Let’s talk a little about the brand of YOU. Not the brand of the company you work for or represent. YOU. This can be a different concept for some people, especially if you’ve never ventured into business online. That’s okay, I’m going to do my best to teach you what I’ve learned.
The main purpose of creating your own personal brand is to build trust. Trust is so important when it comes to getting buy-in. In my business, for example, the products we sell can be seen as “weird” or different so it’s ESPECIALLY important when it comes to saying yes to this business. If there’s not trust, there’s no “yes.”
What branding is: an authentic and real representation of you, what you like, who you are, what you believe, and what you stand for.
What branding is not: a logo or graphics.
When I say the brand of YOU, I basically want people to:
- Have a desire to read what you write because you are always telling a story.
- Have an ability to know it’s yours even before seeing your name.
- Understand you on a deeper level than normal.
- Know and see all of the above and choose to trust you.
So you have to start somewhere, right? Maybe you think your life isn’t interesting? Well, it’s time to make it interesting. Maybe you are afraid to be authentic because you’re afraid people won’t like you? Spoiler alert, some people won’t. Maybe you think you think your story isn’t worth telling? I’m here to tell you that every story matters. YOU MATTER. YOUR STORY IS IMPORTANT, but you have to use it. You have to be willing to tell it and let it affect the lives of others. It’s not doing anyone good to keep that ugly stuff you think tarnishes you deep inside.
Here’s what I know, it’s the ugly stuff that allows people to see the human in you and that builds trust. It’s the imperfect that allows others to not feel alone and that builds trust. I don’t trust a person that constantly portrays a perfect little life as far as I can throw them. There are more people failing at branding than winning. That doesn’t have to be you. It’s as simple as being YOU and being vulnerable and you can totally do that.
In my next post I’m going to introduce you to an exercise that has helped me and my team identify our brand so stay tuned!
XO,
