How to Establish Your Personal Brand in a Crowded Industry

A week ago, I was teaching a multinational corporation’s employee base how to build their professional thought leadership brands on LinkedIn.

Part of the workshop was dedicated to identifying their “expert edge,” or their compelling brand position and speciality that makes them stand out in the market.

I was blown away by the talent in the room (seriously, this company hires the best of the best), but when it came time to narrow in on their expert focus, a brave participant took herself off mute and asked,

“I love my job because it requires design thinking and user experience. And when I want to define my expert edge, that’s what comes to mind. But I’m worried, there are already thought leaders in this space. What should I do?”

I smiled as I heard the question, remembering the same trepidation I had 10 years ago entering into the crowded market of personal branding.

“Kelsey, you’re going to go ahead and do it anyway and you’re going to do it your way.”

Why a crowded market shouldn’t deter you from going after your passion

Kelsey’s worry, reflected of my own all those years ago, is one of the most common I hear amongst professionals looking to build their personal brand online.

I first started building my brand in earnest in 2014, and back then I remember looking at “big names” like Amy Porterfield and Marie Forleo who had huge followings and fancy, produced online courses and thinking, “Well, it’s been done, I might as well pack it in.”

I expressed this to a business coach of mine, explaining how defeated I felt when my niche felt like it was already dominated by titans.

She replied, “Some people will like that Marie Forleo was a professional hip hop dancer who is spunky and teaches multi-passionate entrepreneurs how to create an online business. Some people will like that Amy Porterfield worked for Tony Robbins and knows everything about list building. And some people will feel it’s easier to relate to Kait LeDonne, who is burnt out by a corporate job and found out how to build a personal brand on LinkedIn. All of you do personal branding, but it’s your angles, personality, and experience that will connect with different people in different ways.”

From that moment on, I understand that I had something else no other thought leader had — myself — and that was my edge.

Since that time, I’d be lying if I said that I never felt envious or concerned about other personal branding experts on LinkedIn. To pretend I didn’t feel a pang of annoyance, or even worse, comparison, when I’d see another crop up and get a massive following is to deny my humanity.

But in times where I find the comparison game or imposter syndrome get the best of me (and yes, it will happen to all of us), I employ these 5 tactics:

1. Approach things with a growth mindset.

First things first here—let’s get our mind right with the actual reality of the situation. There are over 1 billion users on LinkedIn. Let me say that again: THERE ARE OVER 1 Billion users on LinkedIn. Even if there are 10,000 people who do EXACTLY what you do, that means each of you has a pool of about 100,000 folks to work with.

Now, look, I know what you’re going to say, “That’s oversimplified. All those users aren’t my target market.” I know, but I also doubt there are 10,000 people doing EXACTLY what you do HOW you do, and I can almost guarantee that out of those 10,000 not even 100 are showing up on LinkedIn every day to build their brand. My takeaway of this mental exercise is still the same: THERE IS SO MUCH BUSINESS TO GO AROUND. So, exhale for a moment looking at the sheer mathematics of market opportunity here.

Another grounding, logical, semi-obvious but sometimes-forgotten reassurance? If there are a lot of other people out there doing what you do, that means there is market demand. Do you know how many social media firms exist? How many freelancers? How many digital marketers? How many LinkedIn trainers and coaches? I exist in one of the most competitive fields, and I enjoy that. Why? Because it reminds me how many people NEED the service.

2. Get clear about your values.

Ok, so, now we are a bit more relaxed knowing that numbers are working in our favor. Let’s move into part two: Distinguish yourself through your values.

Here’s the deal, folks: People like to do business with people they know, like, and trust. And what facilitates know, like, and trust? A shared set of values. Think about your friends, your partner, your best clients, and other individuals you actually enjoy spending time with. I am willing to wager it’s because you all share similar values. Note that I didn’t say similar personalities or upbringings, I said similar VALUES.

For me, my top values are: FREEDOM, GROWTH, FUN/HUMOR, and SENSE OF BELONGING. I create content around these values all the time, and it’s actually my “value-oriented” posts that convert more than my tactical ones.

So, even if you’re competition does exactly what you do, they may have different value sets. That’s great! They’ll connect with people who share their values, and you connect/attract with people who share yours.

3. Share about YOUR life.

Great, so you’re clear on your values. Now start sharing behind-the-scenes moments of your life that demonstrate these.

Here’s the good news about this part as it relates to your competition: Only YOU have lived your unique story. Only YOU have dealt with your specific setbacks and learning lessons. Here’s an example: When I was 14 years old, I had Bell’s Palsy, a traumatic, semi-rare paralysis of one side of your face that can leave you with residual effects. In my case, my left eye is a bit more closed than my right, especially when I smile or talk. One of the students in our LinkedIn training program was nervous about getting a new headshot for his profile because, he too, suffered from facial paralysis. I told him my backstory and why it was incredibly hard for me to create videos on social media at first because of the paralysis. This shared story created a foundation of trust between us that probably wouldn’t have happened with another social media consultant who didn’t experience paralysis. I love talking to this student. I find comfort in connecting with him and I believe he feels the same.

People bond through stories and shared experiences, and this is something that is unique to every single one of us. So, get out in front of it. It’s a great differentiator.

4. Record videos!

Speaking of—record videos! Especially if your competition is not. There is no better way to convey your personality than using videos, and like your values and your personal story, people will connect with you because of it.

Maybe your competition is super blunt and curses a lot, and you’re more quiet, calming and methodical. Great, let people who respond to dominant coaching flock to them, and you connect with the ones who value a more soothing sounding board. Whatever the case may be, video will help you demonstrate this faster than any other medium out there.

5. Go back to basics.

When in doubt, go back to basics. In our effort to keep up with competition, I witness a lot of people lose sight of their zone of genius and their proven methodology because they’re in search of some new concept, tool, or approach that will make them novel. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be improving or adapting; after all, “If you’re not growing, you’re dying.” I’m just saying that in your pursuit of growth, don’t move away from your roots or the things that you do exceptionally well for the sake of trying to outdo your competition.

What are the things that people tell you you’re naturally good at? What can you do with your eyes closed? What kind of work feels like “flow” to you? When you’re operating in your zone of genius, I assure you that you won’t be worried about your competition; instead, you’ll be peacefully producing.

The Recap

Instead of worrying about someone else’s “themness,” look at tactical ways (like the ones outlined above) that you can continually communicate your “youness” in your marketing and on LinkedIn. There will always be people who value your unique story and approach more than you know, and that, my friend, is something to be inspired by when you’re stuck.

Want more tips like this? Follow Kait LeDonne