How to build a personal brand (when you don’t want to be an influencer)
Thinking about developing a personal brand? As someone who’s placed thousands of articles in press, these are the five things I recommend you do first.
From Forbes and Glamour to The Grocer and BBC, I’ve been featured in dozens of press placements and podcasts and have helped to develop stories for hundreds of companies and individuals looking to develop their personal brand to support their business.
[Credit: I need more head shots. Elspeth Vincent]
If you’re wondering, what is a personal brand? It’s kind of like viewing yourself as a commodity. It’s simply defining, and then promoting what you want to be known for, or stand for as a person (not a product).
I keep seeing sessions promoted around “how to create a personal brand,” but these are often led by influencer-types with established followings who are focused on achieving recognition for themselves (not a company). Many of my agency clients, however, want to build their profiles to benefit their businesses and aren’t totally comfortable when it comes to appearing on social media. Now, to be clear, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with raising your profile in any way that resonates with you - whether that’s driven by a passion for fashion or an obsession with your pet. But here, I want to share ways to build credibility around your expertise, ultimately with the goal of benefiting your business.
So, if you’re wondering, how do you start to build your personal brand in relation to your expertise, these are the first five things I recommend you focus on:
Craft a Compelling Biography
This needs to be succinct and include who you are and why you’re uniquely qualified to comment on specific topics.
Invest in Professional Assets
A decent headshot that’s suitable for printing (at least 1MB in size) should accompany the copy. Where possible, use a professional design layout for your bio to signal that you’re a serious individual.
Share Ideas on What You Could Speak About
Include a list of topics that showcase your expertise and align with the current press agenda—think newsworthy, topical ideas.
Write an Email Pitch vs. Just Sending the Full Release
With your bio ready, craft a brief, clear email pitch. From podcast producers to news writers, journalists are time-poor with lots of deadlines to meet, so summarise why you’re reaching out, what you can speak on with authority, and why you’re qualified to do so.
Don’t Waste Time Reaching Out to the Wrong People
Research your contacts to ensure your outreach is relevant to the person or placement —don’t waste your time or the journalist’s.
Be patient. Profile building can take longer than any other type of media outreach.
Would You Like My Help Developing Your Personal Brand?
I’m going to try something new here. For paying subscribers I’m offering some personalised support on developing a personal brand, this includes:
Advice that we share with Known agency clients, including a list of questions to guide you in crafting your biography to help make it compelling for media.
Details of which angles you can focus on to get the attention of press, and help you build a personal brand.
A guide on how to write the bio Vs. your press pitch.
You will also receive a chance for me to review your completed biography and pitch, providing one round of feedback to improve your approach.
For annual subscribers, you can also have your biography professionally designed by the Known team.