The Quick n’ Easy, Down n’ Dirty Way To Create Your Personal Brand

The thought of developing a brand is pretty scary. Some days, it’s hard enough to define what you want for dinner… Now you have to define who you and your business are… in a way that can be instantly recognized? Talk about a tall order!

But it can be done.

And when it comes down to it, the basics can be determined in a quick and easy, down n’ dirty way:

Know who you are! You can’t be everything to everyone. I was recently invited out to coffee with a local person I met on Twitter. We are about the same age and we both teach people to use the internet to market their businesses, although we take very different routes.

The other person chooses to focus on local businesses, and well, you can obviously see what I’m doing – just look at this website! During our meeting, she asked me why I put so much effort on targeting my info to the indie crafts / DIY community.

Well, that’s who I am and that’s who I had in mind when I created this site. Long before I had a website, long before the internet was popular, I was a member of the DIY community. I was lucky enough to grow up in the 90s. If someone wanted to make a record, make a movie, or create a zine, they did it. They didn’t wait around for a corporation to help them out.

I am still the same punk-rock kid I was when I was 15 years old. I think the DIY community is all about empowerment. I’m here to support that, encourage it, and help out in any way I can.

Know Who You’re Talking To: The person I was having coffee with asked if I felt like I was leaving other businesses out of the loop. To be honest, no, I don’t feel that I am. There is nothing on my website that says only certain people can read the info. Yes – I get a lot of traffic from crafters, writers, indie record lables, and so forth. But, I also have lawyers, doctors, and other “corporate” types signing up for my newsletter, too.

I don’t discriminate. The information on this site can be applied to any business. However, when I put information out in the world, I know who I am speaking to. I am speaking to people in their 20s and 30s who want to create their own business, in a very non-corporate way.

Keeping this thought in mind allows for a consistent message. Again, you can’t be everything to everyone. I would rather be considered the “go-to person” for information on starting an indie business than be known for having a hodge podge of info relating to a bunch of different professions. By focusing your efforts on one group of people, you’ll be able to clarify your brand and you’ll have much better success.

Get The Approval Of Your Teenage Self: Back in January, I wrote this blog post. In it, I share my secret for making decisions – both professional and personal. Get your teenage self’s approval. If you are trying to develop your brand, and you feel stuck on who you are or what you believe in, think back to the years between 15 – 17. This is when you were totally sure of yourself and thought you knew everything.

Imagine having a conversation with your teenage self. What would they think of you? Would they think you were the coolest thing ever, or would they scream “I can’t believe I’m going to have that life when I grow up! Why did you do this to me?” (remember, teens are kind of dramatic)

All jokes aside, the point is that your brand starts with you. It has to be authentic. If it isn’t real, people are going to feel that, and they’re not going to want to do business with you.

If your brand seems out of whack or if it just isn’t jiving, go back to the drawing board. Your 15 year old self is not going to lie to you!

Conclusion: Once you have the basics of your brand figured out, keep that thought in mind! Everything you do in your business should grow out from that idea. Your marketing message, the look and feel of your website, the way you communicate with people… everything should flow out from your brand.