How can self-employed professionals differentiate themselves with brand strategy?

Building a brand strategy in a bubble is a bad idea. It’s important to understand how your competitors and other businesses your audience engages with are branding themselves. Of course, you don’t want to be a copycat. However, you can learn a ton from what’s working for them, how your audience responds to certain tactics, and even what your competitors aren’t doing in their branding. Looking at existing brands can give you both creative inspiration and strategic insights to help you set yourself apart from the crowd.

As the saying goes, “if you’re everyone’s cup of tea, you’re a mug”. The above section outlines a broad stroke approach to identifying and communicating with your audience, but to build upon this, one of the key objectives from audience work is to define a single-minded group of humans using a mixture of demographic and psychographic techniques. Many brands worry at this stage about alienation, “our focused audience are ‘Millennial Dog Owners’ but we don’t want to alienate Boomers Dog Owners who buy”. Alienation is a myth, it simply does not happen in reality (How not to Plan) - Boomers will continue to buy despite the brand speaking more directly to Millennials. In short, be everything to someone, not something to everyone.

To build a winning brand strategy, start by understanding your audience. Use surveys, interviews, or personas to dig into what they need and want. This insight helps you tailor your brand message, tone, and style to connect with them. Show how your brand can solve their problems or fulfill their desires, and you're on the right track.

The most important thing for a self employed individual is the approach taken towards the customers/clients. Your approach should problem solving for your clients, this makes you different than rest. Your client should feel that you are actually working on solving problem being faced and you actually care. This can make a huge change for you when a client talks to you. Focus on building long term relationships with clients instead of micro transactions this will make you standout from the crowd.

For self-employed professionals, understanding your target audience is a foundational step in developing a brand strategy that sets you apart. Utilizing tools like surveys, interviews, or creating personas can be incredibly effective in gaining insights into your audience's specific needs, motivations, and preferences. This knowledge allows you to tailor your brand messaging, tone, and style in a way that truly resonates with them. By demonstrating a clear understanding of your audience's challenges and desires, and articulating how your services or products provide solutions, you can establish a brand that not only appeals to your target market but also distinguishes you from competitors in your field.

There are infinite ways to view a crystal ball, just like the number of ways you can position yourself in front of your audience. The underlying magic factor is this: never forget who you are. Don't pretend to be someone you're not, and you'll radiate your 'position' to someone who has the exact need that needs feeling. You can now complement this with standard factors like solidifying your purpose, message, core topics you talk about, delivery of service, an offer only you can make to your audience, and what feeling they'll have once their life is better after interacting with you. If done right, both you and your new customer will feel fulfilled throughout the deal, like magic just happened.

There are a lot of people jumping on the branding bandwagon (often making wild claims so showing your experience and capabilities is important for positioning your offering.

How you differentiate yourself from the pack with brand positioning is super important. What’s your POV? And how will your approach give your clients a better experience and better result? For my own brand strategy consulting business I created a brand strategy approach rooted in emotional insight with a POV that the status quo of brand strategy consulting was no longer enough. Too many brands focusing on answering “What’s my Why?” And not enough asking “Who’s my Who?” The approach is all about creating what I call Limbic Sparks - moments when a brand has you at Hello and you keep going back for more. This differentiates me, and helps me differentiate my clients’ brands.

Defining your market positioning is a critical step for self-employed professionals looking to stand out. This positioning statement should succinctly encapsulate what you offer, who your services or products are intended for, and what sets you apart from others in your field. It's essential to identify and communicate your unique selling proposition (USP) – the key benefit or distinct value you provide that differentiates you from competitors. This statement should be clear, concise, and compelling, effectively answering the question of why a potential client should choose your services over others.

You should know who you're selling to , whats the buying power of your audience and how you can solve the problem being faced by them. Your offer should be based on that. If your offer is good enough you will standout!

Your brand is built with every email sent, social post created, conversation had, and copy written. A brand is so much more than a logo - it’s the consistent experience you provide for your customers at every single touch point. Consistency in messaging is not a “nice-to-have”, it’s a necessity.

Be self aware, understand your capabilities and your talent, but also your limitations. Be consistent and loyal to you and what you say you are. Be coherent.

I think this is one of the most important aspect of personal branding. However, it goes much deeper. Understanding your audience and developing your brand assets including communication styles is just the start. It is more important to consistently identify the problems your audiences face, and address them with solutions to establish yourself as an authority in your niche. This strategy will eventually build your name into an unbreakable brand, but only if you're consistent.

When your brand has a strong identity, your potential clients see that immediately and know if you are a good fit for them. The personality that you infuse into your brand will attract the people you want to work with and repel the people you don't.

Developing a cohesive visual and verbal identity is crucial for self-employed professionals to communicate their unique positioning effectively. This identity encompasses elements like your brand name, logo, color scheme, typography, imagery, and slogan. Each component should be thoughtfully designed to collectively represent your brand image and align with your positioning statement. Consistency across all touchpoints – your website, social media profiles, business cards, and other materials – is key to reinforcing your brand identity. Additionally, your brand personality, encompassing the tone, voice, and style of your communications, should resonate with your target audience.

You 100% need a good story, but you also need to be a good storyteller. Study performers, comedians, and thought leaders who tell a story that you can’t stop listening to. A compelling story is only as good as the delivery. Think about your timing, your tone, your energy when you share your story. Be willing to modify based on who you’re speaking to to stay relevant, keep it concise, and always find a way to present that feels authentic and memorable.

Crafting a compelling brand story is a powerful way for self-employed professionals to distinguish themselves. Your brand story should be a genuine narrative that delves into who you are, the motivations behind your work, and the values and beliefs that drive you. It’s about more than just your professional journey; it should encapsulate your purpose and the deeper reasons why you do what you do. A well-articulated brand story connects with your audience on an emotional level, showcasing not only your expertise but also the passion and commitment behind your work. Make sure your story is relevant to your audience, engaging in its delivery, and memorable in its message.

Create Your Story: Craft a compelling narrative that communicates your journey, values, and the problem-solving abilities that differentiate you. Use AI-generated content suggestions to refine your storytelling across LinkedIn profiles, portfolios, and other relevant platforms.

I have always found the art of storytelling the true differentiator in todays world. The strength in this however comes from perseverance, making sure an element of your story comes through in everything you do. Sub consciously with every interaction your customer is weaving themselves as part of your story, and that is how you become indispensable to a client.

Beliefs, values and purpose are all vital elements in creating a compelling Brand story, however for self employed professionals I would recommend reviewing your personal brand, and how this may be supporting or harming the overall brand strategy of the business.

I think a lot of professionals miss this. Without a promise, any brand would lack purpose. Without it, everyone will basically see your fancy dress, only to find out it doesn't fit you right, has threads coming out on the sides. The promise can be as big as the gap you plan to fill in the market, or just keeping your word and showing up on time. If you're a self-employed professional, it can make or break you!

One of the main ways of growing a brand is through word of mouth advertising. When as a self employed person, you'll consistently deliver on your product/service and ensure that the client is more than satisfied, your brand will grow in no time.

Delivering on your brand promise is essential in cementing your reputation as a self-employed professional. This promise forms the core expectation your clients have about the value and experience they will receive from working with you. It is crucial that this promise aligns seamlessly with your positioning, identity, and the story you’ve shared. Consistency and reliability in fulfilling this promise at every interaction or service delivery build trust and credibility with your clients. Successfully meeting or exceeding these expectations not only cultivates client loyalty but also enhances your professional reputation, often leading to referrals and repeat business.

Deliver Your Promise: Consistently deliver high-quality work and exceptional customer service that aligns with your brand promise. Use AI-driven project management tools to enhance efficiency and meet or exceed client expectations.

“A promise made and kept” It’s the latter half that leads to success, and why the management of expectations is key to generating repeat business and boosting positive brand associations.

Content Creation: Use AI-generated content ideas to create valuable and engaging content that showcases your expertise. Share industry insights, success stories, tips, and case studies on LinkedIn or other platforms relevant to your audience. Networking and Engagement: Leverage AI-driven insights on LinkedIn to identify and engage with potential clients or collaborators. Participate in relevant groups, discussions, and forums to establish yourself as an authority in your field. Testimonials and Reviews: Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews or testimonials on LinkedIn or other review platforms. Positive feedback can significantly enhance your credibility and attract new clients.

Branding is building a character. The more you develop a brand's personality, communication, and visual presentation, the easier people can connect to it. You are picking out your character's motivations, favorite phrases, clothing style, fears, past, story...Develop a great character and you'll have a great brand.

In my experience, to have a strong cases to share is key. You can always showcase how you identified challenges and how you faced them. That shows your audience your way of thinking.

E sim!! Branding, posicionamento de marca, identidade... São conhecimentos que devem ser de acesso a todos, pois são ferramentas poderosas de transformação de negócios, constroem valor e reconhecimento. É gratificante poder gerar conexões verdadeiras de pessoas, marcas e negócios.