How To Find Your Personal Brand

VisibilityBranding

Nov 20

So you want to create a personal brand, but you’re constantly asking yourself, “What is my personal brand?” and “Where do I start?”

A brand that shares your life experiences, stories and authentically represents your style?

Maybe you’re a coach, mentor, educator or course creator and need support in defining your personal brand so you can create a revenue-generating business!

What is a Personal Brand?

Your personal brand is how you promote yourself. It’s made up of your experiences, stories, skills, and personality.

Building your personal brand is important online, because whether you like it or not your personal brand is being written for you. The way social media works today is if you’re not in the driver's seat controlling your brand, you risk the wrong message getting out.

If you have a business, then personal branding allows you to create a deeper connection with your audience that builds trust and goes deeper than just the product or service you provide.

So how do you find your personal brand?

I’ve got 4 simple steps and important questions to ask yourself in the process.

1. Create a Personal Brand Identity Starting With You

If you want to create a personal brand identity it’s time to get, well, personal. The idea of a personal brand is that you and your story will be at the center of your brand.

So, before we get into strategy, ideal client work or messaging (which we will cover by the way) we need to take a look at your own authenticity and personality.

What makes who you are? This includes the way you speak and write, the things you like to surround yourself with, what you value most and yes your favorite color. All of this is going to play a big role in building your personal brand.

When you can begin the process by looking inward rather than outward, you’ll better understand how to present yourself in the online space and that is SO important.

With how fast social media is changing and how many entrepreneurs are in your niche, it’s so important that your brand, the core of your business, is not only defined but is also different.

Now, before you freak out and say to me, “But, Michelle I’m not different, nothing exciting happened to me!”

I’d say, “Give me 60 minutes…” just kidding, but seriously, it often takes me just one coaching session to pull out the parts of you that are authentic, different and will set you apart from others in your industry.

And where I start with all of my clients is their story. Every single person has a story and that right there is what’s going to set you apart and build trust with your audience.

You can learn more about Brand Story in this post and take my Brand Story Quiz here.

Questions to Consider:

What are those quirky personality traits that you possess, that your friends and family are always complimenting you on?
If you could choose 3 key characteristics you’re most proud of what would they be?
What’s the mission/ purpose of your life and business?

2. Identify Your Personal Brand Audience and Future Clients

Alright, now that we’ve identified, or started to identify the core of your brand, there’s another crucial part.

I think we can agree that communication is a two-way street and that’s exactly what you’re setting out to do online when posting on social media, creating your website and writing emails. You can create that stuff all dang day, but if no one is receiving your message it kind of means nothing.

This is why identifying your audience is so important and should be done at the beginning of your business.

Identifying your audience consists of three parts:

Daydreaming about who you want to work with
Justifying your “dreams” with market research
Creating a client profile

The key step here, and what so many entrepreneurs skip, is the element of Market Research. Please promise me right now that you won’t skip this step.

Using free tools on social media, via Google, Facebook Groups and personal conversations you can begin to identify the key components of your audience and use that in your branding and marketing down the line.

Questions to Consider:

What is your audience’s main pain or struggle in their current situation?
What do they strive for or desire to experience in their life?
What’s standing in their way? (Hint: They won’t know this, that’s your job, but by asking the right questions you’ll be able to identify this).

3. Map Out Your Brand Offer and Framework

Let’s get one thing clear...I DO NOT MEAN YOUR PRODUCT.

So many people think that their product is part of their brand, but it’s not that’s all your business boo and without a brand, well you won’t have a successful business.

If you start with your product or service you’re going to miss the mark. You’ll have the logistics in place, but no clear pathway or transformation that you’re providing your client.

It’s important, during the branding process to take time to clearly state the transformation you provide and the overall framework for your product and services.

And, no, I don’t care if you sell soap or an online course, what are you providing your client beyond the individual product.

A Question to Consider:

What is the transformation you will provide your client?

4. Create an Emotional Brand Experience for Your Audience

Want to stand out online?

Do you want your brand to do more than just get some followers and look pretty?

Then, you need emotional branding my friend. Emotional Branding is my specialty and something you don’t often find online but can be the difference between a brand that makes money and one that doesn’t.

The idea of Emotional Branding is that your audience will feel a deeper connection to your brand, above someone else's and therefore know, like and trust you...which as you guessed it, leads to business.

If you want to learn more about Emotional Branding specifically, you can check out this post.

Before you decide on your fonts, finalize your colors, create a logo or get your brand photos taken you want to identify the emotional core of your brand.

From here choose the aesthetics of your brand will be a breeze.

Questions to Consider:

What is the emotional connection your audience is searching for?
How do you want your audience to feel when they come in contact with your brand?

Conclusion

No matter what you sell, it’s important to focus on building your personal brand. However, so many entrepreneurs struggle with this concept and therefore create a brand and visual representation that does nothing more than “look good!”

However, I want so much more for you and understand the amazing transformation that happens when you create an authentic online brand.

I watched my brand new business go from zero clients and a tiny community to multiple 6-figures cash in three years by focusing on my brand first and foremost, followed by my obsession and love for marketing my message.

Tell me in the comments, what is your favorite tip from above?

Branding and Business Coach | Michelle Knight of Brandmerry

P.S. Ready to harness the power of your story and authentic voice, so you can share it with the world. Listen to the Authentic Brand Builders Podcast.