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Podcast Show Notes
In today’s world of digital marketing and online sales, one thing to understand from the beginning is that you’re “selling” so much more than just your product or service on a daily basis.
Everyday readers of your original content are paying attention to the experience that your brand gives them, and the emotions that you invoke within them.
What this means is that you are not selling your product, service or opportunity…
You’re in reality selling yourself, your image and your reputation.
Which in short, is your personal brand.
You sell your personal brand every time you show up online.
A must As you strengthen your brand
If you follow my Stay in Your Lane Brand Method you know I teach principles based on the START, STRENGTHEN and SCALE phases of your brand and business.
And as you move from starting your business into the STRENGTHEN stage… One of the most effective ways to grow your business and audience of potential customers is by becoming a respected authority or having an expert position in your industry.
I want you to take a few seconds and think about those in different industries that you follow and consider an expert.
- They could be people in your current company or field of work.
- They could be authors of books you’ve read.
- They could be people who teach you new things.
- They could simply be people you find inspirational.
You most likely think highly of these individuals for giving out compelling, valuable, and complimentary advice that helps you witness transformations and achievements in your own life and or business.
In my branding world, you respect these individuals because they consistently share their authentic brand story.
A brand story includes these elements
A brand story includes things like your WHY, what encouraged you to get started in your business, your struggles, and the solutions to those struggles. All of this content should be positioning you as a thought leader and include aspirational elements.
What I’ve witnessed
I’ve seen people do this very well… and then I’ve seen people do this very poorly.
Being in the direct sales industry for several years now I’ve seen so many people claim themselves as an expert because they have reached a certain title rank in the company. Or they give themselves a “top leader” title simply because they have been in the company longer than someone else.
But most times they’ve never earned that AUTHORITY by any value they actually offered to their audience or their teams.
While positioning yourself with authority in your industry is a must … it also needs to be done with humility, transparency, and purpose. You cannot just show up one day and proclaim yourself as the go-to strategist, company leader, or top consultant unless you’re helping other people transform in some way or another.
The same goes for putting others up on a pedestal before they are worthy. Make sure they are offering you valuable and worthwhile information that helps you in your own life and or business.
how to craft your own brand story
In order for YOU to position yourself as an expert in your field, you must tell your authentic brand story over and over again.
How you tell your story will go on to define the way in which you emotionally connect with your audience.
Yes, your goal should be to relate to your niche audience on their level, but it goes beyond that.
As you instill confidence in the results you can deliver them, make sure your niche audience knows your authentic brand story.
Make sure they know you’ve been through their exact problems before, and that you have the solution they need.
A brand story describes the sequence of events that sparked your business’s origin and proves how that tale still drives your purpose today.
Think of it, just like your favorite books and movies’ characters.
If you can develop a compelling brand story, your audience will remember who you are, develop empathy for you, and, ultimately, care about you and gain trust with you.
You want to very intentionally craft your brand story in a way that reinforces confidence in your industry expertise.
my personal brand story
Let me share with you my personal brand story:
A few years into my direct sales business, I was becoming frustrated with the copy and paste marketing tactics reinforced throughout our industry. As a creative, I knew there had to be other ways to connect with my audience than with company photos and sales captions. If I was sick and tired of seeing the same images and promotions in my timeline, I knew my readers had to feel the same way. As I started to change the way I created original content by sharing my authentic journey, personal photos, and giving my audience a behind the scenes look into my business, other business owners wanted to learn how to do the same. Today, I’ve built a branding business built on purpose and authenticity and teach other entrepreneurs how to approach online marketing in a fresh, confident, and strategic way.
Storytelling is key
One thing I stress in all my content is authentic storytelling.
Every time I refer to my own business journey, I tell my brand’s real story, not it’s a highlight reel.
And many of my readers have expressed their gratitude in this fact. I believe this is one aspect of my brand that sets me apart from others.
Every time you share content, the details in your story will build the most trust with your audience. It’s crucial you share the adversity your business has faced, and how you’re working to overcome it or the lessons you learned by overcoming it.
In conclusion
In the end… how to position yourself as an expert in your field while staying authentic is to tell your brand story.
Because what people relate to and get inspired by isn’t endless success. It’s the jagged roadway of pursuing a goal, getting knocked down, and, ultimately, finding a path toward what success looks like for him/her.
Allow people to relate to your drama and emotional journey in order to find inspiration from you as an expert in your field.
Other episodes you may enjoy are “THE REAL REASON PEOPLE UNSUBSCRIBE FROM YOUR EMAILS” or “6 REASONS WHY PERSONAL BRANDING IS A NON-NEGOTIABLE“
Looking for other related content?
Search by the current stage of your brand + business in order to find more relative content to help you along with your journey.
