Building your personal brand: 5 tips for internal communicators

Linda Hagerty-Dotterer is an internal communicator, change management leader, consultant, and owner of LHD Communications, LLC. She has over two decades of experience, including such roles as Head of Internal Communications at Axalta, Executive Director of Culture & Change Management for CSL Behring, and Director HR Communications & Policies for Campbell Soup Company.

It is competitive out there! Standing out requires a strong personal brand. A well-defined personal brand can set you apart, open doors to new career opportunities, and establish your reputation as an internal communications thought leader.

A personal brand is not about bragging or pretending. Instead, it is about authentically expressing who you are by emphasizing your skills, unique strengths, values, and motivations. Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, said it best: “A personal brand is what people say about you when you aren’t in the room.”

Getting to the heart of your personal brand will take some soul searching and some time. Here are a few tips to get your started.

Tip 1: Be yourself by knowing yourself

First, identify your unique skills and the values that matter most to you. This step is about clarifying what sets you apart from other internal communicators in your organization or industry. Ask yourself:

• What are my strengths and internal communication skills?
• What are my personal values?
• How do I provide value to others at work?
• What unique perspective do you bring to the organization?
• What key role do I usually fulfill on a team and why?
• What am I most passionate about personally and professionally?

Using these questions will help bring your personal brand into focus along with completing an Internal Communication Skills & Expertise Inventory and author Brené Brown’s Living Into Our Values worksheet.

Tip 2: Craft your personal  statement and seek feedback

Now it is time to develop a clear and consistent message. This statement must be authentic to your skills, values and how you interact with others. For example, an internal communicator in the pharmaceutical industry might say: “I am an expert at using digital channels and impactful storytelling to convey our company’s commitment to patients. My goal is to ensure every employee feels their work makes a meaningful difference in patients’ lives.”

Once drafted, share your statement with a few trusted colleagues for feedback. You can also ask them how they would describe you to someone who did not know you and compare what they say to your draft statement. Tweak as needed.

Tip 3: Align your brand with your work and showcase your expertise

Collaborate with your manager on a development plan that incorporates a few projects, stretch assignments, and/or training in alignment with your personal brand. Find ways to highlight your communication expertise so colleagues come to view you as the go-to resource for certain skills or topics:

• If you shine when it comes to all things digital, lead training sessions or create how to guides on effectively using communication tools such as Slack, Yammer, or Teams.
• If you are an outstanding storyteller with a gift for designing PowerPoint presentations, lead a lunch and learn session on how to add design elements to any presentation for greater impact.
• If you are skilled at leadership communications, host office hours to answer manager questions on effective team communications.
• If you have deep experience leading change communications, host a workshop to teach others the vital role of communications within an overall change management strategy.

Tip 4: Cultivate relationships beyond your team

Every interaction is an opportunity to embody and amplify your personal brand. Make an intentional effort to expand your network beyond your immediate team or department:

• Seek input from respected colleagues on a communication strategy you are developing.
• Set up coffee chats with department leaders to discuss their communication needs and challenges.
• Join an employee resource group and use your internal marketing know-how to create an awareness campaign.
• Volunteer for a cross-department project that needs communication support.

Tip 5: evolve your personal brand over time and take it online

Crafting a personal brand is not a one-time activity. Over time, make sure your personal brand stays relevant to who you are and what you want to be known for within your company or industry. Jill Avery and Rachel Greenwald, authors of the HBR article A New Approach to Building Your Personal Brand, recommend conducting an annual audit and adjusting, as needed.

Finally, take your personal brand online to continue positioning yourself as a thought leader in internal communications within your industry and beyond. For strategies and tips, read LinkedIn Personal Branding: 17 Strategies for 2024.