We’ve talked before about how you can develop your personal brand outside of your business. Personal brands establish you as an industry leader, show what you stand for, attracts clientele, and separates you from the competition. One aspect that you should also consider when developing your personal brand is philanthropy. What do I mean by philanthropy, and how can it boost your brand? Put simply, philanthropy is the act of giving back to and investing in the community. This can be accomplished in a few simple steps.
Step number one: figure what is important to you. There should be something beyond business that you feel passionate about. Where do you want to give your time and talent? Perhaps you want to give back to a religious cause or a charity that raises money to fight disease. What are your values, your morals, and your virtues? Seek out a cause that is in line with your personal beliefs. This will further help others understand your personal “story”.
Step number two: seek out any problems within the cause’s infrastructure. You shouldn’t just be throwing money at a cause and forgetting about it; rather, look at what they need from you. Great philanthropists locate the underlying problems that may not be readily observable, then let their problem-solving skills take over.
Step number three: get involved. Donate some of your personal time and volunteer as needed. Join the Board if it makes sense and you can manage the time and other commitments. Get your friends and family involved with you, and spread awareness of the cause wherever you can. Don’t be afraid to get creative with social media when spreading awareness (we all remember the Ice Bucket Challenge, right?). Raising money for the cause could have benefits in your core business as it trains you to “ask” and to “target” and to deliver a compelling message.
Not only does an attitude of philanthropy make you feel great about yourself and give you great personal satisfaction, it is also good for your business. Giving back to the community helps you build relationships. Your employees will feel more engaged if they feel involved in the comings and goings of their communities, and you will attract good people who want to do business with someone who shares their values. Therefore, once you have successfully incorporated philanthropy into your personal brand, it makes sense for you to also leverage your business a little bit to get in line with your values.
Another unintended benefit—the relationships you form in your mission to “give back” can translate into benefits in business and life. Embrace the charity, but also embrace the people you meet.
At DeSantis Trusted Advisors, we work with clients every day to identify a philanthropic pursuit that matches a client’s passion and purpose. We then develop a plan to make the philanthropic pursuit a reality, making a client’s personal brand even more compelling.
