You’re plugging away at growing your business and working to build your personal brand. Then you hit a common creative entrepreneur roadblock: You’ve poured your heart and soul into your business, but are you your brand?
The concept of personal branding can be abstract, and I’ve been in the brand-building business since 1999. Add in the distinction between your personal brand and your business brand and it’s enough to throw you into a spiral of self-doubt and over-doing it…should I be on LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, AND Youtube?!?! (the short answer: No).
I want to save you massive time and energy when it comes to building your personal brand, here’s how:
Know your purpose. Design your life.
You deserve to create what you most desire—direction, purpose, and soulful clarity. Your passion is what’s needed to create a life, brand, business, and career by design. What’s missing is a deliberate action, focused support, and mastery. Imagine knowing your purpose, feeling it with vivid clarity and blazing energy. You are turned on and tuned into what matters most to you and the impact you want to have. Let’s get lit up together today.
Today I’m going to break down what a personal brand is. If you are a heart-centered person who wants to make an impact…this is for you.
1. I’m going to define what personal branding is
2. The 5 questions to ask yourself to see if you already have a personal brand
3. And the next step is to share your story in an intentional way
Let’s start with the definition of a brand
I have a celebrity crush and his name is Seth Godin. He is a marketing guru, author of at least two dozen books and I am a graduate of his marketing seminar program.
His definition of branding is:
“A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a customer or client’s decision to choose one product or service over another.”
What I love about his definition is that it is absent of the word “design.” And this is coming from a professional graphic designer! If you have done branding courses in the past, you’ve probably developed your brand or personal brand mood board. People often like to focus on the visuals of a brand which is fine, but it’s not the first step. The heart and soul of a brand are really found in what you are most committed to.
Starting to build a personal brand from visuals and design is like saying marriage is just the ring and the wedding. And we know that is not the case. A marriage is between two individuals who are loving, compassionate, and committed to each other in their own special way. And like a personal brand, no two marriages are alike.
Personal branding is a full experience. It is not just design or witty posts, it is an ongoing commitment from you to your audience, your cause, your reason for being. It asks you to be more of yourself, and show up from a place of energy and commitment.
“A personal brand commitment is the declaration you make every day that is an alignment with who you are and the impact you want to make in the world.”
My definition of a personal brand will inform your personal brand experience and ultimately your future goals. To declare something means you have made a positive and explicit statement and you are sharing this statement with others every day. I’m committed to full expression, this shows up in my brightness, mindset, and attitude and, obviously in my wardrobe choices:)
You are at the heart of your personal brand.
So, the question is, how do people see your heart?
Through your mindset and inspired action.
Here’s the catch, most people live their lives by default. Most people don’t think they have a choice for something as simple as choosing their daily mindset from what they are most committed to. You have a choice to make every single day in alignment with your personal brand commitment, your life purpose, who you are being, and how you show up in the world. THIS is so powerful! If you offer advice, sell professional services, or are working on a team, this POWERFUL WAY OF BEING is what people buy because they want to be around you.
“Do I need to make my brand about me, or about my business?”
A few weeks ago I was in a deep conversation about personal branding with another coach. She was not interested in sharing herself online, she wanted to keep the focus 100% on her clients and thought social media was “yucky” and not for her. I can’t tell you how often I hear this, and I get it, I totally get it, selling is slimy, sharing is sacred.
But listen, the people who hire you like to peek into your personal life just as much as they like to see and hear the results of your work. If you are an entrepreneur who sells services, guess what: people are buying you. Your expertise, your ideas, and your spirit. They are hiring you because they want you in their presence. They want you to rub off on them. You, my friend, are a person with a brand.
Be you, be personable, relatable, authentic, and share with genuine honesty. Without that personal touch, people who want to know more aren’t truly getting a brand experience. They want to know you, like you, and trust you.
“Do I already have a personal brand?”
Are you selling services like consulting, advising, or coaching?
Then yes, you have a personal brand.
Are your products curated by you? Are you the creative voice of your business?
Then yes, you have a personal brand.
Are you the face of your business?
Then yes, you have a personal brand.
Do you have a specific outlet where you share your stories or behind-the-scenes of you working in your business?
Then yes, you have a personal brand.
Do you work for someone else’s business or a large corporate and speak at events, share your expertise on panels, or are heavily involved in volunteering?
Then yes, you have a personal brand.
Are you incredibly passionate about a social cause, and want to enroll others in supporting and growing the cause?
Then yes, you have a personal brand.
Ok, you get the point. Now you get to choose…do you want to grow your brand in an intentional and thoughtful way to reflect your values? Or do you want people to simply assume they know who you are? My guess is that you’d want to share your story and make an impact. If you are a yes for that, and want some help, reach out to me to book a 1-1 introductory session.
READY TO SPARK CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE AND LEADERSHIP?
Being a magnetic and intuitive leader has its challenges, but here’s the truth: your potential is bigger than what you currently believe. This is your one-time invitation to transform your mindset of what’s possible for you. Book your introductory coaching session with Lisa today.