Why You Need Self Branding to Create the Freedom Lifestyle of Your Dreams
If you’ve thought about creating an online income, you’ve likely heard that self branding is the way to go. But what exactly is self branding and why do you need it??
Last year I was toiling away with my travel blog. I was writing stories about amazing trips I had taken, and super-helpful tips I had learned … but nobody seemed to care.
Sure I was getting visitors, some interaction and even a few subscribers, but it just felt like something was missing.
About 6 months ago I hired a branding coach who helped me gain a lot of clarity and confidence!
Marketing vs Branding
Like a lot of people I was told to “get out there and market yourself” and “you are your brand”. This sounds great on the surface, but what does any of it really mean?
It turns out there’s a HUGE difference between marketing and branding, and one won’t be successful without the other.
Marketing without your own defined brand is like singing with laryngitis @heyjuliabaxter Share on X
You don’t just want to be seen, you also need to be heard … but it goes beyond that to making sure the right people are hearing you.
In fact, powerful self branding can be broken down into 5 keys.
Brand Strategy
As with anything that matters in your life, your self branding success depends on your game-plan.
You’ll want sort-term and long-term goals that will help you focus on your destination. This is more than picking some tactics to use, like Facebook ads or Instagram hashtags.
It’s all about creating a solid foundation for your brand that you can leverage to increase your results.
Cast Your Vision
Where do you see yourself and your online business in the next 6 months? 1 year? 5 years?
Are you a keynote speaker? Author? World traveller?
How will you make it all happen?
Self branding helps lift the fog and discover how crafting the right brand can help you achieve the freedom lifestyle of your dreams.
What Really Matters
Every successful brand matches everything it does to what matters most to the person or company that owns it.
Before you can start attracting your ideal customer you need to figure out exactly what you stand for.
What makes you tick? What lights you up? What turns you off?
The deeper you go with this piece of self branding, the easier you’ll be able to make important business decisions moving forward.
Find Your Audience
Your ideal audience is out there looking for you. It’s up to you to find where they’re hiding and give them what they want.
The perfect self brand will know more about what your audience is thinking than they are aware of. You’ll be able to provide answers to important questions they didn’t even know they had. They’ll think you’re a mind-reader.
Understanding your specific target will guide all your content and communication to create a loyal fans and happy buyers.
Craft Your Message
Everything you do and say represents what you’re all about and why anyone should care, so it’s important to be clear and consistent.
You need to learn how to communicate your brand in 20 words or less to quickly let people know who you are and what you stand for (and what you don’t!). Then take that statement and sum it all up in a quick and memorable tagline.
With this clarity, you never again need to be afraid of the ever-present “what do you do” questions. Not only will you be able to answer, but you’ll leave them wanting to know more.
Self Branding Is The Key
Self branding doesn’t happen overnight, and you really can’t do it alone.
Hiring a branding coach was the best thing I’ve done for my online presence. I now have laser-like focus on who my audience is, what they want, where they hang out, and how I can best serve them.
My branding coach has recently relaunched her amazing Brand Foundation course to show you how to create more influence, impact & income with a pro online brand.
If you’re brand new to the online world, or just looking for some clarity in your brand, I’d highly recommend this course (and I’m not even an affiliate for it!).
Self branding was what took me from “just another travel blogger” to “helping adults create an online income that travels with you”!
Was this helpful for you? If so, please share it with a friend who you think would get value!
Be sure to comment below and let me know how self branding has helped your online business!
P.S. If you’d LOVE to start Your Own Blog with “Just 3 Clicks”, check THIS out!
Was this valuable for you? If so I’d really appreciate your comments below and shares on social media.
Resources
Here is a list of the resources mentioned in this post:
Brand Foundation Course – Learn how to create more influence, impact & income with a pro online brand.
Blogger’s Jumpstart Guide – Download my FREE guide outlining how to successfully start your own blog
Self branding is essential. great info Bruce.
Thanks so much Martin!
The highest income earners in the Network Marketing and Internet Marketing industry understand that branding themselves is the only way to go. This separates them from the average income earners. Great Points!!
Very true Gary! Thanks for your support
Sounds great. So glad it helped you out.
I used the same branding coach as you BRUCE and it has helped increase my engagement, leads, and sales.
Dr. Lisa
Woot woot Dr. Lisa! Great to hear! Bruce has really nailed the principles of creating a brand from the ground up. I call that “Brand Foundation”. So good to see your brand increasing your results, Lisa!
Glad to hear that Dr. Lisa! Isn’t the course awesome!?!
Very helpful information. I agree that it can be difficult to differentiate between marketing and self-branding when first starting out. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, that’s a problem most people have! There are very subtle, but very important differences
Branding yourself is so critical in this industry. You want people to know who you are and what you have to offer! You not a company! So any opportunities will open up for you when you are a brand. Thanks for the informative post, Bruce! 🙂
Theresa recently posted…How To Start A Conversation Using F.O.R.M
You’re so right Theresa, thanks for that awesome comment!
Great tips and suggestions, something I should definitely look for, a good branding and making my business successful xo
http://www.theninebyivana.blogspot.com
Yes Ivana, you’ll be surprised how getting solid on your brand will make everything so much easier and successful for you
I have a friend who needs to read this. She was copied by someone without permission. Even used her photos.
That’s too bad! I really hope this helps you and your friend
Great information! I just started getting out there more so its good timing for me reading this Thank you
Yes, it’s never too early to straighten out your brand and take your message to the world!
This is so helpful as I try to prepare for life after graduation!
So glad to hear that Brooke! Please reach out with any questions 🙂
I need to keep this in mind! I am always trying to build my brand.
Amber recently posted…We Don’t Care That The Unicorn Frappuccino Is Not Healthy
Brands can be tough to figure out, especially on your own! I found my coach was a huge help in solidifying everything for me
Bruce your post is spot on especially the finding your audience peace. I know when I try to fit many niches I can’t get the traction I need to grow. Thanks for sharing your expertise
You’re so right Andrea! Narrowing down your audience is so vital to our success
Thanks for the info – great post! and I love that you kept it short and simple! I love informative blog posts but sometimes people bog you down with information and it’s so overwhelming!
You’re so right Kay. It’s so easy to bog ourselves down in the details, and always better to simplify
These are seriously some really great tips!! Thanks for putting this together.
Cara
http://www.rootsreachgrow.com
You’re so welcome Cara, so glad it could help you out
Cheers to an unstoppable post full of bits of help for us all.
Creating my brand is something I am just getting started with. This was very informative!
So glad I could help you out Amanda. Definitely consider a branding coach if you get stuck, they’re super helpful 🙂
This was so helpful and insightful for me! Something I definitely need to work on.
Happy to help Krysti, glad it helped
Self branding is a must and sometimes need a through study. The brand should reflect your personality in order it to be real and authentic.
You’re so right Blair, your brand definitely needs to reflect who you are
Guess I need to work on self-branding! I think it would help with my blog direction as well. Great advice!
Yes! It’ll definitely help you have something to measure all your decisions against
I like that it’s called branding now, but it’s also your ‘message’ or your authentic voice, or your strengths. But branding has always worked.
Yes, it’s definitely important to know your message, but i think your brand goes a little further than that in solidifying everything you stand for.
This is an excellent resource. I’m going to have to pin this on my Branding Pinterest board because it’s packed full of great advice.
Claire – StartACraftBlog recently posted…10 Things You Need Before You Start Searching For Home Business Opportunities
Thanks so much Claire! I really hope this helps you out 🙂
Great post! Information that I will implement today. Thanks!
Thanks Toni, I can’t wait to hear about your outcomes!
I am definitely going to give that some thought. Branding is an issue for me because I have 4 different sites. Thanks for the info, your site is amazing
heidi recently posted…How To Send Your Blog Traffic Soaring With Google Plus
Thanks so much Heidi! I can’t say enough about the course I took … it really made everything clear for me and my brand
Bruce Schinkel recently posted…5 Travel Experiences You Need To Start Expecting, Even If You’re Not A Millennial
Self-branding really is a game changer for building a lifestyle of freedom and flexibility. It helps attract the right opportunities and lets you create a path that aligns with your goals.