11 elements of a stand-out personal brand that gathers thousands of fans

For many years I had no idea who I was online.

I would throw things at the wall and see what stuck.

This can be helpful, but it wasn’t until I got clear about what kind of brand I was building that I became more intentional and started getting the attention of my ideal people.

Without a personal brand, our actions are confused, and our followers are also confused.

To grow a loyal following, we need to know what brand we are building.

Here are the key elements of a standout personal brand:

1. Understanding why a personal brand is critical.

If you have a way to serve people, you need a personal brand to stand out.

Your brand is what you represent to the tribe that follow you and buy from you.

People buy primarily based on WHO you are rather than what you offer.

If you aren’t grabbing attention, the world loses because they are never touched by your help.

2. Knowing your Kryptonite. 

Your greatest weaknesses, struggles and failures reveal a lot.

They help in two ways:

1) They show you what you need to avoid and outsource.

2) They also point to the things you care most about.

There’s a subtle difference.

What do you hate? Your passion hides here.

3. Your strengths and passions. 

The flip side is looking for those things you are good at.

You want to double down on these things because they are a source of ongoing energy.

Now identify a single superpower that serves the world the best way you can.

4. Understanding why you are different. 

List some ways you can differentiate yourself from the rest of the market.

How can you serve most effectively and do it in a way that separates you?

What are the quirks that you can emphasise? Why would people choose you over the next guy?

Awareness of this will drive how you present your brand and communication.

5. Knowing who you primarily help. 

Knowing your ideal audience and client is important because this shows you where to look, how to communicate, and where to focus your efforts.

6. Your 6-word standard. 

These are reference words you use to define your branding personality.

It’s the three words that explain how you want your brand to be perceived, plus the three words that define how you interact with people.

My first three are: powerful, funny, and encouraging.

These will remind you of your visual, writing and communication style.

7. Your values and beliefs. 

People don’t follow those who flip-flop on their beliefs.

To build a movement, you need to demonstrate what you stand for.

This starts with knowing your values.

What are they?

What 4-6 essential beliefs define and energise you that you want to be known worldwide?

8. Your two big WHYs. 

Powerful personal brands are fuelled by purpose.

Your first ‘why’ is your altruistic, values-based why.

My mission is to help more talented people be authentic leaders.

Your second ‘why’ is your ‘selfish’ why, covering all the cool stuff you’re doing this for, like money and family support.

What are your ‘whys?’

9. Your standout description. 

You want to verbalise your unique approach in your profiles, websites and bios.

The more unique, the better, but don’t confuse your reader.

A good template is: ‘I help ____ do this _____, so that they can have ____ .’

10. Your superhero story. 

You can use this story wherever you can communicate who you are to your following.

It often features a traumatic experience you had and what you learned from it in a way that demonstrates how you are irreplaceable and can help your ideal people.

For me, it was my painful shyness at school and how it forced me to understand people and master communication and leadership.

11. Your system. 

We all have a system that determines the results we are currently getting.

But we can always make this system better.

Our brands must be adequately distributed to grow our tribe and sustain our work with sales.

What’s your ideal system?

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