Can a Person Be a Brand?

Can a Person Be a Brand?

Jun 13, 2022 | Personal Brand

Anyone can be a brand, and that can happen without any letterhead to back this up. You do not need to be a celebrity either to be a brand or to feel like one. One person can market themselves and that will be key to defining an image.

But a key to this is also living up to the image that you are creating, which means that you need to be on top of your game all the time. That image becomes especially important to both your investors and your clients. When you think about yourself, you also need to make sure that you are a part of the image that you are always wanting to portray.

Can a Person Be a Brand?

If you are not employed yet either, you should know that what you are putting out there is also going to affect your career. The main reason of this is that you need to be aware that your posts and such are what you bring to the table. 

You will see that a potential employer will look at the content that you are sharing on places like social media, that content is often used to judge the potential success you will have in a role as well. 

“People relate to people, and if your brand feels like people, they’ll relate to you, too.”
Laura Busche

When you are defining your brand, you need to be clear about who and what you are. You need to ensure that you can always have your best foot forward. That means that you never want to broadcast any of your personal life or any issues you are going through to the world. Although it may seem impossible at times, you also do not want to look too perfect. 

You need to find a way to show you are relaxed and that you are always following your instincts. Being a go getter is the key to success here.

Pro Tip

Your personal brand should highlight your strengths, establish a reputation, build trust, and communicate the unique attributes that you bring to your current (or desired) industry.

When you think about it and consider things, every person is a brand. You may work for a large company, and you need to represent them in a way that is going to be favorable. 

In addition to that, it is important to make sure that you have content that reflects what you are doing in your business and in your endeavors on a regular basis. The way that you are presenting yourself tot the world as well as the way that you are working on your current state will be important for the way that people are thinking of you.

Understanding You as The Brand

When it comes to personal branding, it is critical for every profession as well as for your reputation. That means that you can really grab the attention of customers, clients, and employees by really marketing yourself as different. You need a personal brand statement; this gets the attention of anyone you want to do business with and make sure that people know who you are. 

When you have a famous brand statement, you will be able to communicate your expertise as well as also make other people want to learn more about you. When you are connecting with others, they will continue to know what is important about you.

Where Can You Use Your Personal Brand Statement?

You can use your statement as an addition on your social media platforms. You can also add it to your resume as it is a wonderful way to ensure that you are able to show your statement near your name.

If you have an online portfolio, this is also a wonderful place to make sure that you are always going to get the attention of your audience.

How You Can Craft a Great Personal Statement

When you are writing out your own personal statement, you need to ensure that you are working on these steps. 

  • 1. Be brief and direct: This will mean that you are going to want to get the attention of the audience and you are going to say what you need to quickly. When you are making a first impression, you have only a few seconds to make an impression.

    For that reason, you need to make sure that you can get the attention of your audience and do it quickly.
  • 2. Always Update Your Statement: You should have a statement that is always being consolidated and that is going to help you with the process of making your goals. You should revisit your personal statement every three to six months.

    That will make sure that you are always on point.

Pro Tip

Cultivated well, your personal brand will signal to employers whether or not you’ll be the right fit for an open role.

  • 3. Do Not Exaggerate: When it comes to making sure that you have a high-quality brand statement, you need to know that you are going to never be dishonest about your abilities. A large part of this means that you should always be very authentic.
  • 4. Show Your Strengths Always: You have values and abilities that you want to always work on showcasing. When you are genuine about your expertise, you are going to maintain your professionalism in a way that will make you authentic and will lead to others being impressed by your skill.

Protecting your personal brand is critical to ensuring that you can have success in all your endeavors. As much as your reputation is critical to your success, so is your brand. Just like you it should also be always evolving and ensuring that you have shown your experience as well as your areas of growth. 

One of the keys to your success as well as always in the fact that you never are bombastic about your skills. Always remaining approachable as well as open to your audience is a wonderful way to know that you will grow as a person and that your brand will grow.

Action Item

Write what you do well and what you feel passionate about.

Your brand statement is a statement of your truth, you are also a brand in and of yourself. Be prepared to stay on top of your image and your brand and the rest of your customers, clients, and followers will take care of themselves. A brand is something that must be protected and that will always be gold.

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How to Boost Your Personal Brand with Social Media

How to Boost Your Personal Brand with Social Media

May 30, 2022 | Personal Brand

When it comes to creating content and sharing it online, you are creating content that reflects your personality and your professional skills. Even if you are only using social media on an occasional bias, what you are creating is sharing a narrative. 

You need to see that how you are conducting yourself online is as important as you are offline. When it comes to building your brand, you need to have a noticeably clear plan. The content you are creating will also help you to build valuable connections and to find new ways to ensure that the brand you are creating is working for you. 

Branding
  • 1. Update All of Your Social Media Accounts. A big part of success is to ensure that you have a noticeably clear plan for the accounts that you are using. You want to also delete all the ones that you are not using, which means that you want to ensure that all the information out there is going to be complete as well as accurate.

    When you do this, it will help you to grow your traffic as well as to share more information with the networks, this will highlight you and your work. If you have any content as well that is out there that has a questionable tone, you will also see that it can have a negative effect on your brand and your image. You want to take the time and remove it as quickly as possible.
  • 2. Have a Clear Area of Expertise? You need to decide what it is that you are going to do and know that you are focusing on a specific area. You need to think about the kinds of content that have been successful with your audiences in the past and decide how you are going to increase that brand.

    The more unique and engaging the content that you share is, the more you are going to see that your followers are going to think of you as a definitive e brand in that area.
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”
Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett
  • 3. Posting is Easy with the Right Apps. There are so many things that can make posting hard for you. You have forgotten a password, you are dealing with a crazy day job, whatever the issue is, there are many apps out there that can make your life a lot easier.

    A few of them are Sprout, Buffer, and Hootsuite which allow you to connect to all your platforms and from there make and schedule different content. That means that you do not need to worry about having to log into many websites and you will see that there are many solutions that can be set up quickly and easily.

Action Item

Find the right groups. Facebook and LinkedIn both offer great opportunities to join groups focused on specific topics or industries.

  • 4. Share Content on a Regular Basis. When it comes to social media, in the early days it was all about how often you were posting. If you posted a lot, you were going to get a lot of engagement. Now though if you are posting too much you are going to alienate your audience.

    What that means is that you want to post 3-4 times a week for individuals. That means that it is important to have one or two networks that you are focusing on to ensure that you are reaching that sweet spot of 3-4 times a week.

    You also do not want to focus on six or more networks all at the same time. There are going to be some days when you do not post, when you are not that is also fine. You need to know the social media metrics you are working on, look at all the data that is out there and then decide what it is that you want to focus on.

    That also means that you need to look at sites and see what is trending on social media. You want to use the tags and the aggregator sites to see what hashtags trending are.
  • 5. Import All Your Contacts. There are tons of people that you already know on all the social media networks you are using. You may know tons of people as well with which you have not connected. Take the time to import your contacts in Outlook, Gmail, and across all the other networks for any connections you are missing.
  • 6. Keep All Your Social Posts Positive and Engaging to Your Audience. One thing that is especially important, is that you want to have a famous brand. But it also must reflect you. That means that you need to show what you are doing on a regular basis and that you want the impression to be positive. You should think of your online interactions as an online work resume.

    The reason for this is that people need to see your professional outlook and your attitude. A large part of that also means that you will want to also do all that you can to ensure that you have a famous brand. You need to be ready to talk about all your achievements and be ready to share some information about your personal life.

    That means that you should not be afraid to share things about travel and your hobbies.
Branding

If you are concerned about not being able to voice your opinions as clearly as you want. You may want to have a personal and a private account so that you are going to be able to ensure that you have personal pages for friends and family and professional pages for the right people and opportunities as they present themselves. 

Building your brand through social media is something that will be a journey and something that is especially important for you to be successful in your online branding. 

Remember to create content that is meaningful to you and to your audience and you will continually grow your online presence as well as those who want to follow your content and your growth as a professional. Keep it light and fun and you will have an audience come to you!

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Why Do Public Speakers Make More Money Than You?

Why Do Public Speakers Make More Money Than You?

Jul 19, 2021 | Public Speaking

This is a question that I get asked a lot: “Why do speakers earn so much more money than you?” It is a fair question and it deserves a reasonable answer. 

First, let’s look at why earning money has ever been important to humans. In all the cultures of the world, people have always been trying to improve the state of their lives by earning money or augmenting their income.

We hear stories about people who live in extreme poverty who still managed to send their children to school. 

Now, let’s say you are in a similar situation to the poor people of the world. You have goals you’d like to achieve. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that if you worked hard enough, you would eventually get there? That someday you might be able to buy your own home and have your own car?

“A good speech should be like a woman's skirt; long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest.”
Winston S. Churchill

Well, if you’re like most people in the world, this is pretty much impossible. You might earn a little bit of money here and there, but compared to what you’d have to give up, giving up is a much better choice. 

This is where the importance of income comes into play for public speakers. These speakers can actually command huge incomes simply by giving a speech.

In fact, some of the most famous stars in the world earn their entire living from speaking, traveling, or creating a company from their speeches. The same is true for authors, athletes, doctors, lawyers, etc. 

This raises a very good question: How did the rich and famous get to where they are without any effort on their part?
The answer is simple: They made themselves rich through hard work and dedication. There are a lot of people in the world who think that public speakers just come to speak, give a speech, and then disappear into the void of oblivion. This could not be further from the truth​.

Action Item

Film every talk so you get the most value out of it. Post the talk online. Share it with your networks.

In order to become a speaker, you first need to learn how to speak. You need to practice your craft and polish your skills until you’re perfect. 

After that, you need to build your portfolio, or your portfolio consists of all the speeches and workshops you’ve ever given. You can also sell your speeches and writings online, and network with other speakers and experts. 

This way, when you give a speech at an event, no one will know who you are or how much you’ve made through your previous speeches and writings.

Pro Tip

Practice is the way to overcome fear.

Once you have built up your portfolio and your business, you can then use the hard-earned money to give speeches and presentations. 

Most speakers make between six and eight thousand dollars per hour, so don’t let this number mislead you. This is simply the tip of the iceberg.

The best public speakers in the world make well over a hundred thousand dollars per hour, which means if you were to ever do an interview on an evening news show, and you were to compare the amount of money these speakers make to the salary of an average college student, you’d find that these speakers would have made much more. 

If you want to get paid for giving a speech, you can certainly do it.

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How Do You Put Together Motivational Speaker Branding?

How Do You Put Together Motivational Speaker Branding?

Jul 16, 2021 | Public Speaking

A lot goes into putting together motivational speaker branding. You need to have clear, concise messaging that sticks in people’s minds. It needs to be memorable and unique so that you stand out from the other speakers who are doing what you do. 

And of course, it needs to touch on your strengths and set you apart as a leader in this space. In this article, I’ll discuss how to put together motivational speaker branding for yourself or someone else! 

What is the speaker's style, personality, and a voice like?

  • A speaker who wants to be seen as an authority and expert in their field.
  • Speakers should share anecdotes from the stage that demonstrate how they are qualified for this position of authority.
  • If you can create moments where people connect with you on a personal level, then it is more likely that they'll go away feeling uplifted or inspired by what they've heard.
  • Find ways to make yourself stand out at every opportunity possible through managing tone (whether serious or lighthearted), language choice (determined by region), or topic selection.
  • Try to mention your credentials while you're on stage - share a story from the past and use it as an example of how you can speak with authority.
  • There are plenty of opportunities for speakers to build their personal brands.
  • This includes everything from social media presence (in particular LinkedIn) through speaking style or quality.
  • Promote yourself in any way possible, so people know who they'll be listening to when they buy tickets for future events or come along to see you speak live at venues around the world.
“He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.”
Joseph Conrad

How are they different from other speakers on the same topic

  • Motivational speakers are not necessarily experts on the topic they speak about but use their personal experiences to inspire others.
  • Motivational speakers usually focus on an emotional connection rather than facts and figures, which is why it's important for them to be relatable as well as compelling.
  • The key skills that make a successful motivational speaker include charisma, humor, intelligence, confidence, authenticity, and empathy.

Action Item

Create and maintain a speaker website.

What are the most important qualities of a motivational speaker?

  • Charisma, humor, intelligence, confidence, authenticity, and empathy.

What are some of the most common techniques used by motivational speakers to connect with an audience?

  • Using their personal experiences and stories to get the point across. If they have ever been in a situation similar to one that someone else is going through, there's usually high empathy between them both which helps build rapport.
  • Keeping things lighthearted but still serious enough, so people know what you're talking about or at least care enough not to tune out completely. You need balance in order for it all not to be too heavy or overwhelming because then nobody would want any part of your message!
  • It's important for motivational speakers' interactions with audiences when speaking live include: eye contact, smiling, and lots of hand gestures!

Why should people go to this event instead of others?

People usually attend a motivational speaker event because they want to be inspired or filled with hope. They may also have been feeling low and need some advice on how to bounce back from their current situation. 

Other times, people come for the sole purpose of hearing new ideas about how to overcome challenges in life so that they can take away practical strategies which will help them feel more in control of their lives again.

A lot of audiences are looking for different things when attending these events, but one thing is always clear: whatever it is you’re looking for, this type of content has something relevant for everyone!

What is their backstory, and what makes them qualified to speak about this topic?

The backstory of a speaker is often the most compelling and memorable part of their presentation. A lot can be learned just by listening to someone’s story. 

As you’re developing your brand, consider what makes each person different from other speakers in this space. What does that make them qualified to speak about? How do they bring value or provide unique perspectives?

What’s the speaker’s story? How did they end up in this space? What made them want to pursue a career as an inspirational speaker or subject matter expert? Have we done anything to address any personal obstacles that have been faced on their journey (e.g., disabilities, lack of mentors)?

“It’s much easier to be convincing if you care about your topic. Figure out what’s important to you about your message and speak from the hear.”
Nicholas Boothman

Who influences them and how do they use that influence in their speaking engagements?

Many speakers are influenced by other motivational speakers that they’ve listened to or come across. How do you use this same influence in your own engagements? 

There’s a lot of pressure on the speaker, and it can be hard for them to know how much is too much when talking about their influences.

  • What ways have you seen influencer branding work best in regards to speaking engagement: You may want to talk about something like what an audience member might not expect from someone with your background - maybe discussing some facts they didn't realize before hearing you speak.
  • It could also mean posing questions back at the audience during your presentation or Q&A session - if they're unfamiliar with who has been influential for me as a speaker, they may have had a similar experience with someone they've listened to or come across. How do you use this same influence in your own engagements?
  • What can speakers learn from the influencers that are attending their event: There's no right answer, but it might be helpful for them to hear what other attendees think and why - just like any speaker would want feedback on their presentation content!

Pro Tip

Claim your space and showcase your skills.

What are some common topics they give speeches on?

A motivational speaker will typically speak on topics such as the power of positive thinking, achieving your goals, and using discipline. Other common subjects include success in sales, leadership skills, and time management.

Final words

Your personal branding is the way that others see you. It’s how they come to know and understand who you are, your values, and what you’re all about. A great speaker can have a lot of success with effective branding and it doesn’t need to be complicated in order for it to work! 

Learning more about yourself will help make this process easier – if nothing else, just ask family or friends what words they would use when describing who you are as an individual; their answer might surprise you!

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10 Tips to Gain Confidence in Public Speaking for Introverts

10 Tips to Gain Confidence in Public Speaking for Introverts

Jul 13, 2021 | Public Speaking

Public speaking can be overwhelming for anyone, but introverts often find it especially challenging. Small talk with strangers or talking to large groups of people can feel like an insurmountable task for someone who has a social anxiety disorder. However, there are ways to build confidence and get started in public speaking if you’re an introvert. 

This blog post will offer 10 tips on how to gain confidence in public speaking as an introvert.

Practice your speech beforehand

You may be thinking, “who has time to practice their speech beforehand?” The good news is that you have plenty of opportunities to do so. You can work on your public speaking in the car, at home, while walking around town–anytime and anywhere!

Practice rehearsing out loud until it sounds like a natural flow from start to finish.

“Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Find a supportive friend or family member to listen to you practice and give feedback

You already know you can’t get over your fear of speaking in public on your own. You need a friend or family member to help you practice so they can give feedback and point out any mistakes you made during the speech.

Know that it is okay if you mess up - just keep going!

The first thing you should know is that it’s okay if you mess up. The most important thing in public speaking is to keep going – as long as what you say after the mistake has value, then no one will care too much about your previous error!

  • It isn't a bad idea to have an "oops" plan beforehand for when things go wrong (have notes on index cards or remember where something was discussed).

Action Item

Find a supportive friend or family member to listen to your practice and give feedback.

A lot of people find public speaking nerve-wracking, and introverts are no exception. The first thing you should know is that it’s okay if you mess up – just keep going! It isn’t a bad idea to have an “oops” plan beforehand for when things go wrong (have a friend in the audience who will help or bring your speech on index cards).

Face the audience with confidence, even if you're not feeling confident inside

  • Face the audience with confidence, even if you're not feeling confident inside. The more eye contact you make with your listeners or viewers, the more likely they'll be able to connect with what it is that you are saying and find common ground.
  • Smile! When people see a smile (especially on camera), they feel happy too. And remember: everyone in the audience has been quietly sitting there for as long as 10 minutes waiting for you to speak, so don't rush through your presentation because of nerves; take all 10 minutes just like any other speaker would.
  • If at all possible, stand up while speaking behind a podium--this way, your voice will project better throughout the room without relying solely upon mics which can cause feedback issues.
Face the audience with confidence

Smile Before, During And After Speaking; People Will Be More Receptive To What You Have To Say

A smile doesn’t just make someone feel good- it can also make you seem more confident! Smiling increases your self-esteem, putting you in a better mood which makes others like the things you say more. A study found that people who smiled during their presentations were perceived as more confident than those that did not. 

When talking with an introvert, try smiling at them to help put them at ease when speaking to crowds or handling large groups of individuals.”

“Your smile will give you a positive countenance that will make people feel comfortable around you.”
Les Brown

Speak from your heart, rather than reading off of notes or a script

When you write, your brain is scanning the page to find meaning. When you speak, it’s a direct connection from your mind to other people’s minds. When we read words aloud, our brains start looking for ways to make sense of them and often get distracted by what could be going on around us instead. 

That means that when we attempt public speaking without using notes or a script, there are fewer distractions in their head.

Pro Tip

Don't Read Unless You Have to.

  • Speak with conviction
  • Make eye contact
  • Be passionate about what you're talking about
  • Use pauses for emphasis
  • Practice, practice, practice!
  • Know your audience and speak to their needs. Speak in a way that will resonate with them.
  • Put yourself out there without worrying about what other people may think of you. You're not making speeches in public; you are simply talking to people who want to listen (and, more importantly, need to hear) what you have to say!

Give yourself time in between public speeches so that when it's time for another one, they won't feel like the first one all over again

Give yourself time in between public speeches so that when it’s time for another one, they won’t feel like the first one all over again. This will also allow you to get your thoughts together and make any necessary changes before presenting them to an audience. 

You’ll start feeling more confident with each speech because no matter how long of a break you take from speaking publicly, by the 10th or 15th speech, nerves should have dissipated substantially.

Tell yourself "I can do this"

The first way to gain confidence in public speaking for introverts is by telling yourself, “I can do this.” It’s important that you believe in yourself and your abilities before the day of your presentation. If you start feeling doubts or worries about the possibility of failing at some point during your speech, remember what got you here – YOU! 

You have worked hard and are prepared for this moment; no one else has been through it like you have. The only person who knows how difficult it was to get where they are right now is them. So tell themselves, “I am going to kill it!” with conviction because if there’s anything an introvert needs when they speak publicly, it’s a little more self-confidence.

Talk about something that interests you

Now, when you’re talking about yourself and your interests to people, this is something that will make them more interested in you.

“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.”
William Morris
  • You can do this by sharing pictures on social media of what interesting things are happening in your life (i.e., vacations, new purchases).
  • Or talk with the person/people who want to know more about you for a long time before moving onto other topics or meeting someone else like they suggest - if it's possible!

Keep breathing! It helps calm down nerves

Public speaking is a form of performance art, and that means you’ll have to get in the zone before starting. One way to do this is by breathing deeply–it will help calm down your nerves. 

Take deep breaths through your nose for at least 10 seconds each time, then exhale slowly through pursed lips or nostrils (whichever feels more comfortable) for another 10 seconds. Keep doing this until you feel relaxed enough to speak.

Action Item

Face the audience with confidence, even if you're not feeling confident inside.

Before walking into the room

When waiting outside of the speech venue beforehand, take some deep breaths as well so that when it’s time to start speaking, you won’t be totally out of breath and find yourself gasping for air halfway through your talk!

Final Words

You may be surprised by how much you can accomplish with a little practice. So go ahead, get up there and speak! It’s worth it to make your voice heard. Be sure to subscribe for more tips on self-care as well.

Final Words

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