You know what’s cool? Seeing clothes are using my framework to build their own personal brands. It’s really inspiring to see how people can take something I created and make it their own. That’s why I’m revising the framework here and on my personal website, to share the knowledge and help even more people succeed.
I never set out to build a personal brand back in 1998, when I first started building an online audience. But looking back, I realise that’s exactly what I was doing – investing in myself. I’m also building my reputation as a creative entrepreneur. By growing a strong reputation, I was able to gain access to all kinds of opportunities and build multiple successful businesses like Chubbiverse and become a brand ambassador for Lenovo.
It just goes to show you – building a personal brand isn’t about being famous or having a million followers. It’s about creating a reputation and a platform that you can leverage to achieve your goals and live the life you want. And I’m excited to share my insights and experiences with you, so you can do the same.
What is Personal branding, and why is it important?
Personal branding is crucial for busy professionals who want to stand out in a competitive job market and busy leaders who want to attract new opportunities. Personal branding involves creating an international public perception.
A great personal brand highlights your uniqueness: your value proposition, skills, strengths, and experiences. By doing this, we are able to leverage online platforms to communicate our ‘uniqueness’.
It can help you build authority and influence so you can create your own path. Let me introduce you to my 7Vs framework. Each V can stack up to build your personal brand.
I reworked the order to focus on busy professionals and leaders.
The first V is for Value: What’s unique about you?
V is for value, and it’s all about showcasing what makes you unique and valuable.
There are two types of values that you can leverage to build your personal brand pick one, it could be:
a) be guided by your belief system (this is key to maintaining an authentic brand)
b) highlighting your ‘superpower’ (aka your value proposition)
If you want to be authentic: Your personal self-worth is about being true to yourself and your beliefs. When your brand is driven by purpose and meaning, it will resonate with your audience and open new doors for you.
If you want to sell your superpower: While your superpower is the expertise, skills, or service that sets you apart in your field. It’s important to discover your superpower, think about what you’re known for and what problem you can solve for others.
V is your Vision: What’s your North Star?
Having a clear idea of where you want to be in the future, it is easier to develop a strategy for personal branding, and make it happen. It’s like having a North Star that guides you towards your goals and aspirations. This might include being the go-to-expert in your field, or advancing your career from a junior to C-Level. Having a North Star, will keep you motivated and focused, especially when times will get tough.
Take the time to reflect on their vision and ask themselves some big questions. Think about:
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- What do you want to be known for in 5 to 10 years?
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- Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
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- What kind of impact do you want in your industry?
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- What kind of success do you want to achieve?
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- What kind of lifestyle do you want to have?
V is your Voice: Tactics to amplify your voice
When it comes to personal branding, consistency and authenticity are key. That’s why creating content is such a powerful way to build your personal brand. It’s not just about what you say, but how you say it. Your voice or ‘content’ should reflect your values and vision, and it should be consistent across all platforms and channels. By creating engaging content that highlights your uniqueness, such as your superpower, you can attract followers and build a loyal community around your personal brand.
A common mistake many people make is trying to be everywhere all at once. Instead, focus on a platform that aligns with your communication style. If you like writing, consider growing a newsletter on Substack. If you enjoy staying up-to-date on news and trends, Twitter might be the right platform for you. LinkedIn is a great place to advance your career. If you like talking to people, create a podcast around your field. Videos will be a good counter for AI, and it has the ability to build trust.
Remember, it also takes about 10 touchpoints for a core message to really sink in. It’s not that people have short-term memories, but rather that we’re all competing for attention and mindshare. That’s why it’s important to be intentional and strategic about the content you create and the platforms you choose to share it on. Doing so can build a personal brand that truly resonates with your audience and helps you achieve your goals.
You’ve made it this far, hi5.
Starting out? The first three V’s is great. Focus on knowing yourself.
Ready to grow? When you’re ready to monetise or grow an audience, the next 4 V’s will be valuable steps for you to integrate.
I also have a worksheet here if you’re ready to put your thinking into action. Check out the worksheet with the button below.
V is for ‘Volk” as in Folks: Who are your audience that you’re helping?
Have you heard of the car brand Volkswagen? Its name translates to ‘car for the people’ in German. Particularly, volk rhymes with ‘folks’. This is a great reminder that growing your audience, or your “volk,” is a crucial aspect of building your personal brand and increasing your visibility online.
The key to building a strong audience is to create content that resonates with them. By understanding their needs and interests, you can tailor your content to meet their expectations and keep them engaged. When the first 3V’s align: that’s your values, vision, and voice, and it matches the needs of your audience, you can create a magical connection that inspires them to keep coming back for more.
An audience is a one-way conversation.
But if you plan to monetise, it’s key to focus on growing a community, which is more focused on having two-or-many conversations.
When you’re ready, take the time to understand your audience and their unique perspectives. Ask for feedback and engage with them regularly to build trust and rapport. Engage with them in the comments. With patience and persistence, you can grow a loyal community that will support you and your personal brand for years to come.
V is for ‘Visuals’ – What is your visual identity?
When it comes to creating a brand identity, visuals are crucial. Emojis, colors, and logos all play a part in making your brand visually appealing and memorable. They serve as visual shortcuts for people to remember who you are and what you represent.
To illustrate this, I like to use my personal example of using fried chicken to make people think of me. Just like how people might associate KFC with fried chicken, I want people to associate me with it too. This way, when they see a fried chicken restaurant or even a bucket of fried chicken, they will think of me and my personal brand.
Part of brand identity is your website and social media profiles. They are like doors that allow people to experience your brand and what you stand for. They provide a space for you to showcase your personal brand, and visual identity helps create a lasting impression.
V is for ‘Validation’ – How do you measure your brand’s growth?
Validation is an important aspect of personal branding as it helps measure your brand’s growth. It ensures that you are on the right track. It’s crucial to have flexible benchmarks to measure success and make adjustments as needed. Regularly monitoring and analysing these validation signals can help you understand what is working and what needs to be improved to continue growing your brand. With a growth mindset and a willingness to adapt, you can achieve long-term success in personal branding.
Here are some benchmarks or validation to tweak to suit your goals:
- Grow on LinkedIn from 0 to 1000 followers.
- Start a Substack, and grow a community to 100 true fans of marketers.
- Track the amount of genuine comments
- Track the amount of DMs
- How many fried chicken references do I get in a month
Finally, V is for Victory: Are you creating your life with your personal branding?
To achieve victory in personal branding, you need to transition your creativity from a side gig or hobby to a business mode.
It’s about making money and monetising your brand, which means you need to understand the business model that will help you develop a product or service that resonates with your audience.
This shift requires a change in mindset, from seeing your brand as a passion project to viewing it as a profitable venture. By doing so, you can establish yourself as a leader in your niche and create your own path to success.
Learn from competitors and see what they are doing. Or study case studies like how Mr Beast went from creator to a food brand.
Recap: Grow your personal brand
Building a successful personal brand requires consistency and authenticity in your messaging, understanding and engaging with your audience, creating valuable and relevant content, and monetising your brand with a solid business model. By following the 7Vs framework – vision, voice, value, validation, volk, visibility, and victory – you can create a brand that reflects your values and vision, resonates with your audience, and sets you up for long-term success. With dedication and effort, anyone can build a strong personal brand and achieve their desired level of success.
If you’re ready, check out the worksheet.
