“Do I really need a brand?”
This is a question I’m often asked by writers and creatives. And I get it. The idea of a personal brand feels gimmicky and non-artistic. But regardless of where you stand on branding, here’s the thing you need to know as a writer: You have a brand.
The idea of branding has been around for centuries. Going all the way back to ancient Egypt, people have “branded” their cattle as a way of claiming ownership.
Today, the concept of branding—in general—hasn’t varied far from its historic roots. At its core, branding is an impression you leave on someone. So, if you’ve shared your writing with anyone, then you have left an impression on them, which means you have a brand.
As a writer, you need to proactively develop your brand. Don’t read this as some sort of marketing activity I’m recommending. That’s not what I’m saying at all. What I am saying is that if you’re going to share your writing with anyone else, then you need to take steps toward forming the opinion you want your readers to have of you.
This week on The Portfolio Life, Chris Ducker and I talk about what it means to have your own brand, and steps you can take toward building your brand the smart way. Chris goes into detail on what you need to do from the outset, how to attract the right people to you and your message, and how to make your writing and business unreproducible.
Chris is also closing out this year’s Tribe Conference. He will go into a lot more detail on how to build your personal brand with practical exercises you can complete during the conference. You'll leave with confidence that you’re on the right track.
So, if you haven’t already, click here to get your ticket for the Tribe Conference.
Listen to the podcast
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Show highlights
In this episode, Chris and I discuss:
- How Chris got his start as an entrepreneur.
- The importance of being yourself from the outset.
- Why marketing is like a magnet.
- Youpreneur, the entrepreneurial community Chris started.
- Embracing a people-to-people business mindset.
- How to become someone’s favorite person to do business with.
- Making pivots to explore new business opportunities.
- Focusing only on what you do best, and outsourcing the rest.
- The right time to start thinking about outsourcing your work.
- Why time is your most valuable commodity.
Quotes and takeaways
- You are your brand, and no one can take that away from you.
- No entrepreneur has a monopoly on good ideas.
- People want to do business with people, so it’s important to become someone’s favorite.
- You can pivot with your work at any time if your passions change or new opportunities are presented.
- Focus on what you can do, and delegate the rest to other people.
Resources
- Tribe Conference 2016.
- Youpreneur.
- Virtual Freedom, by Chris Ducker.
- All Marketers Are Liars, by Seth Godin.
- Tropical Think Thank.
- Download the full transcript here.
What are you willing to let go of to save yourself time and build your brand? Share in the comments.
