10 Essential Personal Branding Tips
You Can't Afford to Neglect
Do you want to grow your business, make more money, gain influence and change the world? An authentic high value brand will get you there. Jump on the Fast Track.
First things first: What is a Personal Brand? Contrary to popular belief it's not your logo or your brand colours. It's how you Consciously Differentiate yourself from your peers.
My name is Esther de Charon de Saint Germain, the Brave Branding Queen. I help women entrepreneurs achieve the level of success they deserve by building an authentic brave brand. A brand that connects, attracts the right clients and grows a thriving business.
This is a beautiful and deeply courageous way of showing the Real You to your audience.
Hey, I'm not saying this is super easy! But it's extremely effective and empowering at the same time. And that's what you need when you want to grow your business and make the money that help you manifest dream.
Are you ready? Let's start.
# 1 Never Fit In!
Let's start with a very important tip: If you want to be a success in business you NEED to stand out. *Did you see I Capitalized the word NEED?* As a Brave entrepreneur you have been given certain traits: your sharp brain, vulnerability, your power, your endless passion for - more - knowledge, and your sensitivity.
Most likely you have been told that those traits need to be corrected. "Come on, grow a thicker skin." "Stick to One Thing" or 'Don't stand out'. And the result is that you try to fit in. Either sometimes or all the time. But from a Branding Point of View, your traits are Pure Gold.
# 2 Know your Why
Get a pen and paper and write down your WHY.
Your Big Fat Unapologetically Why. It's So Much Larger than: I want 100K revenue or I want to be on a stage. Mine is "I want to create an inclusive world where everyone feels seen and diversity is celebrated."
Is that a goal I'm going to reach this life time? Who knows! Probably not. However, it provides me with a direction. Every time I come up with a new idea I think: will it eventually lead to my goal? Even when you don't share your Big Why it will give you a strong inner focus that your audience will feel too. Your Big Why is your North Star. It always guides you to your destiny.
# 3 Own your Vulnerability
We need your softness. We crave vulnerability. In all honesty, I sometimes struggle with this one. Only truly courageous people dare to be fully open. But hey!, let's do it anyway. My son taught me to Never Apologise for my tears (yes, he really said that when he was 11 years old).
Every time you dare to show real emotion you truly touch your soul clients (see tip # 8) hearts. In a way that's much deeper than: 'Look! This is my fancy helicopter' Don't you wish you had once too".
Authenticity is not a trick! It's a way to established a soul, mind, heart to soul, mind, heart connection with your audience.
# 4 Dare to Share
Do you think that - just because you are a health coach - you can't share your love for paper-cutting? Wrong! Share your knowledge, inspire your audience. Tell them about the books you read. The exhibitions you visited. The different studies you took.
Dare to share. Share personal stuff. You're a human being. Your future clients will check you out on Facebook. Yes, also on your personal page. They will scan you. They need to know if you really ARE who you say you are. If there's a connection - that magical spark - and they feel you will provide them with much needed advise or support, design, products or your art, then - only then - they will download your freebie.
Or they follow you on Facebook or Instagram. Anyway. That important first contact is established . . . because you shared something that touched your future clients or customers.
Make a list of all the things you think your clients love (see # 8) and you too. And share!
# 5 Everyone Once was Unknown!
You know this, right? You know Oprah Winfrey wasn't born wealthy? You know Serena Williams wasn't born like the tennis and fashion goddess she is today. Right? Hard work, surrendering to the calling of your soul, a big vision, love, perseverance and a "I do whatever it takes" mindset got them where they are. So, ditch the impatience and get to work. Study the personal brand of the entrepreneurs and celebraties you admire and respect.
Be Regina Holmes (Sherlocks fab sister - I made her up) and study their every move. Study their websites. Where do they appear? What are they wearing.? What can you see and what not. How do they talk? Do they aim for inspiration? Or do they want to teach you something? What is their expertise? What are they known for?
Example: Oprah has a lot of dogs, yet she doesn't show up as the dog expert. Serena has a child. Yet, she is not known for her expertise on mothering. How can you see that? That's for you to find out.
Happy Regina Holmes-ing!
# 6 Share your Process
Are you an artist? A designer? Create jewellery? Write a book? Bake pecan chocolate cakes?
Great, we all need you. Yes, we need your end result (we love it!), but we want you to seduce us before you post a perfect cake/drawing/necklace or your amazing program.
We want to see your studio. Your hands with paint, chocolate, or your markers. We want to see your kitchen, your studio. The special pens you use. In other words: You need to open the doors of your studio to us.
Connection happens when we see what you're doing. Do you paint one painting at the time or are they lined up against your wall? By sharing your process you make your audience 'complicit' your work matter to them because they have seen it grown.
They have see the table you've been writing on. They knew you found that new paint. What you do matters because you let them in.
# 7 Don't be Normal
You are NOT normal? Halleluja! Because Normal is over and Out. It's passé and the Worst Thing you can do for your brand and business.
Normal is beige. It offences no one and it will delight nobody. In a world filled with images and ideas, we need originality, color, we want you to be weird!
Yes, a lot of people will Not Like You when you Embrace Your Weirdness. But the other people 'who truly get you' and who need you! are the only ones you need to focus on. Don't aim to please the entire world.
I work with less than 10 percent of all female entrepreneurs: women who find out they are brave, vulnerable and powerful and always 'different from the rest' and are willing to invest in their business and brand. Everything I do - in my business and brand - is with their best interest in mind. That doesn't mean that I try to please them (because that will never work, just like you can't 'convince' someone to work with you or buy from you.)
This is all about having the courage to be taller, pinker, smaller, wider, grander, weirder, more-out-there than your peers. This is what 'consciously differentiating' really means!
# 8 Know your Soul Client
Knowing who your soul client is (also known as your 'Ideal Client Avatar' or 'Dream Client') is paramount. Without this crucial knowledge you're talking to everyone. And when you talk to everyone, nobody will really feel connected to you.
Do whatever it takes to find out who that special person is who needs something only you can give them.
Extra tip: Very Often people need something something different than what they think they need! Listen to the question behind the words! You never know what you hear!
#9 Make Noise!
Once you know who your Soul Client is (or you think you know who she/he is) you make noise. Follow your gut and speak up. Are you convinced that gluten is amazing? Share that. You loose the no-gluten people and gain the bread lovers. Imagine that you're business is about food you immediately have amazing direction AND traction!
Are you 100% not-aligned with 'You've got to Crush It" and 'Kill it", Grind! way of entrepreneurship? Share that! Make a valid point. It's a great way to share more of who you Really Are. There will be people who completely disagree with you and there will be people who suddenly wake up and think: "Who's that person? I want to know more about her."
Do you know that we've got a Manifesto? It's a great way to make your mark. You can read it HERE
# 10 Be a Queen Be an Expert
You are smart. Right? And most likely a multi-passionate and you know So Much More than you share. Right?
Your clients want you to crown yourself The Expert. That Absolutely doesn't mean that you have to ditch your many passions. It means that you need to find your Hook!
What you do is:
1. Find your Soul Client
2. Find out what your Soul Client Needs from you! (But more important what she/he really desires!)
3. Crown yourself the expert of that Special Field.
4. Get Clients and once they know you, you help them with your Himalayan sized knowledge. They will LOVE YOU for it. I promise you that..
5. Get expert business help from someone who really understands how 'small entrepreneurs' grow a profitable business.
Give your brand and business a firm place and show up being beautifully weird!
