Having a strong personal brand is a cornerstone of every successful solopreneur. It communicates your message, helps people remember you, and differentiates you from the competition. Creating it is not difficult, but you have to know how to do it and be very intentional.
Why is it important
The rationale for personal branding is the same as in corporate branding. Many competitors are on the market, and you want to differentiate yourself and stand out. When someone mentions your area of expertise, you want all your potential clients to think of you. Besides that, it gives an impression of professionalism and skill. Take some beverage brands as an example - you'd certainly expect a perfectly branded soda can to taste better than a lousy-designed one with ugly text and pineapple on a white background.
Various details of your branding and presence can also underline whatever unique you bring to the table. If you're a language tutor who loves to travel, integrating this into your brand will definitely help you reach people who like to travel, and you'll likely become a more attractive option than other non-branded tutors. A personal brand can also communicate your personality, which is important, too.
If you'd like to charge your clients more than it's the norm in your industry, having a personal brand will again help you justify the price. If people pay extra for something, they expect it to look good.
Building your personal brand is also an investment in your future. It will stay yours forever, and the sooner you start building it, the more visibility, recognition, and opportunities it will bring you over time. This is especially true in up-and-coming industries where there are no or very few established experts. But no worries even if your industry is already saturated - that usually comes with a huge audience ready for your insights.
💡 Keep in mind
The importance and freedom of branding yourself heavily depend on your industry. The personal brand of a high-profile tax consultant will look different than that of a video ad creator.
What goes into a personal brand
Now, let's examine the specific elements of a personal brand. We recommend creating, thinking through, or addressing every single one.
Name
Most people have relatively unique names. But if you're called James Smith (the most common name in the US) or something else popular in your country, you may want to play around with it. Even if your name is fairly unique, some people change the formal version of their first name for the informal one. For example, Victoria Rodriguez would make her name easier to remember if she switched it to Vic Rodriguez.
Headshot/photos
Get a couple of professional photos taken - not just a headshot, but a few more laid-back, too. You can use them in your content, video thumbnails, on multiple pages on your website, and provide them to publishers when you write a guest post or give them an interview.
💡 Keep in mind
You'll also need photos of yourself only with no (transparent) background. If you're not skilled with Photoshop, you can use AI tools to remove the background or have your photographer do it. These pictures are much more versatile than pictures with a background.
Tagline
It's also useful to have a tagline or slogan. It doesn't have to be a super-creative wordplay - even a simple introduction of yourself would do. It doesn't have to be totally unique, either - just make sure nobody in your industry uses something similar. Also, avoid adaptations of slogans from well-known brands unless you can give it a very nice spin and make it look natural and funny, not copycat-like. Slogans are useful in your social media profile descriptions but also when combined with your logo.
Logo
Your logo will most likely consist of your first name, last name, or their combination. If your first or last name isn't very unique, we recommend using them together. Another option is to use only your initials, but we don't recommend this option - MS can mean both Michael Scott and Mango Salsa. Your profession or slogan can complement your name if it isn't too long.
💡 Keep in mind
Your logo will often be used very small, for example, in your social media images. Don't use a font or design with intricate details to make it readable even when small.
Design
A unique graphic design on your website and social media can make your personal brand more memorable and easy to distinguish from others. However, don't let creativity get the best of you - keep it easy to read and navigate.
The way you write
You can give some character to your writing, too. It shouldn't be too over the top, but some wit or inside jokes can go a long way. The same goes for your verbal expression if you create audio or visual content. Be careful to only choose a "style" that you can use repeatedly - having every tenth post super witty would look weird and inauthentic among your other more neutral posts.
The way you speak
The dynamics and wit of a speaker can instantly captivate the audience and become THE THING you're known for. If this is one of your strengths, use it as often as possible.
Your niche
You should adapt your brand and communication to the niche you focus on. Sometimes, the very fact that you focus on a particular niche can be the main building block of the personal brand. If there is a niche you can integrate into your brand, go for it. The more narrow your niche or target audience is, the more focused you should be on ensuring your brand elements are attractive to its members.
Age and lifestyle of your target audience
Consider the demographics you'll target, especially when crafting your visuals and tone of voice. The more clear-cut your target audience is, the less you should care about what others think about it.
Consistency
A successful personal brand can't be made overnight. Even if you have everything mentioned above prepared and figured out, the key is to keep using it over and over. If you have a logo or a design, use it on every piece of content you produce. If you have a specific tone of voice that defines your brand, never depart from it. People need at least a few interactions with your brand to remember you. These interactions must be memorable enough for them to connect them in their minds - that's why we advocate using elements that will make you stand out and easier to remember.
💡 Keep in mind
If you make yourself or your content easy to overlook and forget, it doesn't matter how often someone sees it.
Remember
👉 Focus on what's unique about you.
👉 Use your brand to elevate your strengths, not compensate for weaknesses.
👉 Have high standards and avoid cringe.
👉 Your messaging should match your target audience.
👉 Be consistent in using all your brand elements.
👉 It will take time.
Homework
1️⃣ Find a solopreneur with great personal branding and notice the details.
2️⃣ Research your industry and find a niche you can make your own.
3️⃣ Think about what you want to build your brand on and write down 3-5 pillars.
6️⃣ Find someone with good judgment and have him review your brand.
4️⃣ Consider how good a writer or speaker you are, and how big of a role will these two play in building your personal brand.
5️⃣ Use the list in the lesson to address everything your brand should consist of.
👏 Way to go!
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