Personal branding is even more important than your business brand. Humans do business with humans, and as we know very well, humans do follow humans on social media and not necessarily a brand. Therefore, working on your personal branding is number 1 step when creating your business. It needs to go hand in hand with your business plan, your mission and vision. Especially in Switzerland, businesspeople want to get to know the person behind first prior, doing any business. Which might take some time as Switzerland is a reserved country, very safe, stable and at same time you need to be patient when interacting with Swiss Businesspeople.
You need to create a bond, a trust relationship and this is easier said than done. Hence, creating your personal brand already, whilst thinking of creating your own business is imperative. Scroll down for my tips about how to build your personal brand in Switzerland.
Understanding Switzerland
For what is Switzerland known for? Apart from cheese, watches, chocolates and skiing? It is known for its neutrality, precision, perfectionism and high standards. It is a reserved country, will not trust you immediately and needs to have a series of evidence that you are behaving, you are demonstrating your values and what you do stand for every day.
Consistency and authenticity are key, whilst creating your personal brand which shows reliability, excellence and being professional. Swiss consumers do prefer quality over exaggeration. So, flashiness might be not so attractive for them. Being modest at same time articulating your values, your mission and vision is important.
Being credible and accountable as a person and business owner will create the trust relationship that Swiss people are looking for and will be your stepping stone for a healthy and steady business relationship. Once a business relationship is established, it is almost forever.
Until you get there, you need to be patient and consistent.
Why does personal branding matter?
You are the brand, of your own business. And first people get to know you, prior the are asking about your business and what you are offering. So personal branding is number 1 step for any human, professional and business owner.
What does a strong personal brand do for you?
- Builds trust – In a country like Switzerland where trust is paramount, it is the crucial dominator for business owners to do business with you
- Highlights your uniqueness – the Swiss market is small and saturated. Your personal brand is the vehicle to set you apart from the crowd and noise. With your unique story, your unique voice, your vision and mission, you will have your own Unique Value Proposition
- Creates Opportunities – whether it is partnerships, alliances, speaker engagements, workshop possibilities or other virtues, a strong personal brand will move you forward in your business
5 Key Steps About How to Build Your Personal Brand
Here are the key steps for creating your personal brand:
1. Define your core values and mission/vision statement
What are your core values as a human? Create your own mission and brand statement. Align it to your business and what your business stands for. Own your brand and be coherent with your messaging wherever you go.
2. Understand your target audience
Create your customer persona. How do people in Switzerland live, what are their interests. And very important aspect: in which part of Switzerland do you want to launch your services, your business? If in German part, speaking German might be an essential point, whereas in the French part, it is more international though the market is smaller as more expats and Diplomats do live there. Make a market analysis and ask people for validating your assumptions.
3. Use technology
Traditional presence is key in Switzerland and at same time, in the era of digitalisation, being present on social media is important. Especially LinkedIn, a crucial social media platform where you need to exist as a person, with your personal branding under your tagline. LinkedIn is highly used in Switzerland and acts as a platform being your shopping window other than your web site. Share your thoughts, your events, your products, be active on Linkedin. Instagram is also seen as a valid and possible means of promoting yourself and your business.
4. Networking with intention
Switzerland is a robust and small market with lots of opportunities and industry events, attend conferences, after works, panel discussions. Only attending is not sufficient. You need to connect, approach people and introduce yourself. Already analyse the speakers list prior the event. Check out who might be there and go and talk to them. Being intentional is key. If you don’t have the list, surf around the participants to get to know as many people as possible. Switzerland is small and people know people. The more you appear, the more Swiss people will recognize you and start to create a bond.
5. Stay consistent and authentic
Swiss people can easily identify insincerity. Your message needs to be coherent, aligned and match your personality and your business. Being consistent is key. Showing up as who you are, with your elevator pitch ready, will show that you do walk the talk.
Final Thoughts
Building a personal brand is a balancing act. It needs to be the perfect blend of authenticity, cultural awareness, your expertise and values. Remember, your personal branding is a long-term investment. By considering the values and culture of Switzerland, the people in each community and what is important for them, you will be successful in creating alliances and trust. You need to be patient and always act with courtesy.
Need guidance on this journey?
Connect me. I would be more than happy to talk with you about how to build your personal brand that truly resonates.
Just reach out.