The power of a personal brand: Why every business owner needs one.
Small Business Owners often lament the idea of having a personal brand, believing that they can just show up in the marketplace and people will buy from them. This is a bad idea, let me show you why.
You’ve just realised your dream and have opened up a small coffee shop in the middle of your local high street. You are all excited, you know you have brilliant coffee, a warm and inviting space and a few loyal customers. Even though you have the best coffee in town and welcoming baristas, most people walk past you and go straight into the big-name coffee shop down the street. You are frustrated and are unsure what to do. One day you open a few social media accounts and start to tell your story. You describe why you love coffee, where your beans come from, your journey from dream to reality and all the challenges that you have faced. Over time you notice that your social media accounts start to have an increasing number of followers. People have become interested not just in your coffee, but in you and your story. This is the power of having a personal brand.
It’s essential that small business owners have a personal brand as it makes your business stand out and gets people interested in you and your story.
Why a personal brand is your business’s secret sauce
In this example you can think about the personal brand of the coffee owner as their signature flavour. It’s unique to you and have customers coming back just to sample it time and time again. Your personal brand sets you apart and encourages curiosity in you and what you are doing.
People trust people, not logos
There is so much competition these days and similarity, that people are choosing to buy from people they know and not faceless companies. They want uniqueness. This is why it’s important for you to show your personality, share your values and let people know who is actually behind the brand.
Growing your reach
Personal brands have a way of expanding a business’s reach. When people connect with your story, they’re more likely to share it. If you have a social media presence where you share not just what you do but why you do it, people are more likely to engage. Your personal story can get attention from local media, attract followers, and open up new opportunities.
Loyalty and community go hand-in-hand
When people see that a brand reflects their own values, they become more loyal to the brand. They want to be part of your journey and tell others about you. You become an important part of their identity and they willing promote you and gather others towards you.
Building your personal brand: Key ingredients
Creating a personal brand isn’t just about putting yourself out there; it’s about putting the right version of yourself out there that aligns to your customers. Here’s how you can get started and make it authentic.
Get clear on what makes you unique
This is where your story begins. Discover your Core Identity™ for your business. Ask yourself: What is my Core Proposition™? Consider your values, your processes and what is it about you that makes what you do unique. You may need to work with a Business Mentor like myself to help you get on track.
Know your audience inside and out
Discover your own tribe and cater just for them. You need to know what they want, what drives them and the things that they care about. Your personal brand should align to this so that you can make a real impact with the people who want only what you can offer.
Be real, not perfect
People connect with authenticity, not with perfection. In today’s world, people are drawn to real-life stories. Share your ups and downs, talk about challenges, and be honest. This authenticity will help people relate to you, making your brand feel like a friend rather than a salesperson.
Build genuine connections
Customers these days want a genuine experience not brands that just broadcast to them all the time. Show them that you are listening to them and really engage with them. Aim to build a community of raving fans not just one-off transactions.
Show up where your audience is
This is a mistake that many small business owners make. Concentrate on a few platforms that you know that your audience is on. Regularly post, ensuring that your personality shines through. You should make sure that you share your story so that they can get to know you. If you have a consistent online presence, it helps people become more comfortable and more likely to trust your brand.
Don’t just tell, tell your story
We are primed to remember stories rather than facts, so tell more stories! People want to know why you started and how you have overcome challenges. In the coffee shop owner example above, that could mean sharing the story of how you sourced your beans.
A brand should be memorable as well as relatable.
Invest in quality, but don’t overthink it
There is nothing worse than having the wrong visuals for the task in hand! For example, a picture of you on holiday as your profile pic on LinkedIn shouts ‘unprofessional’, unless it was aligned to your brand. For example, you may be a VIP tour concierge and this might be the exact visual you need. It’s all about context.
If your visuals are consistent you start to build up a brand identity that potential customers recognise.
In the end, your brand is your connection
Building a personal brand might feel intimidating, but it’s about sharing who you are and what you care about. It’s about being more than a product or service; it’s about being a person people feel they know and trust. Think of your brand as an ongoing conversation with your customers, one that lets them into your world and gives them reasons to stay connected.
