Whether you’ve actively crafted one or not, you already have a personal brand. People hear your name and think of certain things, feel specific things, and make relevant associations about who you are, what you do, and what you’re all about.
What is a personal brand?
Cats and gardening have become associated with you. When people see cat memorabilia in the store, they think of you. And when someone wants cat-specific recommendations, you’re the go-to.
These kinds of associations can be powerful. This is especially true when it comes to your personal brand as a freelancer. The amazing thing about your personal brand though, is that you have complete power to shift and direct it to create a picture of you and your business that conveys exactly who you are, what you do, and what you’re all about.
The act of shaping this image of you, is branding.
Marty Neumeier describes a brand as:
a person’s gut feeling about a product, service, or company.
Essentially, it’s all about what people think of you when they hear your name, see your work, or encounter your brand. It’s how they’d describe you to a friend or colleague, and how they feel when they do so.
As a freelancer, people might think of you as “the branding designer who specializes in logotypes with an eclectic aesthetic and a super fun client experience.”
That’s your personal brand.
Or maybe people know you as “the technically-minded content writer for Software as a Service (SaaS) companies who is really easy to communicate with and is all about featuring diverse examples in your case studies.”
Or perhaps you’re “a wedding photographer with a glamorous style who is recognized for the magical way that you edit your photos and the unique metallic colours in your logo.”
Whatever you do and whatever you’re about, a personal brand is all about getting known, recognised, remembered and referred by the right people, in the right way.
Now let’s talk about why you need a personal brand.
The 10 key elements of a successful personal brand
Branding can get a lot more complicated and in-depth than this, and span across many more elements, but for now, as long as you are clear, creative, and consistent with these 10 elements, you will have all the essentials of a successful brand.
- Name
- Bio
- Mission
- Vision
- Values
- Story
- Voice
- Colour palette
- Typography
- Brand photography
Want to know more about personal branding as a freelancer? Read the full guide here.
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