3 Golden Rules for Your Personal Brand After Starting a Family

Someone once said “If you’re not branding yourself, you can be sure others are doing it for you”. Hard facts right there. As mums, or mums to be, our identity goes through some next level shake up. Branding ourselves and worrying what people think of us becomes so tiresome it often results in that “oh whats the point!?!” moment. Cue glass of wine / ice cream / chocolate binge / bitchy girls night / all of the above.

Quite obviously it doesn’t have to be like this. And there are a few simple things you do to make that branding exercise a bit easier.

Oh, and before you continue, don’t expect that this will tell you what your brand should be. Your personal brand is unique, it’s who you are and it’s up to you – and you only – to decide that. You don’t need to find it deep inside yourself. You can create it. That’s the beauty.

1. Your Personal Brand should Embrace Motherhood

You are, or are soon, to be a mum. Creating a brand that doesn’t include this is ridiculous. Its like Chanel trying to hide the fact they make the most beautiful quilted leathers, or Starbucks forgetting to mention that they sell a range of caffeinated beverages. It’s remiss and completely self defeating.

You are a mum and you are going to achieve all the fabulous outcomes you are destined for, whilst being a mum. You have love and pride in your life, you have immense co-ordination/prioritisation skills, you have a human life dependent on you, motivating you on a daily basis. Oh, and you may be tired a lot and still manage to boss every to-do item on your list.

Embracing this in your personal brand is the only way. It will show you as being genuine and authentic about who you are. It will show you as someone who is comfortable in yourself and therefore able to focus on the job at hand as opposed to worrying about unnecessary insecurities. A mother is the strongest brand on the planet and you should leverage that. It costs nothing.

2. …But Not Solely be About Motherhood

So not everyone is going to be as head over heels in love with your photos of your little one with spaghetti all over their face as much as you are. They’ll think its cute, then they’ll get back to the 100’s of other things they’re thinking about.

That’s fine. What’s not fine is that when they speak to you, all they hear and see (hopefully not smell) is mother. You’re more than that and it’s your duty to show it. The amazing thing about you is that you can be a mother and more. You can be funny. You can be fashionable. You can be cultured. You can be compassionate. They are not mutually exclusive. But it’s not for other people to elicit that. Its up to you to show it on a daily basis.

Take time to talk about other things outside of mum life – you’ll find it refreshing. Every morning think about who you are and what it is you want to display to the world beyond the awesome mother that you are. Weave it in to your daily routing and you’ll soon start to see the benefits.

We guarantee that the mothers out there you admire are because of the brand they display beyond their parenting. Now its your turn to be the admired one…

3. Now Get It Out There

A brand that exists only in your head, in the real world…it’s only a dream. The point is that a personal brand is only relevant when its out there. Its only going to start working for you when you let people know about it. Once you’ve nailed it down you need to stick your best Sweaty Betty leggings on it and make it SWEAT.

We are not talking about starting your own YouTube channel – although kudos if you do. We just mean don’t be shy about showing people your personal brand for real. As a small example, write a bio in LinkedIn that whilst reflecting your professional career has a bit of you in there. Then actively try to connect people who share similar interests, or are in the same industry, and try to get to know them and them know you. Its only scary until you’ve tried it once or twice. You will soon realise its not actually a big deal at all, and those that appear to ‘have it all’ are actually just great at hustling this way too.

Don’t be shy on the social beyond LinkedIn too. Be confident in showing yourself off – what you stand for, what you’re working on, what’s on trend for you right now. It may sound a bit cringe and we know it won’t work for all but you really have to start positioning yourself; remember if you’re not branding yourself, you can be sure others are doing it for you. And keep it up. Whether its at a dinner party, drinks, work café or playgroup don’t be afraid of reflecting your brand. If it’s genuine, it really won’t be that difficult.

Females with Power Brands INA loves:

• Sheryl Sandberg – Ok, its an easy one but her brand is fierce. Lots to be learned.
• Sarah Harris – Deputy Editor of Vogue, brand on point and always rocking it as a mum.
• Jessica Ennis-Hill – Wins Olympics, honest about motherhood, looks great in lycra.