All About Personal Branding
Personal branding has become an increasingly important aspect of today’s marketing world. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a freelancer, or a job seeker, establishing a strong personal brand can help you find success and set yourself apart from the crowd.
What is personal branding exactly?
We are so glad you asked. We want to clarify all the details for you in this post!
Of course all brands are personal, but a personal brand is a visual identity that represents an individual, rather than an entire company. Personal brands come into play when YOU are the product or service. A client’s experience with your business is a direct reflection of your personality, your values, and your approach.
Examples of industries that lean heavily on personal branding:
Coaches and consultants
Counselors
Real Estate Agents
Photographers
Service based solo-preneurs
The services above are person-centered. If you are a coach or counselor, it’s you that potential clients want to know, like, and trust before they feel comfortable investing in your sessions or services. Any photographer would be the first to say that capturing your most special moments is a very personal thing! Your potential clients want to know who it is they’ll be interacting with. If they can connect with you it makes them that much more confident in your skills. And when it comes to Real Estate Agents, you know that buying a home is a huge milestone for your clients! It’s imperative that people TRUST you before cutting you that 3% commission check on their investment, and oftentimes the one-page bio that your brokerage provides just doesn’t cut it.
Here are 5 ways personal branding can help you foster these important connections:
Stand out in a crowded market. This may seem obvious but it’s truly a key differentiator we see with entrepreneurs and solo-preneurs. If you have invested time, intentionality and money in your brand presence and have a clear message to share, you are immediately steps ahead from your competitors!
Clarity. It all starts with a clear sense of who you are, what you do, and why you do it. These answers might feel obvious in your head, but when you sit down to write them for a website bio or an Instagram caption and are staring at a blank cursor - different story! All brands at our studio are built on strategy, and personal branding is no different. With a clear foundation about your mission, vision and purpose, the path forward will be so much clearer.
Connection. Personal branding all comes down to relationships. When every touch point with your audience authentically reflects who you are as a business owner, it makes that connection that much stronger. Let your branding do some of the legwork for you!
Consistency. This is key. Why? Because consistency is memorable. And most importantly, it builds trust. Communicating a clear brand message repeatedly is step one, but translating this to the visual design and even to your photography and videography can make all the difference. If your website design says “expert” but the headshot you have from college clearly says “amateur”, you may be sending a mixed message! The branding process filters all of your marketing content through one cohesive lens, making it easier for you to create content and more powerful for your audience to receive.
Expertise. Personal branding can help you establish yourself as a thought leader in your field. By creating and sharing valuable content that reflects your expertise, you can build a reputation as a trusted source of information and insights. And you feel that much more empowered to do so when you have a platform you’re proud of!
To brand or not to brand?
Here are some things to consider if you are considering what direction to go with your visual brand and marketing presence.
Business Name
Choosing to name your business after yourself or create a name that stands a part can help set the tone for branding. If you don’t want to be the face of your brand as a solopreneur, giving your business a name that is not associated with your own can be a great way to separate yourself from the company. People will always care to know about the person behind the brand, but you can make that connection with a friendly About page or the occassional story share, and still maintain a sense of identity that is separate from you. If you DO care to be the face of the brand and want to maintain that connection with others, incorporating your own name into the brand may be a great way to establish that connection right from the start.Industry
There are some industries that not only tend toward personal branding but actually require an element of personal connection. If you would describe the connections you make with your clients as both professional as well as personal or even intimate (counseling, photography, massage, naturopathic health, etc.) keep in mind that allowing people the opportunity to know you through your branding can immediately set you apart from others that have generic websites or aren’t explaining who they are and what they are about. If you aren’t a big fan of your face being the focus of the brand, there are ways to do this tactfully! But keeping the personal connection a priority is important for winning business.Business Structure
Developing a strategy that keeps your long term vision in mind is always wise when building your brand. If you know you want to bring on a team, thinking about how front-facing you want that to be in your marketing is an important piece of the puzzle. There are dozens of personal brands that have a whole team backing them but all of their marketing is first-person. And then there are personal brands that are very vocal about their team and position themselves as the leader but not the only voice. If you aren’t sure, it’s okay! Branding can and should evolve. But asking these questions at the beginning will always create a more intentional brand that is built to grow with you.
Personal brands in real life:
Jenna Kutcher
Jenna Kutcher has made a name for herself as the small-town Minnesota girl that bought a camera off Craigslist and now runs a multi-million dollar business as a digital marketing expert. Her personality, lifestyle and voice drive the entire JK brand. All of her marketing is centered around making personal connections with her audience by telling her story and offering content, products and services that meet the personal pain points of her audience.
Bob Goff
Anyone that hears Bob Goff’s name and is even remotely familiar with it can picture his smiling face and the message of hope and positivity that he conveys. As an author, he has positioned himself as both an advocate and a guide. People want to know him and learn about his story and this compels them to engage through events or reading his books.
Kyle Johann-Baker
Averson client and friend, Kyle Johann-Baker is a strengths coach that is focused on helping young professionals thrive in their work and personal lives. His charisma, optimism and approach to life is both inspiring and contagious. When we worked with him to develop the brand and website for his business we wanted every bit of that to shine through while still attracting his target audience! You can read more about Kyle’s brand on our portfolio.
Lydia Dant Fitness
Our client, Lydia, is a great example of a personal brand that isn’t as centered on the entrepreneur. She is passionate about forming community with other moms and utilizing her education in exercise science to support and empower moms in their fitness and wellness journeys. In order to focus on the customer, her visual brand and much of her web content is tailored towards moms. But Lydia’s presence in the brand maintains that she is the one who will be there to support them on their journey. You can read more about Lydia’s brand on our portfolio.
Are you trying to decide where to take your brand next? We would love to hear from you!
