advisory roles?
- Being able to influence more people?
But you’ve had success already without building your personal brand right? So is it *really* necessary to start now?
Think about how much success you would have had by now if you’d built it.
Truthfully, if you’re not building your personal brand, you’re playing on hard mode.
At Kurogo, we’re all about helping leaders like you nail their personal branding. A strong personal brand isn't just a tool for growth—it has the ability to be your trump card.
So, let’s make it count!
If you're ready to leverage the full power of your personal brand and become a leader in your industry, perhaps we can help. We've helped over 200 founders and CEOs build their personal brand and would love to discuss yours.
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