You are your personal brand

 

Here’s secret successful marketers know: customers don’t buy a product. They buy you.

 

Your personality.

 

Your experience.

 

The unique qualities only you possess. 

 

There was a time when “branding” meant a corporate-looking logo and a slick catalog, but in today’s online marketplace, the real value is not trying to project the image of a big company, but rather in just being you. Letting your personality shine through in a variety of ways will help you stand out above the masses.

 

Your authentic voice

 

How you speak and write and even how you act on camera or in an audio interview has the power to instantly identify you to your audience. You can see this in action if you scroll through your Facebook feed. It’s easy to know who has posted a particular image or status update, just by recognizing the voice with which they generally speak.

 

Here’s an even more important aspect of your “voice” though: it has the power to attract a specific audience. In recent years, a few high profile coaches and product sellers have become celebrities of a sort, largely because of their harsh, “don’t hold back” language. Ash Ambirge over at www.TheMiddleFingerProject.org makes no apologies for her use of offensive words, and her fans love her for it. And those that don’t? Well, as she says right on her home page, her site and services are “not for humourless bores.”

 

Bitchiness and bad language is not the only way to go, though. Carrie Wilkerson has built her brand almost entirely on her ability to be kind and generous. She always has a nice word, never appears defeated or overwhelmed, and is an inspiration to her fans and clients.

 

While very different in their approach, these two women have one thing in common: authenticity. It’s clear that if you were to meet either of them in person, they would speak and act exactly as they do online. And their personal brands are stronger for it.

 

Your Story

 

How did you get to where you are today? The backstory—which to you might seem boring and uneventful—is a powerful tool that can help solidify your personal brand and attract just the right audience. I wrote all about Why you need to speak to your ONE idea reader here.

 

Melissa Ingold tells of being a struggling single mother, and of creating an online business rather than simply choosing to work one dead-end job after another. Her success is an inspiration to her audience, and is a huge part of her branding.

 

Kimra Luna is well known for transitioning from living on welfare to running a $1 million dollar internet business. Kimra has a very distinct style which is integral to her personal brand.

 

Kelly McCausey speaks often of how she got started online when she was looking for a way to earn just a few extra dollars every month to keep the lights on. Creating graphics at $5 each quickly turned into a full-time online career.

 

Your story doesn’t have to be dramatic, and you certainly don’t have to share more than you’re comfortable with, but it does have to be yours. Be your true self, and you’ll never have to worry about attracting the right audience again as they will find you.

 

I have put together a great mini workbook which walks you through ways to incorporate your story into your blog, just like these ladies have done with their own personal brands. You can download it below.

 

If you want to join my mailing list and get access to my epic Blogger’s Resource vault of cheatsheets and downloads (THE MINI BRANDING WORKBOOK IS INCLUDED!) as a welcome gift, you can do that here.