TDW #026: A Personal Brand That Generates Revenue, Not Fame

We're diving into the world of personal branding and how you can create a brand that not only stands out, but also brings in the cash.

Yes, you heard me right. It's time to make your unique qualities, experiences, and idiosyncrasies your one and only competitive advantage.

We'll cover the five steps you need to take to make your personal brand shine, from focusing on yourself and your unique traits, to identifying your Difference Factor and creating an offer that delivers specific outcomes to your dream client.

And of course, we can't forget about content and messaging—the shining lights that bring your offer to life. So, let's dive in and make your personal brand one that people will remember for all the right reasons.

Are you ready to make some serious money by being the one and only you? Let's do this!

Step 1: You

The first step in creating a personal brand that makes you money is to focus on… yourself. Not in a selfish way. But in a “to thine own self be true” kinda way. In short, you have to know who you are. After all, there's no one like you. And never will be.

Your unique qualities, experiences, and idiosyncrasies are your one (and only) competitive advantage. While everything else can be commoditized, copied, or commandeered—”there is only one you for all time.”

It's essential to embrace your uniqueness and leverage it to your advantage. This means getting super comfortable with your:

• Fears
• Wants
• Dreams
• Frustrations

…and then blending those into your brand whenever possible.

So many of us feel the need to stifle our true personality in business. So you end up sounding like everyone else. Which means you get ignored… Like everyone else.

Step 2: Your Difference Factor

Your Difference Factor is a combination of the skills, experience, and perspective you bring to the table. It's what sets you apart from others in your industry. In short, it’s the outward manifestation of your inner self.

It is mission critical to identify your Difference Factor and leverage it to create a personal brand that stands out (and makes you money).

As an example, my friend Eddy is a killer copywriter. As you’d expect, he talks about writing.

But he also loves watermelon. He talks about eating melons. He posts pictures of melons. He reminds his audience to eat melons. As far as I know, he’s the only watermelon-loving copywriter on the internet.

And that’s the whole point. Amongst a sea of other copywriters on the internet, Eddy stands out because of… watermelon. Simple. But effective. (And a huge part of his personal brand.)

A profitable personal brand is called “personal” for a reason. The more personal you can make it, the more profitable you’ll be.

Step 3: Your Offer

Once you've identified your Difference Factor, the next step is to create an offer that delivers a specific outcome to your dream client. Your offer should be tailored to solve a specific problem your dream client is facing.

Your offer needs to deliver the specific outcome to your dream client in a way only you can provide it. This is the difference between a boring, forgettable personal brand and a brand that prints cash. Your specific offer is the difference between a business that’s barely getting by and a business full of abundance and opportunity.

It’s taking a risk and creating something that gets people where they want to go in a custom-made vehicle created by you.

Donald Miller has STORY brand. Did he invent marketing? No. Of course not. But his offer gets people marketing results in a way that only Don can provide them.

Or take Karen’s Diner. The tagline is “Great Burgers & Very Rude Service”. At first glance, the offer seems like that of any other diner out there—mediocre, greasy diner food. But the wait staff literally insults you the whole time you’re there. It’s part of the schtick. A wait staff full of “Karens” who complain about everything—genius.

Step 4: Your Content

Content is a way for you to create momentum around your offer. It’s a way to shine a light on your offer on a daily basis. It’s a way for people to get to know who you are, like who you are, and trust who you are. The more you post, the faster the process goes.

There’s only four content mediums: audio, video, text, and design. There’s only two modes in which to deliver your content: long-form and short-form. Pick the medium and the mode you enjoy the most and stay consistent.

But you should know… there’s a right and wrong way to do content:

• The wrong way is creating content for the sake of creating content. This is like jumping on a fast-moving treadmill with no way to get off.
• The right way, however, it’s all about value. Your content needs to add value both to you and your audience.

You need to get value from your content: new more, eyeballs, more opportunities, more clients.

Your audience needs to get value as well: it makes them smarter, richer, or both.

Step 5: Your Messaging

Think of your offer like a diamond. Your content? That’s a light source. You shine the light source at the diamond and what do you see? Colors. Those colors—the blues, pinks, yellows, reds, purples, and greens—is your messaging.

Back in the 80s, McDonald’s had a slogan I still remember to this day: It’s a good time for the great taste of McDonald’s. Fast-forward to present-day and the Golden Arches swapped it out for I’m lovin’ it.

Same company. (Mostly) the same offer. Different message.

Different seasons in your business require different “colors”. Your offer doesn’t change, but you’re messaging might.

For instance, in times of economic uncertainty your messaging may want to include words like

• safety
• security
• confidence

In times of abundance and prosperity, your messaging might include words like:

• upgrade
• opportunity
• indulgence

The key here is to pay attention to your audience. Obsess over what brings them pleasure and the pain they’re looking to avoid.

Final Words

And there you have it. A comprehensive guide on creating a personal brand that not only stands out but also brings in the cash. Remember, it's not about blending in with the crowd but rather embracing your unique qualities and quirks that make you who you are. Do this and you'll be well on your way to creating a personal brand that people will remember for all the right reasons.

When you're ready, here's how I can help you with your content monetization journey:

1. NEW: Transform from "invisible" to "authority" in just 3 days at the Visible Expert Challenge.
2. WATCH: Charlie accomplished his 6-month goals in just 2 weeks.
3. APPLY: Work with my team and turn your content into clients.