Building a powerful brand is more than just a checklist of tasks.
Picturing my brand's early days, I remember when I first got my brand off the ground – those late nights brainstorming ideas, hustling for my audience’s attention, and the excitement of achieving those little milestones. Back then, every call I made felt like a big deal, every decision felt like a make-or-break moment.
During the initial phases, every choice – from my logo design to my social media presence – carried significant weight. These decisions shape the identity and perception of the brand, influencing how my audience perceives and engages with it. Conversely, a misstep might mean losing potential customers or diluting my brand's message. But let’s talk about the real decisions that laid the foundation of my brand.
Craft your origin story and build authority
Do you want to generate demand and leads for your business? This is specifically for SaaS and agency founders, though I believe any solopreneur and consultant can emulate the framework as well.
Generating demand and leads is crucial for every business, essential for its growth and long-term sustainability. At its core, this practice involves attracting potential customers and converting them into actual clients.
Firstly, it fuels business growth. The continual acquisition of new leads translates into an expanded customer base, contributing directly to increased revenue. This growth is not only essential for a business's present success but also for its long-term viability.
Getting new people interested is like having a safety net for your business – it makes sure you're not relying only on the same group of customers all the time.
And remember, when you're trying to get new customers, you often end up trying new things. This can be coming up with new ideas or making your products or services better.
With my hybrid approach to personal branding and content creation, you are going to learn the best way to go from unknown to irresistible. And if you're wondering where to begin, fear not! You've already taken the first step. By now, you should have received a detailed and user-friendly PDF copy of the 8-step brand marketing guide.
My goal is to refine and make it even better in 5 steps.
This is the 1/5 steps designed to build your brand fundamentals.
Two Words Personal Brand
Your personal brand is like your unique stamp – it's how people see and remember you. It's not just about your job or skills; it's also about your personality and what makes you, well, you.
Now, the introduction to your personal brand is super important. It's like the first handshake or saying "hello" to someone new. This introduction sets the stage for how others perceive you in both personal and professional contexts.
Surprise your audience.
Think of two adjectives that put together make an oxymoron. That’s your introduction, a way for people to get a quick idea about you.
Examples: Naïve Optimist; Flawless Pessimist, Smart Nonsense
I am a Naïve Optimist by nature, but you should choose something that feels just right for you. And guess what? You're going to use these words to:
- Optimize your social media bio
-> First impressions matter, think of it as your welcoming front door
- Write your website ‘about’ section
-> This is where you should effectively communicate your identity, values, and what makes you unique
- Stand out in your podcast interviews
-> A well-crafted introduction makes you more memorable to the podcast audience
Maintaining a consistent and optimized presence across different platforms reinforces your brand's identity. Whether someone discovers you on social media, your website, or a podcast, they should get a cohesive sense of who you are and what your brand represents.
Advice 1. Authenticity builds trust. Be genuine in your introduction. Don't try to be someone you're not, and don't overstate your capabilities. Authenticity helps your brand connect with people on a human level.
Advice 2. People relate to people, not just products or services. Humanize your brand.
Show Your Credibility
Give a legitimate reason why people should trust you.
What are your accomplishments?
Share three to five bullet points. Instead of saying, "I'm good at my job," share specific accomplishments. Here is an example of how I do it.
• Amused over 50 businesses to find their first paying client
• Generated over $300k in revenue for clients with email and
• Generated over $150k in revenue for clients with paid media
• Facilitated 1000h in two-hour workshops with participants from 12+ countries
Note: Keep refining those bullet points to make them relevant to your niche audience. Also, keep an eye out for updates as you reach new accolades.
Advice 1. Numbers make your accomplishments more tangible. Whether it's the revenue you generated, the number of clients you helped, or the projects you completed, use data to showcase your impact.
Advice 2. Always be truthful about your accomplishments. Stretching the truth can lead to credibility issues. If a task was a team effort, acknowledge the collaborative effort rather than taking sole credit.
Craft Your Origin Story
The power of your personal branding relies on your storytelling skills. That's your background. You have to connect your past to what you are doing at the moment.
People love stories. Share the story behind your brand – what inspired its creation, the challenges you've overcome, and the values that drive you. A compelling narrative creates an emotional connection. Think of Spiderman before becoming Peter Parker.
• His parents died in a plane crash.
• Bitten by a radioactive spider
• Uncle Ben was killed due to Peter's negligence
Copy this three-step formula to craft your origin story:
• Origin
• Defining moment
• Transformation
Here is how I crafted my origin story:
• traveled to 19 countries before I graduate
• learned email marketing and social media in a startup
• helped two friends with their projects and became a freelancer
I traveled to 19 countries and lived in five by the time I graduated from university. During that time, I was teaching thirty teenage girls entrepreneurship in Uganda. Some of them were single mothers at the age of twelve, trying to make a living as tailors and hairdressers.In 2019 I joined a startup teaching people how to speed-read books. Although my students’ results were great, reading 3-5x faster I was broke.Marketing the speedreading workshop helped me learn email and social media. Then I left the startup to help two friends build their eCommerce store and CRO agency.In one month, I earned more than what I had before earned for a whole year at the startup. That’s how I transitioned from a volunteer to a freelancer.
Note: Don't make it that long. Add one to two sentences for each point.
Advice 1. Emotions drive engagement. Craft your brand story to evoke emotions that resonate with your audience. Whether it's joy, empathy, or inspiration, connecting emotionally creates a memorable experience.
Advice 2. Frame your brand story around the customer's journey. Show how your product or service fits into their narrative and solves a problem. This customer-centric approach makes your brand more relevant and compelling.
4 Key lessons from today:
• Remember, you don't get a second chance to make a first impression.
• Surprise your audience.
• Showcase specific achievements, use numbers, and connect accomplishments to skills to build trust and credibility.
• Tell your story differently. Storytelling is a powerful tool for connecting emotionally with your audience.
Your To-do List:
- [ ] Two Words Personal Brand
- [ ] Craft Your Origin Story
- [ ] Show Your Credibility
Follow → amusedalex for more marketing and productivity strategies.
