The world’s richest man, Jeff Bezos, famously said, “Your personal brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” In this digital age, as a company or individual, you should audit your presence online to see what would come up when prospects search for your name. Maximizing your digital presence is essential for your company or personal brand as online sales, resources, education, and sales have all skyrocketed. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, expert, thought leader, executive, or business owner, maximizing your digital presence has proven to bring more connections, customers, and revenue.

Since the pandemic, the majority of executive meetings, sales demos, and business transactions are conducted online. Consumers are heavily researching online, looking for the right connection or right representative that they can trust and build with.

With an uncertain year coming to a close, personal branding expert and strategist Chris Diaz has worked and consulted with countless executives, personal brands, and businesses helping them refine and amplify their strategies to achieve online success. Diaz shares three key trends that suggest how personal branding fuels business growth.

1. Attract higher paying clients

Once you have established your personal brand authority in your industry, your demand increases, and you can thereby charge a premium for your services. The key here is becoming the kind of customer or client you would want to attract. According to Diaz, “maintaining high standards and professional branding will make it easier to sell more because, through your personal brand, you can demonstrate your value.”

2. Gain a competitive advantage

The online market is heavily saturated by billions of people, and the trust factor in the marketplace is at an all-time low. Consumers and clients want to know who they are doing business with, no matter the niche or industry. They want to find someone who they can trust and value. “By differentiating yourself and positioning yourself as the authority or expert in your industry, you build much more credibility with your target market,” Diaz said.

3. Connect with experts and create deeper relationships

“Connection is the new currency.” Covid-19 has impacted the way we connect and interact online. The economy has taken a major digital shift, and the reliance on online branding for entrepreneurs has become crucial. All of our communication, sales demos, and business meetings have turned completely virtual. You want to become attractive to your prospects. Your personal brand is the most powerful marketing, sales, and networking tool that exists today.

“It’s your modern-day resume,” Diaz said. Building online relationships and expanding your network will generate many more referrals, leads, business, and income. “It’s not about who you know; it’s who knows you. For that, your first impression with your personal brand has to be top tier,” he adds.

In today’s digital age, your financial success is directly proportional to how many people know you, like you, and trust you, so it’s in your best interest to build a strong personal brand.