By There’s nothing like being paid to be yourself. Nothing like it.
We live in an era where a person can take an idea or concept, showcase it on a platform like YouTube, and build a 6-7 figure empire in less than five years. One viral video of a stay-at-home mom or talented kid can sweep the nation and land them on the Ellen Show. A humble blogger who leverage networks can generate income from working with celebrated brands. This is not a game. Personal branding is profitable.
What some people miss, is that personal branding applies to everyone. If you work a 9-5 and want to climb the corporate ladder, then you would benefit from having a full resume and keeping your online presence sharp. If you are an artist who wants people to hear your music, then building a playlist of your previous songs and showing live videos of your vocal abilities makes a difference. If you are a freelance writer, then building a website portfolio helps editors view your work. If you’re an entrepreneur, then building a brand around your products or services and managing it is a full time job.
Before I get into it, let me give you four pieces of advice.
- The Internet is its own ecosystem and users certainly play their part in feeding it. In other words, don’t give others a chance to brand you. Take control of your own narrative. That could mean buying a domain for your name, updating all your profiles, ensuring that what comes up about you on the search engine is favorable, and building a positive reputation through relationships. Why? Your personal brand can make or break you. Whether you want a promotion, startup capital, a new job, partnerships, or simply sales, be mindful of your overall brand objectives.
- Optimize your brand and marketing strategies for long term growth. That is the only way you will see true results.
- Being shy is not an option. You’ve got to have the confidence and audacity to ask for what you want. You’ve got to be open about your story so that you can reach the hearts of others. You have to have a winner mindset even when rejection and failure knock you down.
- You have to understand the ingenuity of the ‘seven streams of income’ concept. In business there are certain seasons and with diversified offers, you can still feel secure when one stream isn’t generating much income.
I’ve listed a few amazing ways that you can make money building your personal brand:
1 // WRITE A BOOK / EBOOK
There’s a story and a lesson within each of us. Publishing is a great way to establish yourself as an expert in a market and can lay the foundation from opportunities in other areas. That ‘best-seller’ step does wonders for your brand credibility. It’s one of the most essential ways to distinguish yourself and get noticed. But, it takes a lot of dedication to take the right steps on this author journey. So, be mindful of promotions, book tours, royalties, website presence, and critiques.
E-books (especially small nonfiction pieces) are a lot more informal depending upon the industry. Lots of people simply sell their e-books directly on their sites, which amounts to a nice income if promoted correctly and if there is an interested audience.
I will say that I firmly believe you should only publish a book if you are doing it for the right reasons.
2 // TEACH ONLINE CLASSES
The online learning market is more profitable than ever! People are finding that education beyond the traditional bachelor’s or master’s degree is necessary for growth, less expensive, and has the ability to produce results in a much quicker time period. The range of topics are also just as varied. People are creating courses on how to use social media, manifest their dreams, launch an online business, and even learn a trade. There are various course platforms you can use to host your class like Teachery, Thinkific, Kajabi, Teachable, Skillshare, and more.
What are your main strengths and how can you communicate them in an elearning format? There are so many amazing success stories from people who were living on a modest income but after launching an ecourse, generated thousands of dollars and effectively changed the course of their lives. Teach an online class today!
3 // CREATE DIGITAL PRODUCTS
The digital product industry amasses millions of dollars on an annual basis. The online marketplace has given everyone from young to old the chance to product their own audiobook, music, templates, and more. The beauty of digital products is that you don’t have to store any physical inventory. Your supporters can click a button and get instant access into whatever you’ve created. This translates to steady income if you build a trusting audience that wants the value you provide. You may be a photographer who shoots amazing flatlays or landscape photos. Or you are a graphic designer who sells presentation templates for the less creative population. Digital products are here to stay and such an easy avenue to make money.
4 // SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
I remember attending a luncheon and sitting next to the PR Representative for the guest speaker of the evening. She leaned over and whispered to me, “She was paid $20,000 to speak today.”
Gasp!
I was completely floored. Now to be honest, the speech was a bit unexceptional, but what’s important is that her name and her standards commanded this price. Not only that, she sold quite a few of her $20 hard cover books after the luncheon.
While some have the gift to gab and the presence to engage an audience, others need practice. So if you do decide to build your brand through speaking gigs, take the time to practice first. Join Toastmasters, take a continuing education course on performance, get comfortable using livestream, or even take free opportunities to get your feet wet. Remember to bring all of the knowledge, excitement, emotion, and passion inside you as you connect to an audience. Take them through emotions. Challenge them to think. Make them laugh. Leave the audience with a lasting impression that makes them want to look you up.
5 // HOST A CONFERENCE/RETREAT
Sometimes people of like minds need a time and space to convene and share a positive networking experience. They also need to hear from some of their favorite figures and take home gems with actionable items as they move forward on their journey. Perhaps you can start locally and create a conference or mastermind and target 20-50 people. Charge a modest price, secure brand sponsors, invite a few knowledgeable speakers, and transform some lives.
Do a search of the top conferences in the United States. See how they are operated. Maybe even volunteer or become a mentor of the staff. Learn what you can about project management and take those principles into your own experiences.
6 // OFFER COACHING/CONSULTING
A coach works with a person on a one-to-one basis, supports clients to achieve their outcome, focuses on behavior changes, builds on their client’s strengths, and guides them over a period of time. Coaching is definitely a service that targets a person’s values and promotes self-discovery. Coaching sessions can involve tackling issues like self-sabotage, overeating, purpose, time management, overwhelm, fear, or planning with intention.
A consultant generally works a few people in a team, group, or department. This person brings a level of expertise and structure to recommend solutions for the group. A consultant is focused on helping a group achieve deliverable results and therefore the sessions are time-limited or project oriented. Consulting sessions can involve strategy for business, lead generation, employee relations, product offerings, project planning, or closing the sale.
Choosing to be a coach or consultant should not be taken lightly. Some of the world’s most celebrated coaches and consultants are paid handsomely because they dedicate their lives to pouring wisdom, valuable strategies, and truth into others. They did not rise up overnight.
I’d suggest that you pay your dues before choosing this path. It has major rewards, but there are definite sacrifices. You have to love people and understand that they are ‘unloading’ their problems onto you similar to counseling.
When someone chooses to hire a coach, they are trusting you to lead them from the darkness into light. Click To Tweet7 // AFFILIATE PROMOTIONS
Affiliate marketing is the act of recommending an online product or service to someone and when the person buys the product based on your referral, you receive a commission. The commission can vary, as whoever creates the affiliate program set their own commission payout percentages.
For instance, I am an affiliate for Amazon (which has a free affiliate program by the way). When I mention a book, a gadget, a beauty item or any other relevant materials, I can create a link to the product or to the personalized Amazon Store. When a person clicks, if they decide to buy an item within a 30 day period, I’ll receive a commission.
There are so many other affiliate programs and marketplaces out there like Shareasale, Clickbank and more. It’s so simple to sign up and you’ll receive your own affiliate link and ID that helps them track your sales or traffic. Most programs also have premade banners and ads for you to add to any page on your website or promote via social media. If handled correctly, it could easily be one of the most straightforward ways to make extra money.
Commissions from each sale are usually given out at the end of the month. I promise you, they are always welcomed.
8 // LAUNCH AN INDUSTRY BLOG
Blogging is so rewarding and a great way to build your personal brand. My blog revolves around my passions: Personal Development, Lifestyle, Branding & Design, and Wellness. What categories are you excited about and can write on with authority? Use your innermost thoughts, research savvy, and writing skills to start a blog.
Even if you have a static business website, blogging simply once a week can show your clients that you keep up with your market. Not sure where to start with blogging? I walk you through the foundations here.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.
How do you define personal branding and what methods are you currently using to make money? Are you clear on your brand identity, objectives, and ways to build authority?
What do you think?