The Biggest Myth About Personal Branding
Personal branding has a few myths that need to be straightened out. However, in all the years that I’ve been in the game, there is one thing that stands out above all the rest. Most people that claim to have their own personal brand just assume that everybody knows what they do, but the biggest myth about personal branding is exactly that – thinking that the world automatically knows exactly what you do just because you have a website, a social media page, or a business card.
MOST PERSONAL BRANDS AREN’T CLEAR ENOUGH
Just because you’re online doesn’t mean much these days. When I started my journey in the PR space, I thought that I was doing a good job explaining what I did. However, when I would ask people if they could describe my job, most people just thought I was a social media person. But even then, they didn’t really know what I did with social media. Most businesses fall into the same trap of making a general statement online and expecting everyone to know what it means. A few examples of ‘general’ statements that are too vague to be effective are these:
Business coach
Agency
‘Harnessing feminine energy’
‘Challenging men to be better’
‘Making your pets happy’
The problem with these types of statements is that they are too general. You should never lead with this on your social media page or websites because it doesn’t explain what you do. If you are a business coach, what type of business coach? Do you work with startups or millionaires? If you ‘harness feminine energy’, how do you do that? We can’t tell whether you sell books, speak on stages, or are a spiritual coach. If you ‘challenge men to be better’, is that by helping men get in shape, teaching them how to get dates, or building legacies online through their own businesses? If you ‘make pets happy’, is that because you’re a vet or because you sell dog treats? All of these statements are great to use as a slogan, but they should not be the main description of your personal brand.
YOU NEED TO BE PRECISE WITH YOUR LABEL AND MESSAGING
When someone looks at you, your social media page, or your website, they should know exactly what you do within just a few short seconds. My company is all about PR and I encourage everyone to invest into their personal brands, however, if your audience can’t figure out what you do, then all that money and time you spend on your company PR will be wasted. I’ve seen this happen so many times, and you would be wise not to make the same mistake that everyone else is making.
SO HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU’RE BEING CLEAR OR NOT?
My favorite thing to do to figure out if my messaging is clear is to simply ask strangers. Sometimes if I’m waiting for my order at a coffee shop, I’ll pull up my Instagram page or website and ask the person next to me to explain to me what they think I do based on what they see online. If they can figure it out right away, that means my messaging is nice and clear and I don’t need to change anything. However, if it takes them more than thirty seconds to figure it out, if they are only guessing, or if it takes them more than a few tries to get it right, then that means something needs to be changed about the presentation.
REMEMBER THIS: A CONFUSED MIND IS NOT A SOLD MIND
As a personal brand, you need to be the go-to when someone needs help in your area. If your specialty is helping entrepreneurs hit the seven-figure mark, then when someone in your audience is struggling in this area, they should immediately think of you as the solution. If you sell hair products specifically for dry, damaged hair, somebody that starts having problems in this area should think of you as the solution to restoring their hair health. Whatever problem is it that you solve, your audience should think of you when they need a solution. If they are confused, they won’t have a reason to turn to you or trust you.
ASK YOURSELF IF THE WORLD TRULY KNOWS WHAT YOU DO, AND BE HONEST
The hard truth is that nobody cares enough about your business to stalk you if they can’t tell what you do. As I like to say, people are too lazy to dig into your company in order to figure it out. Make things as easy as possible for your audience. Many personal brands are great at being precise, however many of us need to check ourselves. By clearing up your messaging, you gain a much higher chance of landing clients and customers without putting in any extra effort.
So speaking of messaging, here is what we do at Ace of Spades Agency: we are a digital PR agency that works with personal brands to help them get seen and known as the number one in their space. If you’re ready to amplify your personal brand, book a free call with us here to get started.
