Question for ya: When did you first hear about the idea of “personal branding”?
Within the last few years? Seems like with all the influencer hype this whole concept of personal branding became a thing.
But… personal branding is not new. Like at all.
It’s about as old as, well, life on the planet.
If you’re alive and you’re a person, then you’ve got a brand.
Yep. I’m talkin’ even your mom has a personal brand.
Think about it: get the image of your mom in your mind. I’d bet my Americano a few memories, specific items, certain phrases, or even a scent comes to mind.
Right?
Well that’s your mama’s personal brand.
It’s her identity. It’s her personality. It’s what you know her as.
The only reason personal brands are so hyped up right now is the power they have is amplified with social media.
Before FB + IG, your personal brand was only really known by your inner circle.
That isn’t true anymore. You can show your personal brand to the world and use it to find others who connect with you + resonate with your brand.
And then you can monetize it. It’s a wild time we live in, right?
If you want to harness the power of personal branding for yourself + your biz, I’ve got 3 things you must know so you do it right.
Your personal brand is not your product.
Nope. Your personal brand is you.
Your product or service is its own brand.
You humanize your product for your ideal client.
Maybe they find you because of the solutions you offer… but they follow you because they like your style. Or your sense of humor. Or your opinions. Or the recipes you share.
Make sense?
This means the more you give the behind-the-scenes glimpses of your life, the more you up your chances of increasing followers + fans.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “I found you because of essential oils, but I stayed because of the wellness hacks.”
I’d bet my yoga mat you’d hear the same thing from your followers if you asked why they follow you to begin with.
The key here is to be selective about what you share from your personal life. Which brings me to tip #2.
Your personal brand is conveyed through the content you share online.
Which means you’ve gotta be kinda picky.
Yes, I just told you your personal brand isn’t your product… but keep your product or service in mind when you’re deciding what your personal brand will be.
You kinda want them to complement each other.
So if your product is essential oils, then the content you share online about your personal brand can be health & wellness related.
Making sense here?
We do a lot of shiz throughout the day, but not everything deserves a place on your Stories. Just the things you want to be known for with your brand.
I’ve been told people think of the words “wellness”, “holistic health”, “entrepreneur”, “authentic”, “success” when they think of me.
So my content will depict any holistic wellness hacks I can share with my audience so they can live their best and brightest too. Or even turn their passion for the same into a profitable reality.
Here’s an exercise to help you out: brainstorm 2-3 values, beliefs, or opinions you have. If you're still stuck, ask a trusted friend for their opinion.
Let's say you come back with a list like this: you value keeping things simple, and you prize hard work, and sustainable living.
Next, think about a couple specific ways you can talk about those values and beliefs in a way that’s unique to you.
For example, if you value simple living, you can share hacks that simplify life. Some of them can and should be related to your product or service when it makes sense, but the idea in general here is to just get the word out about the things you care about.
When you do this, you’ll attract people who share your values (aka,who resonate with your personal brand)... but who will also be interested in your products or services.
See how this is coming together?
Okay, here’s your last tip.
It’s totally normal for your personal brand to evolve.
I’d even say it’s natural for it to evolve.
Because as individuals, our tastes and preferences change. And that’s the stuff that comes through in your personal branding.
It’s totally okay to make shifts in what you share online.
In fact, you should make it a practice to periodically evaluate the things you share and ensure they align with the brand you want associated with yourself.
Because it’s easy to get a little off track and start sharing a ton of Stories or posts about the funny shiz your kids do… but if your brand isn’t really about that, then it’s time to dial it down.
With that said, if you're brand is a lifestyle brand, similar to mine and and you're a momtrepreneur, then sharing a travel day with your kids spazzing out in the airport may (or may not be appropriate).
Just ask yourself what the message is you’re trying to send.
Another way to think about this is pivoting your personal brand if you realize the kind of people you’re attracting are not ones who will buy from you.
If you aren’t attracting potential customers, then it’s a signal you need to adjust your personal branding a little.
To do this, visualize your ideal client and the values + beliefs she cares about. Where do you overlap with her?
The overlap are the values and beliefs you should begin creating content around, so you can attract her to you.
Alright, my friend. I hope you found these helpful. Share in the comments any of your personal branding tips or which one of mine surprised you.
XO,
Hayley