The characteristics of a personal brand include:

• Unique and consistent: A personal brand should be unique to the individual and should consistently convey their values, personality, and message across all platforms and interactions.
• Authentic: A personal brand should reflect the individual's true self and should not be a false representation of who they are.
• Clear and compelling: A personal brand should have a clear and compelling message that differentiates the individual from others in their field.
• Cohesive: A personal brand should be cohesive across all platforms, including social media, website, resume, and business cards.
• Relevant: A personal brand should be relevant to the individual's target audience and industry.
• Reflects the individual's skills and expertise: A personal brand should reflect the individual's skills, expertise, and accomplishments.
• Consistently Evolves: A personal brand should be consistently developed, re-evaluated and updated to align with the individual's goals and the evolution of their career.
• Consistently Communicated: A personal brand should be consistently communicated to the target audience via different mediums to ensure its visibility and reach.

Remember, personal branding is an ongoing process, it's important to continuously reflect on how you want to be perceived and to actively work on building and maintaining your brand.

How to improve your personal brand

There are many things you can do to improve your personal brand, some of which include:

• Define your brand: Clearly define your brand message, values, and unique selling points.
• Establish an online presence: Create a professional website, social media accounts, and blog that reflect your brand and showcase your skills and expertise.
• Network and build relationships: Attend industry events, join professional organizations, and connect with people in your field.
• Create valuable content: Develop content such as articles, blog posts, or videos that demonstrate your expertise and provide value to your audience.
• Be consistent: Maintain consistency in your branding across all platforms, including your website, social media accounts, and business cards.
• Be authentic: Be true to yourself, and don't try to be someone you're not.
• Get feedback: Ask for feedback from colleagues, mentors, and friends to get a better understanding of how you are perceived and identify areas for improvement.
• Continuously learning and developing: Always keep learning and developing new skills, knowledge and experiences that align with your personal brand and career goals.
• Showcase your achievements: Highlight your achievements and successes, such as awards, publications, or speaking engagements, to showcase your expertise and credibility.

Keep in mind that building and maintaining a personal brand takes time and effort, but by consistently working on it, you can improve your personal brand and increase your visibility and credibility in your field.

How to harm your personal brand

Your personal brand isn't just about the things you should do, it is also about the things you should not do:

An instructional designer can harm their personal brand by:

• Not being clear and consistent: If an instructional designer is not clear or consistent in their brand message, it can be difficult for their audience to understand or remember who they are and what they offer.
• Not being authentic: If an instructional designer is not authentic in their brand, it can be difficult for their audience to trust or relate to them.
• Not being professional: If an instructional designer is not professional in their communication or work, it can damage their reputation and credibility.
• Not being responsive: If an instructional designer is not responsive to emails, phone calls or other forms of communication, it can be perceived as unprofessional and can damage the relationship with clients or colleagues
• Not staying up to date with industry trends and best practices: If an instructional designer does not stay current with the latest trends and best practices in their field, it can be seen as a lack of expertise and competence.
• Not providing quality work: If an instructional designer does not provide quality work, it can damage their reputation and credibility.
• Not being respectful: If an instructional designer does not show respect for their colleagues, clients, or learners, it can damage their reputation and credibility.
• Not being open to feedback: If an instructional designer is not open to feedback and is unwilling to make changes or improvements, it can be seen as a lack of flexibility and can damage their reputation and credibility.

Remember, personal branding is an ongoing process, and it's important to be aware of how you present yourself, and to actively work on building and maintaining your brand.