The Real Reason You Should Build A Personal Brand

I don't directly monetize my personal brand. Instead, I use my personal brand as a way to promote myself, build relationships, and find deals.

I think of my personal brand as a way to create deal flow and find opportunities to build my ​personal holdings company​.

This week, I will give you a perfect example of how this works. Hopefully, I can convince you that having a personal brand is not the same thing as being an influencer. Your personal brand is an opportunity machine.

LFG. 🔥

Copywriting Secrets

11 months ago, I read a book called ​Copywriting Secrets​, by ​Jim Edwards​. I really loved the book. I think it's the most helpful copywriting book I've ever read.

After I read it, I pulled out my iPhone, and recorded a book review. I published it to YouTube, and went on with my day.

Jim Edwards is a very successful copywriter. Other than his book, he's created many programs with ​Russell Brunson​. In addition, he created a software product called ​Funnel Scripts​, which was also very successful.

He's obviously a guy I would love to know and build a relationship with.

A Random Message

February 28 was a regular morning. I woke up, chugged some water, and read by the fire. After about an hour, I allowed myself to look at my phone.

It was then that I saw a message from Jim Edwards.

Check it out.

Of course I responded. I let Jim know that I was thrilled to hear from him, that I really loved his book, and that I would be very excited to have a zoom meeting.

A New Opportunity

Jim and I spoke for about 40 minutes. He met my kiddos, he asked me about my story, and I learned about his new business venture.

We threw some ideas around, talked about working out, and he reminded me to appreciate the small moments with the kiddos. The moments that seem insignificant are the same moments we long for when they're gone.

It was a great conversation.

Will this conversation with Jim turn into a lucrative business opportunity? I don't know. Most likely it won't. But then again, it might.

This is the entire point. This is why I put myself out there, why I share my ideas, and why I create accountability for myself in front of others. Eventually, after you do it long enough, the great opportunities find you.

A Serendipity Vehicle

​David Perell​ once wrote a short essay on this topic, and it's an idea that always stuck with me.

When you put yourself out there, weird and good things happen. Relationships and opportunities seem to magically find you, but it's only because you're stirring up the pot.

My personal brand is my serendipity vehicle. It's a way for me to interact with the spirit of the universe and to put myself in a position for good things to happen.

Then, once the good things happen, people tell me I'm lucky.

The trick is to be yourself. It's tempting to become a prefabricated idea of what you want people to think about you. This especially true when we see other people having success, and so we start to emulate them.

Be yourself. The journey of creating content is within itself the journey of self discovery.

It is this passage of self discovery that will draw people to you.

"I have no advice to give, only experience to share."

This strategy has done well for me, because there is no arguing with my experience. I don't have to defend it and I don't have to convince people that my way of doing things is the best way.

There is also secondary benefit.

Sharing my experience is the best way for me to be approachable.

I come across as a human. I'm a real person, with real emotions, perspective, ideas, failures, setbacks, and success. None of it has to be presented in a way that portrays an image.

That's why it's a "personal brand."

Monetize Your Business. Share Your Story

Ultimately, the reason to create your personal brand is to make connections. I don't believe in the idea of a "solopreneur." My personal brand is not a business.

I don't want to be a business. I don't want to be an influencer and I don't want the pressure that comes with attaching my name to revenue.

My businesses are my brands. Copyblogger is a brand. Stodzy Internet Marketing is a brand. Cuppa is a brand.

But me? I'm Tim. I'm complex and confusing. I'm interested in many topics. I believe in opposing truths. I fight Muay Thai. I'm a dad. I love skateboards and Converses. I'll bleed green for my Eagles and I'll never, ever, under any circumstances, root for The Dallas Cowboys.

I'm a person.

And guess what? So are you.

Your story is yours and yours alone. That's what makes it special.

I hope you decide not to commoditize yourself. If you want to create a business, I encourage you to do so and do it under a brand that can scale and grow without you.

Then, you can share your experience along the way.

Ironically, the best way to monetize your personal brand is to not monetize it. You'll be amazed at the opportunities that find you, once you show the courage to share yourself with the world.