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If you’re an aspiring business owner or already making waves, you’ve got to pay attention to this game-changer to stand out among the rest: personal branding.
Personal branding is not just about a logo or a snazzy tagline; it’s the reputation you can turn into revenue by unleashing your authentic self and making those oh-so-important connections with customers, investors, and collaborators.
Think about it: underneath every thriving business lies a magnetic force—an incredible personal brand that speaks volumes about who you are and what you stand for. It’s like the heart and soul of your business, shining a light on your values, expertise, and one-of-a-kind story. And the person to help us craft a killer personal brand to help set us apart? It’s my guest today, Rory Vaden.
Rory is a New York Times bestselling author, a recognized expert in business strategy and leadership, a world-renowned speaker, and the Co-Founder of Brand Builders Group and the host of the Influential Personal Brand Podcast.
I can’t think of anyone better to become an influential force in our niches. So, let’s jump in and create an influential personal brand that SELLS!
Personal Brand = Digitized Reputation
In today’s digital age, personal branding has become more important than ever before. With the rise of social media and online platforms, individuals have the opportunity to showcase their skills, expertise, and unique qualities to a global audience. But what exactly IS personal branding?
According to Rory, personal branding is simply defined as the digitization of one’s reputation.
In our conversation, he explains that the concept of personal branding goes beyond the visual aspects such as logos and color palettes. While these elements are important to your brand’s identity, they are NOT the essence of personal branding.
Instead, personal branding is about creating an emotional connection with your audience, conveying your personality, and showcasing your unique strengths and values.
Rory also explains that branding is about taking who you want to be known as and what you want to be known for, and using digital platforms to help more people find you. In other words, personal branding is about curating and showcasing your reputation in the digital space!
Personal Brands Serve Others
According to Rory, personal branding is often misunderstood as being self-centered or narcissistic, but in reality, it is about serving others. It’s about leveraging your unique experiences, skills, and expertise to make a positive impact on the lives of others.
He argues that the most powerful position to serve others is by tapping into the challenges, setbacks, and triumphs that you have experienced in your own life. By sharing your story and the lessons you have learned, you can provide guidance, inspiration, and support to those who are currently facing similar obstacles. Your personal brand becomes a platform for empathy, understanding, and connection.
Personal branding is NOT about fame, wealth, or popularity, but rather it’s about using your platform and influence to help others. In fact, discovering your personal brand can really lead to a healthy dose of self-reflection about who you want to serve and why!
Finding Your Brand DNA
Rory’s company, Brand Builders Group, teaches a six-part process to “find your brand DNA” that helps business owners discover their uniqueness and define their personal brand. Here are the six questions that can guide you towards understanding your personal brand!
- What are you passionate about?
- What problem do you solve?
- What do you have expertise in?
- What have you earned the right to talk about?
- What business do you want to be in?
- What would people be willing to buy from you?
By answering these questions, Rory and his team are confident you can position yourself as an expert in your field, attract the right audience, and build a reputation that turns into revenue.
Speaking of revenue…
How to Monetize A Personal Brand
One of my favorite parts of my discussion with Rory was when he discussed the importance of excelling in ONE area before diversifying. When it seems like everyone and their mother is teaching to diversify your income, Rory gives different advice: do ONE thing exceptionally well, and THEN use your resources to invest in multiple ventures!
He also teaches us the five ways to make money as a personal brand, using the acronym PAIDS:
- P stands for products, where those with a strong personal brand can sell physical products related to their brand.
- A represents ads and affiliates, where personal brands can monetize their audience by selling access to advertisers.
- I stands for information, where personal brands can create and sell courses, certifications, or assessments.
- D represents deals, such as brand deals, TV deals, or book deals, where those with a personal brand can earn royalties.
- S represents services, which involves exchanging time for money and can be a quick way to make money in the short term.
He also introduces the concept of the DARES, which outlines the criteria for an ideal business model. According to Rory, the perfect business model would be digital, automated, recurring, evergreen, and scalable. This model eliminates the need for physical inventory, is self-serve, allows for recurring payments, doesn’t require constant updates, and can handle an unlimited number of customers without increasing overhead costs!
Overall, Rory’s mission is to help you find your unique value and leverage it to create a successful personal brand that you can monetize down the road.
If you’re ready to build a personal brand, book a FREE call with Rory’s team! These calls are specifically designed to help people just like you uncover what problem they solve, get clear on their message and build and monetize their personal brand. Click here to book your call today!
