The Creative Entrepreneur’s Guide To Building A Personal Brand
Everyone has a brand regardless of whether you’ve deliberately built one. It’s influenced by how you dress, the relationships you form, your work and how you communicate - they all impact how others see you.
The creative industry is competitive. You might offer similar services to your competitors but the experience of working with you is unique. It’s how you can differentiate yourself in a crowded marketplace. From your approach and creativity to how your communicate and deliver your services. No one can replicate the experience of working with you. That’s why building a personal brand is the perfect way to attract new clients.
In this article, we’re going to show you the benefits of building a personal brand, including some examples from some familiar faces and how we can learn from their success.
What is personal branding?
Personal branding is the process of using your experiences, skills and values to influence how you want people to see you.
The majority of us have some sort of digital footprint. It means you can build a reputation you want to be known for based on the content you share. This is how you can create a following, connect with like-minded people and attract new opportunities. That’s the power of social media and as a creative entrepreneur we can use it to our advantage.
Why it’s important
People buy from brands they know, like and trust. We connect with people not logos. Your clients don’t choose you because they like your visual identity. It plays an important role initially, but YOU are what influences the final decision.
Your clients invest in your skills and knowledge. They believe you can make a difference to them. That’s why they choose to work with your business. Just imagine the leverage you would get if you started building a personal brand.
1) Make meaningful connections
As a service-based business clients want to know who they’re working with. Your personal brand might be the reason they choose you over your competitors.
2) Increase brand awareness
The more visible your brand is, the more chances you have to reach potential clients. When you build your personal brand alongside your business, you can demonstrate your expertise and build a reputation you want to be known for.
3) Establish trust and credibility with your audience
By sharing your expertise, you can position yourself as a reliable and credible source of information. This can lead to more business opportunities and partnerships.
How to build personal brand
1) Understand your purpose
Your style might develop over time but your purpose and values will help maintain the consistency you need to grow. This will impact how you talk about your business and create content. An assured approach will give clients a reason to trust you.
Start by answering these questions:
Who is your business for?
How do you help your clients?
What do you want to be known for?
What’s the purpose for wanting to build a personal brand?
2) Define your audience
Who are they, what are they looking for and which platforms do they hang out on. You have to know who you want to connect with. This is how you can plan content, write captivating copy and attract clients to your business.
This might not just be your ideal client. It might be competitors or thought leaders. These are people you can learn from, engage with and create new career opportunities. They will also be interested in what you have to say and will engage with your content which will increase your reach.
3) Have a consistent visual identity
When you’ve established your brand strategy, you can start making decisions about your visual identity. Physical elements are important for any brand including personal branding.
It creates a professional tone which gives the viewer a reason to take you seriously. Consistent design looks credible and will help your brand leave a memorable impression.
3) Create a professional online presence
Your messaging, style and expertise needs to reflect the reputation you want to build. You don’t always have control of what people think of you, but your brand will influence how people view your brand and engage with your business. If you don’t have much time, focus on getting really good at one platform.
4) Share quality content
What you post reflects your intentions as a business owner. You want to establish your expertise and give clients a reason to trust you. Make sure your content is accurate and valuable to your target audience.
5) Network and engage
Engaging with your network will help grow your following. You can continue to share your knowledge in the comment section of other posts. This will spark conversations and put your name in front of new audiences.
It’s also important to nurture the relationships you have with your following. Give them valuable content. Whether that’s a free ebook, Q&A, etc. Create a supportive and engaged community. This will lead to a loyal following full of potential clients and referrers.
Learn from the best
These 4 creative entrepreneurs are great examples of how you can build a successful personal brand. They’ve found success on Instagram but other platforms that will help you reach your ideal audience might be on LinkedIn or TikTok. Use platforms that are popular with your clients and this will help you gain more visibility online.
Key takeaways
1) Be authentic
Allow your personality to shine through. Show your audience what you’re like to work with.
2) Show your face
People want to know who’s behind the brand.
3) Share your work
Not only the final solution but the design process.
4) Use video
It’s engaging and this form of content creates more reach.
5) Understand your audience
Are they looking for advice or inspiration. Give them a reason to follow and engage with your posts.
6) Be patient
Look at how many posts they’ve shared. You won’t find success overnight. You have to persevere, be consistent and put in the work.