The low down on personal branding

I love talking about branding as much as I talk about my family and child (yeah.. he has four legs but he is still pretty important to me!) With social media platforms like Instagram popping up, personal branding is big business!

What is branding and why would I brand myself? Isn’t that for large companies!

If you are thinking the above question about personal branding.  You’re in the right spot!

I want to share with you four tips on how to create your own “unicorn factor” when it comes to distinguishing yourself as an impactful personal brand!

What exactly is “Personal Branding”?

It is important that large companies are “branded”. That they have strengths and attributes that set themselves apart from their competition.

What if I told you that branding is just as important for “solopreneur” businesses?

To explain branding in general. I want to give you an example of two very similar companies and show you how they brand themselves.

Lowe’s & Home Depot are large “big box” home improvement retailers. They have very similar concepts. They are able to buy in bulk and pass on the savings to their customer.

The most substantial difference between the two is who their target customer are! Home Depot targets contractors and builders. Lowe’s targets DIY home improvement individuals! 

Most people don’t realize the difference between Lowe’s & Home Depot. But based on their target customers, their advertising is different! Their store lay outs and different. They place products to appeal to their target customer. The brands that they carry appeal to who their market is. (Check out Lowe’s closet storage vs. Home Depot… you’ll see a big difference!) 

Creating your own personal brand is going to set you apart from competition in your industry. It will also allow you to understand and connect with your target customer once you know your specific distinguishing characteristics! 

How do you find your personal brand? (Research/Exploring)

First step is to make a list of all your strengths.

• What do you excel at?
• Where does your knowledge lie?
• What have you studied that you know really well?
• What are you passionate about?
• What area can you write endlessly about and help others?

Now that you have your list. I want you to write down who your competition is! List out successful people that are in your market!

• What are their strength and how do they brand themselves?
• Do you have a cutting edge over the majority of people in your industry?
• Is there a specific niche market that you can bring your knowledge into and help?
• When you compare others in your industry and your strengths, are there any gaps in the market? Are there missing links, that you could fill in?

Once you completed this portion you will find a very specific niche market for yourself!

 Personal Branding: 5 Words

Now that you have a list of your strengths and where you are knowledgeable! Let’s start to form it into your personal brand!

I want you to think of 5 words that will ultimately define your personal brand!  Those five words are how you want people to think about your Brand without having to tell them the five words!

You can use your strengths. Or parts of your personality that really define who you are!  Here are a list to get you going into the right direction:

Go Big Or Go Home

Invest in your personal brand. If you are struggling to launch and market your brand, make sure to check out my 90 day Entrepreneur Mastermind, Passion to Profits. The course walks you through starting a business or your first product launch. The course has 4 phases and covers: 

• Defining your target customer and how to speak to them
• Setting up the foundation of your brand. Ensuring that your website is SEO friendly and optimized for your specific niche.
• Clarifying your services/products to market demand and on-boarding client
• How to create buzz around your launch (Don’t launch to crickets!)
• Building out revenue streams to ensure long term financial success.
• Weekly Q&A calls with industry experts, resources and a step by step course walking you through a no fail launch.

Now that you are creating this unstoppable Personal Brand! You will need to incorporate your uniqueness in all of your brand messaging! To learn how to have brand messaging that converts, click here!