How to Build a Powerful Personal Brand in Sales

My Entrepreneurial Journey: Building a Personal Brand in Sales

I've been very fortunate in my sales career to get, create and capitalize on many wonderful opportunities to achieve, grow and advance.

This has led not only to successful results, but a personal brand I'm proud of.

My brand, built through my work as a performer, speaker, coach, trainer and consultant has been every bit of a 20-year journey.

My career journey includes working for small consulting firms and large organizations. This diverse experience has shaped my perspective and I hope to offer some valuable insights and guidance to those seeking to elevate their brand and career.

A Different Approach

I've always approached things a little differently. I'm a problem eliminator and question-asker, always looking for ways to overcome obstacles and scale walls. My passion for selling, leadership, and career development pushed me to create a diversified portfolio of approaches to stoke those fires. Coaching leaders and sellers has always been a core passion of mine.

Over a decade ago, I felt a strong desire to write a book. It was a multifaceted goal: creating content, standing out socially, doing video content, blogging, and other contributions to stay top of mind in my field. I also followed influencers and like-minded individuals to connect, gain different perspectives, and learn.

For me, it was about creation, contribution, and connection—three C's vital to my journey. Contribution, for me, isn't just about tangible things like blogs or videos; it's also about showing up with value and a unique point of view. It’s about creating relationships, identifying my unique superpowers, and figuring out how I can drive impactful outcomes.

The book made me stand out all those years ago, and led to over 300,000 social followers and making my resume stand out when I went for my next job.

Leveraging Digital Tools

At a small consulting firm, I began using digital tools and social media to market my book and create content. I started understanding the value of showing up with a point of view and consistently engaging with my audience. This built a foundation that, years later, significantly impacted my brand positively.

Despite the initial skepticism from others that I was using LinkedIn to create customer relationships, my efforts in digital selling led to over $1B of landed revenue and not only silenced the critics but reinforced the importance of these strategies and led to me being asked to present to my CEO and his SLT, training in 11 countries and co-writing training hundreds of thousands of sellers and leaders take.

The Importance of Relationships

Reflecting on my professional journey, I'd advise my 16-year-old self to cut his hair and grow his network. Early on, I underestimated the power of relationships, thinking my experience alone would open doors. I've learned that every significant career move I've made has been due to relationships. It was a serendipitous chain of connections, often stemming from my willingness to invest in people and process, that led me to where I am today.

The aha moment about the importance of relationships hit me when transitioning from a cold-call sales environment to enterprise selling. Realizing I wasn't always the smartest person in the room and valuing the strengths of my peers was humbling and transformative. This team mentality has been crucial in my success in enterprise sales.

Balancing Entrepreneurial Spirit with Big Business

Balancing my entrepreneurial spirit with working for big businesses has been a unique challenge. Resilience and a constant quest for learning are the most important values in my profession. The resilience to bounce back from losses and the drive to keep learning and adapting have been key to my success. Inspired to never quit, I've embraced the mindset of never staying down when life knocks me out.

What is Digital Selling?

In digital selling, leveraging all available digital tools to understand and reach your audience is crucial. It allows you to create relationships and open doors that might otherwise remain closed. Whether working for a small consulting firm or a large corporation, these principles remain the same, though the scale and messaging might differ.

It all comes down to leveraging tools to find your target audience, create relationships with them, stay top of mind and relevant, remain at the pulse of what matters to them and knowing how to de-risk their decision to make changes. Social media and digital tools and AI make you so much more effective if you use them properly and authentically.

Getting Started with Personal Branding

Starting with personal branding involves understanding your audience and figuring out how to connect with them through various mediums. For me, writing a book was a natural step because of my lifelong love for writing. It was about creating something unique and sharing my perspective in a way that stood out.

Ultimately, the journey to building a personal brand is about understanding what you’re passionate about, identifying the relationships you want to create, and leveraging your unique strengths to solve problems and add value. Stay the course, be open to opportunities, and keep investing in relationships and your process. By doing so, you'll create your own luck and pave the way for success.

How have you built your personal brand successfully, and what have you learned?

What steps will you take today to leverage your unique strengths and build a personal brand that stands out in your industry?

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