The “people buy from people” adage is so ubiquitous in business that we don’t even know who actually uttered these famous words.
So let’s put it down to Einstein, since the genius has so many other sayings attributed to him.
But the truth is that no matter who said them, these words hit on a fundamental truth.
And that’s why successful founders have personal brands.
Can the cynicism and explore what an authentic personal brand can do for you
The term “personal brand” can attract a steady dose of skepticism. In an industry known for its jargon, marketing phrases are regularly derided. “Thought leadership” falls under this umbrella too.
But to dismiss the idea of a “personal brand” in the era of Web3 is an error that will leave you in peril if you’re a founder or coach.
It’s been proven time and again that consumers prefer to buy from businesses where they know something about the founders.
Even corporate behemoths like Amazon and Apple prove this theory.
Influencer marketing also proves this theory.
And your startup or coaching business, whether in the B2B or B2C space, is no exception.
The five questions to get your personal brand started
Creating a personal brand means that you get visible in front of your ideal customers.
This requires you to create a strategy so that you can take the right steps to attract the right visibility for your brand.
These five questions will help you to understand how to craft your personal brand strategy better.
1. Who are you?
Be 100% clear on who you are on all of your social profiles and your website.
This means clearly articulating your area of expertise, who you help and providing social proof about the results you get for your customers.
Case studies will always be one of your most hard-working pieces of content.
Ask every client you work with for one, and use them everywhere you have a digital footprint.
2. What do you want people to know you for?
Yes, making money is key to staying in business.
But most of the founders and coaches I know started their businesses to make an impact in people’s lives.
This means that you want to be known for something other than making money.
For example, I am a content strategist who helps founders and coaches get more visible with media coverage.
The strapline I use on my digital real estate is “I take you from world’s best kept secret to thought leader.”
Decide what you want to be known for, and then share that decision far and wide.
3. Who is your ideal audience?
You’ll refine your ideal audience over time. But it is always a good idea to go into your personal brand journey with a idea of who you’re speaking to.
If you think you’re speaking to everyone, you’re actually speaking to no one.
Social media groups are a great way to discover who your ideal audience is and what their challenges are.
For example, in work I’ve discovered that often my ideal audience, founders and coaches, know exactly how much media coverage could help their business, but they don’t believe the media actually wants to hear from them.
Therefore, I share a lot of information demystifying this belief. I share exactly how the media works. And the fact that reporters and editors want and need to hear from solo entrepreneurs.
This content really resonates with my ideal audience.
4. What results does your product/service deliver for your audience?
People need to understand quickly what they will receive by working with you.
To use my own consultancy as an example, I make it clear that when people work with me they will land high quality media coverage on podcasts and in print/online media.
A business coach I work with has a clear message that clients who work with him free up more of their time and increase their revenue by at least 40%.
Another client I work with helps people identify their strengths and work with them. The result is a personal and professional life that flows much easier.
Tell your ideal client how your product or service gets them from where they are now to where they want to be.
Doing this builds an exceptionally strong personal brand.
5. What is your origin story?
People connect to stories.
Take it from a publicist! (And every human on the planet.)
No one wants to hear that you have a passion for what you do.
However, you will encounter rapt attention being paid to the story of why you set up your business.
This helps people understand how they could work with you and feel reassured that you will be the right consultant/supplier for them.
Make connections with people
A personal brand is really about connection.
To do that, you need to represent yourself honestly and consistently.
These five questions make up a brief list, but the content you can create off of the back of them is limitless.
And it’s the type of content your ideal clients want to see from you.
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