You want to stand out from the crowd. But so does every entrepreneur. Building a personal brand is the best way to achieve your goals. But what does a personal brand really mean? Let’s start with some questions to get started.
- Do friends think of you as a reliable person?
- Do family members trust you?
- And if you make a promise, do friends know that you keep your word?
If so, congratulations! You already understand that your personal brand boils down to your reputation.
More than a logo or keywords, your personal brand encompasses all that people think of when they hear your name. In fact, your mere mention evokes positive feelings and emotions. That is, the people who know you want to become—and remain—connected with you.
It’s the same with personal branding in business. When someone hears your business name, do they trust it? Do they want more association with you? Or do they want less?
Unlike with friends and relatives, potential clients probably never heard of you. Put yourself in their position. No matter how great of products or services you offer, their first reaction is skepticism—just as yours would be.
It’s a tall hill to climb. Before anything else, there is the challenge of letting the public know that you exist at all. After that, your brand not only needs to stand out, it also needs to be trustworthy and genuine.
It’s not easy getting started. You know the fear of saying the wrong thing and leaving a bad first impression. It’s a complicated journey. That is why we’ve assembled these five books to help you establish your own personal brand. These books don’t just help you get started. They will give you the tools to be your best and stand apart from the competition for years to come.
How Do You Want to be SEEN: A Personal Brand Playbook
By Songy Knox
Are you shy? An introvert? Feel uncomfortable putting yourself out there to take your business to the next level? Then Songy Knox’s A Personal Brand Playbook is for you.
A photographer and personal brand building coach, Songy guides you through the steps required not only to help your enterprise stand out, but encourage clients to want to be involved with you and your work.
If you are more comfortable behind the scenes as a creator, Songy Knox will excite and motivate you to present yourself, say hello, and engage your audience.
Influencer: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Media
By Brittany Hennessy
Social media is the most cost-effective means of creating awareness for your brand. More than that, you can use social media to influence people’s perceptions of any topic, product, or goal. That is, you can influence the decision-making process.
Brittany Hennessy walks you step-by step through building—and monetizing—your personal brand in the age of digital entrepreneurship.
Have you ever scrolled through Instagram, seen an influencer, and wondered, How can she do that so perfectly? And with such confidence? It’s not luck. It’s craft, and Hennessy will show you how—step by step—in clear, practical language.
Social Media Marketing Workbook: How to Use Social Media for Business
By Jason McDonald
Jason McDonald knows social media inside and out. He’s been around the web since 1994. At Stanford University, he teaches best practices for resources such as AdWords and social media platforms.
From Facebook and Twitter to TikTok and Youtube, McDonald provides practical, applicable methods to build your personal brand throughout the online space. If you seek to understand the nuances of building your brand across each individual platform, this workbook will be your guide.
Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen
By Donald Miller
I used to interview scientists and inventors almost daily. Some of them had amazing products of benefit to humankind, and I wanted to promote them. But they were so deep among the trees, they could not explain the forest. That is, they could discuss the math and complications of their research at a high level. But at some point, I always had to ask “So what?”
That is, “What does your invention or product actually do for me?”
The same goes for any business venture. Explaining your brand story in a way that captures interest often requires a paradigm shift. That is, moving from the particulars you worked so hard with to actual benefit. Building a StoryBrand teaches you how to capture an audience’s attention, build your personal brand story, and gain a competitive advantage.
LinkedIn for Personal Branding: The Ultimate Guide
By Sandra Long
You almost certainly have a LinkedIn profile. And there are strong odds that you mostly ignore it in favor of other platforms. Maybe you check in weekly or monthly. For most, it’s on the back burner of social media. If this describes you, then you simply haven’t thought through a strategic LinkedIn approach.
LinkedIn brings an abundance of trust as a preexisting asset. Whether seeking investment, investment partners and employees, or conveying your brand story to clients, LinkedIn is the platinum platform for building a serious community. Bring it to the front burner with this strategic guide.
Photo by Dragana Gordic/Shutterstock
