From the high-achieving employees and side hustlers to the entrepreneurs and small business owners, working for yourself has become surpassed scarcity and become quite the norm.

So, how do you successfully grow your personal brand online? Start by learning and using BrandTech!

In the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the shift is toward digital business and communication, it’s hard to imagine successful entrepreneurs and business owners that do not rely on technology in some way. For the most successful people, investing in the right technology is crucial to staying on top of their game; it doesn’t matter if you’re a big company, a small business, or an entrepreneur. Technology can be of great value in a number of ways. Today, some technologies are essential to all brands, while others are useful only to those that operate in specific niches. 

What is BrandTech?

Not all technology is considered BrandTech. So what is BrandTech, then? 

BrandTech encompasses the wide array of technological tools that entrepreneurs and business owners can adopt to simplify, optimize, and automate processes that create cohesive brand experiences online and offline. It can include customer-facing applications and solutions, production, or logistics, among other technologies. In any case, all such technology should be strategically executed.

I know that some of you are saying that it is much easier said than done, and in some cases that is very true depending on your current business. For the non-techie, technology can seem complicated; just giving them more to watch, read, and do. But as an entrepreneur or business owner, you can’t avoid using technology. 

The rise of digital business has given entrepreneurs and business owners more tools to improve their business operations. But with the seemingly endless options available, it can be difficult to determine which tools are needed for your brand. 

A business needs to have a basic tool stack and technological strategy in place in order to work efficiently. For the most successful businesses, investing in the right technology is crucial to staying on top of their game; it doesn’t matter if you’re a big company, a small business, or an entrepreneur. This is consistent with the report by Deloitte, which confirms improved financial results for digitally empowered businesses as well as greater employment opportunities.

Digital tools and technologies are having an extremely positive impact on entrepreneurs, small businesses, and the economy as a whole. 38% of small businesses cited increased sales and revenue as a benefit associated with using digital tools. Increasingly, businesses of all sizes are reworking their businesses to be more customer- and user-friendly by utilizing innovative technology. Delivering exceptional customer service is at the center of all development initiatives. 

If you are looking to increase productivity, improve services, track sales, and market effectively, BrandTech is the right solution for you. 

Why is BrandTech important?

With the significant technological shift in how society operates (especially with the more recent COVID-19 pandemic), developing your personal brand is no longer an option you can afford to pass up. It’s a necessary skill to cultivate and your key to influence, opportunities, promotions, growth, and wealth whether you want to advance in your career or be your own boss.

Since the advent of the internet, the way we communicate, do business, and go about our lives has changed completely, in a good way! Having the power of modern technology and social media has made the world smaller by providing more options for visibility and has made it possible for anyone to grow a personal brand that can attract a sizeable audience by creating valuable content.

The number of choices for visibility also means an increase in competition, and you’ll get left behind if you don’t know how to stand out; This goes for whether you want to advance in your career, be a solopreneur, or start a business.

Take a look at your most-watched YouTube figures, the bloggers you follow, and the businesses you buy from; they have one thing in common: truly unique brands that enable them to stand out from the ordinary. What is a brand, exactly? A brand is an image that represents a company’s values, culture, and beliefs. Simply put, that’s how people see you as a person or a business.

It does not matter whether you are a professional or solopreneur with years of experience or a novice; building a strong personal brand is a goal that all individuals should strive for. If done correctly, you build credibility with your audience and position yourself as an authority in your field. When others recognize you and trust what you have to say (or offer), they will be more inclined to take action. It is the end goal to create something that conveys a message and can be monetized.

YOU are your most important investment, so why not devote the time to becoming the best version of yourself? Personal branding is no longer just an extracurricular activity or an afterthought. It’s a necessity to have and develop. It’s the key to influence, opportunities, promotions, and more, so why not get started now?

How to get started?

According to the report by Deloitte, one indicator of whether a business is digitally engaged is the tech-savviness of its leaders. Personal technological use allows small business owners to acquire digital knowledge and develop effective ways of promoting customer engagement. 77% of US small business owners are regular users of technology for personal reasons, such as online shopping or consuming digital media.

It can be frustrating to make changes on your own without knowing where to begin. Making a technological shift in your business is not a task that can be completed overnight, especially for the non-techie. The first step towards getting started with using BrandTech is learning to get comfortable with tech in your personal life. From there, you can more comfortably implement tech into your personal branding and business endeavors without feeling clueless.

Why should you listen to me?

My name is Desiree’ Slaughter, known online as desimslaughter. Connecting the dots between personal branding and technology for non-techies is my superpower, making me the self-proclaimed #BrandTechNerd. Some have referred to me as the Queen of Digital Tools.

I have always been aware of and intentionally cultivated my personal branding. Everything I did was part of my public image. I’ve made it my mission to help entrepreneurs and small business owners (like me) at all stages of the branding game get equipped with the strategy, infrastructure, and knowledge needed to leverage technology to position themselves for serious growth.

Although my journey has not come to an end and I don’t claim to know everything, along the way, I have learned quite a bit about the benefits that technology can have on personal branding. Through this publication, I want to share the knowledge I’ve gained to help you fast-track your success!

This will be an ever-evolving resource of the most notable BrandTech tools and DIY solutions that non-techie entrepreneurs and SMEs can use to pivot to digital business.