What sets certain wedding photographers apart from others? Why do people choose this life coach over that life coach? It may seem random, but it all comes down to personal branding.
You might be wondering, “What the heck is personal branding, Lily?” Well lucky for you, I’m here to break down all the secrets of personal branding.
Before you can run, you gotta walk. So let’s make sure we’re on the same page with our definitions.
Branding is the process of making your business uniquely recognizable through certain attributes like visuals, tone, and style.
Imagine being a wedding photographer in Kansas City, Missouri, the wedding capital of America. An engaged couple has literally hundreds of photographers to choose from. What’s going to make them choose YOU?
In a competitive area, unique branding is vital to set you apart from others offering similar products or services. And that’s why branding isn’t enough to set you apart. You need personal branding.
Personal branding kicks the process up a notch by using your own personality, photos, values, tone, and style to make your business uniquely recognizable as belonging to you.
Going back to our Kansas City wedding photographer example, maybe couples choose you over everyone else because they resonate with your love for French press coffee. Or maybe because you promise to break out on the dance floor with the happy couple. Or maybe because of the way you tell stories through your photographs.
Consistency establishes trust and builds recognition using the same voice, tone, and visuals across all platforms where your brand exists. Creating a consistent presence helps your audience recognize your personality and style whether they visit your Instagram, blog, website, and especially while using your services.
Cohesiveness means your values, mission, and goals align with your messaging, visuals, and actions. If your photo editing style is grunge and grainy, then using light, airy brand colors might confuse your audience. But if your editing style is soft and bright, then those light, airy colors would be perfectly cohesive with your brand.
Creativity might be your most powerful tool. You don’t want to build a personal brand that looks like everyone else’s. You want a brand that’s memorable and meaningful. You can infuse creativity into your personal brand by sharing characteristics that are unique to you. Your characteristics will show up in your content and designs.
Need help finding your creative attributes? Sit down with a piece of paper and pen and make a list of all the parts of you that nobody could replicate or replace!
Real talk: you have to believe in your brand more than anyone else. Your audience is depending on you to tell them exactly what you have to offer and why they need it so desperately. Confidence helps you to effectively communicate your expertise, share your value, and establish yourself as a credible authority in your niche.
Okay, sis, now you have a starting point. You know what a personal brand is and you know the important elements. I just have one question for you…how are you going to build your personal brand? If you need some personal attention, click here to see my brand coaching package, or coach yourself with my bomb dot com digital guide, Branding Basics.
Talk soon 🙂
xoxo,
Lily Notz