DEBUNKING MARKETING MYTHS 4:

“PERSONAL BRANDING DOESN’T WORK, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE COMPANY IMAGE.”

Welcome to the next marketing myth in my debunking series. “Personal branding doesn’t work, it’s all about the company image.” If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that I 100% disagree with this line of thought, and I’m happy to share my reasons why.

“In a world where everyone is good at what they do, the deciding factor for people to choose you as the person in your industry to buy from… is YOU! So often, YOU are your only point of difference.” Melissa J Scott.

95%* of sales decisions are made emotionally. And we are living in one of the most emotional and stressful times in recent history. A person is far more likely to respond to a person that they know, like and trust, then a faceless company. We are all social creatures and it is about developing a deep connection with your audience and turning them into life-long customers and ambassadors of your brand. You can only do this if you are connect person to person – even if it’s online, it’s still better to be a human connection.

Other reasons why personal branding is so beneficial for your company:

Business owners are needing to find other avenues to reach new audiences due to restrictions on traditional marketing such as workshops and expos, and the most obvious and accessible way is via social media.
If you actively take control of your personal branding, you can present yourself the way you want to be seen and not leave it up to google to decide.
People are more likely to connect with a person then a faceless company. The fact is, people like to deal with people.
Your audience can build authenticity and trust with you, your business and services.
You can demonstrate your authority, expertise and experience in your industry so that people will feel confident to buy from you.
It is an excellent way for people to decide if they like you, if you like them and to decide if you are the right person for them. You get customers that actually like you!

The evidence really does speak for itself, personal branding is incredibly important for your business. So, the question now is…

WHY ARE BUSINESS OWNERS SO HESITANT TO PROMOTE THEIR PERSONAL BRAND?

I see this a lot in my brand agency. Clients are very hesitant about working on their personal brand, whether that be having branding photos done, creating and appearing in their promotional videos or putting up posts on social media about themselves, and not just the products and services.

The reason for this is simply because we all get nervous. It feels raw and open and personal when we put ourselves forward like that. There can be feelings of vulnerability and wanting to protect ourselves from potential criticism and judgement. However it is this vulnerability and openness that is exactly what you need to show in order for someone to engage with you. You need to be connecting with people from a human to human point of view in order to develop true connection and build loyal customers.

“The point of difference isn’t the product or service you are selling. It is the PERSON selling the product. That is personal branding in a nutshell.” Melissa J Scott.

You are actually doing your sales representatives and customer facing staff a disservice, if you are not actively encouraging them to create their own personal brand and in doing so putting your business brand forward.

In fact, 78%* of sales reps who use social media in a personal way outsell their peers, and 82%* of customers trust a company when it’s senior management are active in social media.

Think of your own personal buying experience. When it is a company selling the product, do you engage with them as much as you would when it is an individual person talking about the company, sharing their stories, the personal side of what that particular product has done for them? It is all about being transparent, being real, showing up and showing your audience that you care about them and their concerns.

Personal branding is a game changer for your business, this is why it is important you don’t let your fears or personal insecurities get in the way of what is truly one of the best ways to grow and future proof your business in today’s marketing world.

If you want to hear some real life examples of how personal branding really works for business owners and sales reps, listen in to the video.

And if you want to have more success in your business and sales, you need to become an expert at creating trust and connection online through your personal brand, and creating quality content. Book a free half hour strategy session with Melissa today to find out how you can be the Rockstar in your industry. If you want it, it is possible.

And if you would like to check out Melissa, follow these links:

https://melissajscott.com/
https://www.connectionmarketing.online