With more and more entrepreneurs and small start ups claiming their spot on the internet daily, competition has never been greater and the importance of having a perfectly sculpted personal brand has never been stronger.
Contrary to what many people believe, stellar Personal Branding is not something you pull out of a hat. It's not something that's manufactured and manipulated. It's not about keeping up with the Joneses or copying what you see everyone else doing. And it's not about going with with your own personal aesthetic.
There's a lot to consider when building a Personal Brand. What you're selling, your audience, web design, photos, copy are all part of the big picture. But really before you can get to any of that you have to start with you. Here are three major things I consider when building my client's Personal Brand:
Relate-ability:
People are thirsty for connection with their "tribe". When I work with my clients one of the first things we explore is what are your relatable qualities. How does your audience see themselves in you? What is your common ground? How do you mirror each other? Relate-ability opens the door for conversation based on an instant feeling of comfort. Ever notice how dog owners resemble their dogs? That's the relate-ability theory in a nutshell. When working with clients I always start with this piece of the puzzle. Relate-ability should be in your copy, visuals and web design. This is where you truly connect with your people.
2. Covet-ability:
This is the special sauce that keeps them coming back for more. Covet-ability is all about those qualities that your audience know they have deep down but are unable to express. It's that magic ingredient that makes them want to be just like you and they will do anything to get it. I call these your Rockstar qualities. If Relate-ability gets 'em in the door, then covet-ability gets you the sale and closes the deal.
3. Go Native:
This is the Mac Daddy and the most important of all. Going Native is all about leaving yourself alone and being the pure unadulterated you. Sound easy? Not. It's so easy to be inspired aka "covet" the people around you. This is why there are so many copy cats all over the Brandscape. You see one person blow up the internet and you want to try on their shoes. Don't. This is the biggest time waster. You have your own unique qualities. Crafting your personal Brand into a watered down version of someone else's Brand never ever works. Why? because it's not coming authentically from you. And everyone knows it. It's better to be a trailblazer than a Brandito. I always have my clients abstain from checking out other people's stuff when we begin working together. Keeping it real and connected to self is the way to go.
So there you have it. My Three Surefire Branding Secrets. Now get out there and use them wisely.