How to Craft Your Personal Brand Statement (= sweet elevator pitch!)
This topic is going to be awesome for all you action-takers… and y’all know how passionate I am about THAT!
Not only have I had a blast doing this “assignment” for my own business & brand in the past, but I just know it’s going to be fun, and possibly eye-opening, for YOU too!
In this blog post, I’m going to run you through the process of crafting your own PERSONAL BRAND STATEMENT – which is what you might have previously thought of as your “elevator pitch”, or perhaps even an audio business card??
If you’re ready to more confidently answer the question, “soooo… what do you DO?”
Then here we go…
How to craft your Personal Brand Statement – and confidently OWN IT!
But, first…
What is your Brand Identity?
This can be considered the “face of your brand”, which generally refers to the more visual aspects, including, but not limited to the following:
- your business name (which may be your own name, as mine is)
- logo & tagline(s)
- ads & other marketing materials
- the imagery used to represent your brand, including those of yourself
BTW, I realize that it can be a scary thing to put yourself “out there” for the whole world to see, but it can also be the difference between a successful brand, and one that’s just meh.
READ MORE about how to be more visible… when you’re a little terrified of the spotlight!
Your Personal Brand Statement then serves as a guide for your Brand Identity (and vice versa), but it’s not to be confused with a mission statement, a job title, or your brand’s tagline(s).
The purpose of a branding statement is more to describe your target audience (these are the people that your brand resonates with), your brand’s unique attributes, and the solution(s) that it holds.
“Your [brand] statement is 1-2 sentences answering what you are the best at (value), who you serve (audience) and how you do it uniquely (Unique Selling Proposition). It sums up your unique promise of value (Unique Value Proposition).
Your personal brand statement is distinctive to you – and you alone.”
~ The Undercover Recruiter
Just as you would think about an “elevator pitch”, a Personal Brand Statement capsulizes WHO you are and WHAT you stand for. It should also be very concise and cause the person who hears it to FEEL something about you (and your brand).
Writing a Personal Brand Statement that also serves as a guide to your overall branding strategy
Crafting this important statement serves as a snapshot of who you are in your professional world, and what uniquely sets you apart from others doing similar work.
Instead of just anticipating that people will perceive you in the desired way, you need to take action in order to sway their perception of your brand.
As you’ve likely heard me say more than once, “you’ve got to show up, stand out and f*ckin’ own it!”
Questions to ask yourself before you get started on your Personal Branding Statement:
- INDUSTRY & NICHE/EXPERTISE
- What area of expertise do you want to be known as a thought leader or influencer in?
- Who are the people in your niche that have already established a personal brand or presence?
- Tip – don’t think of them as “competition”
- Define your impact:
- What value do you provide/problem do you solve – and how do you do it uniquely or differently than others?
- Consider what both your unique selling proposition (USP) and value proposition (UVP) are
- What trends are happening in your industry/niche that you can use to your advantage?
- TARGET MARKET/AUDIENCE & COLLEAGUES
- Who needs to know about you? Who are you speaking to – and what “language” do they resonate with?
- Who could share your personal brand with others? Who could be a brand advocate for you?
- How do your “internal influencers” currently perceive you?
- IDENTITY/VOICE
- What visual elements would best represent your brand at this point?
- What 3 words do you want to come to mind when someone interacts with your brand?
- Mine would be: authentic, unique, and impact
- What is your brand voice – both spoken & written?
- Think about your persona, language & tone that you specifically use in your business — is it warm, funny, quirky, science-nerdy, serious, educational, nurturing, etc.)
Here’s mine as an example, adapted from my Start Here page:
Hi, I’m Krista Goncalves – Women’s Health & Nutrition Expert turned Online Business Mentor, Copywriter & Brand Strategist.
I support new and experienced women wellness entrepreneurs in uncovering their unique gifts, finding their authentic voice, and building a brand that they can be really proud of – so they can make the impact that they’re truly meant to.
The longer version adds in this:
I also help these women diffuse the frustration and “comparisonitis” that so many health & wellness business owners face in the increasingly fickle online space.
So what can you take from that statement? Well, a lot actually!
Here’s a quick synopsis:
Target audience/my people = women wellness entrepreneurs (both new and experienced)
Who am I/where am I coming from = a former health practitioner who’s been where you are and just “gets” you.
What do I stand for/what’s my deal = supporting and uplifting other women business owners because I don’t want to see them make the same mistakes I did!
Intended feelings = trustworthiness, compassion, authenticity/no bullshit/transparency, plus the assurance and comfort that I know your industry and I’ve got your back.
This leads into my Unique Selling Proposition = I’m intimately connected with my audience as I’m also an experienced health expert & multi-business owner who exclusively helps other health experts (= relatable with oodles of inside industry knowledge!)
Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is what makes your business different from everyone else in your market.
~ Wordstream
This then leads into my Unique Value Proposition = copywriting, branding + digital marketing solutions for busy wellness entrepreneurs who want to stand out with a unique brand, yet they don’t have time to muck around trying to stay on top of the most current industry trends!
A few other examples of Personal Branding Statements in the wellness industry… that I love!
“I help hard-working, amazing women (like you), who are sick of feeling bad about how they look and are ready to finally feel better about themselves–inside and out.”
~ Claudia Petrilli, Health Coach & Graphic Designer
“Naughty Nutrition is about dishing up no-BS nutrition information served to you with a side of easy-to-follow guides and a dollop of enticing food imagery.
We’re talking real-life solutions for busy women wanting to optimize their health in a number of different ways.
We want to make YOUR commitment to nutrition easier than ever.”
~ Jenni & Mirna, CHN’s @ Naughty Nutrition
“I create mindful websites using thoughts, feelings, and motives that unlock the full potential of your offer so you can make a lasting impact as a wellness entrepreneur.”
~ Lana Maric, Introspec Marketing
NOW TRY YOURS ON FOR SIZE:
Here are some Personal Brand Statement templates you can use or combine —
1 / [Name/company]
supports/guides/understands/helps/is dedicated to [target audience]
so that they can be/do/achieve [your unique benefit/solution]
and we accomplish this with [vibe, voice, and/or mood & feelings you want to invoke].
2 / I provide [what exact service or product]
for [target audience]
because they want/need [the goal your target audience is trying to achieve or problem they want solved]
by [what unique method/process do you use to help them achieve their goal].
By the way, don’t ever be afraid to update and rejig your brand statement as you – and your business – evolves and grows. Gotta keep things fresh!
Once you’ve nailed down a statement that really feels good, then practice saying it out loud – to yourself and then to friends and colleagues.
You want to be able to confidently OWN your personal brand statement as it really is an extension of YOU. As a side benefit, your brand’s tagline(s) may spring from this exercise as well.
And, what’s the difference between a tagline and a Personal Brand Statement?
The main differences are that your brand statement is longer but clearly identifies WHO you serve and what SOLUTIONS you offer.
A brand tagline or slogan, on the other hand, is a punchy phrase that captures your brand’s vibe and invokes a feeling in your target audience using only a few words.
Here are some examples of effective taglines in the wellness industry:
“Krista Goncalves Co. – Creating connection… through story!”
~ Krista Goncalves, RNC/CHN (*waves hand*)
“Where Registered Dietitians become savvy business owners.”
~ Orly Wachter, RD & Business Coach
“Conquer disease, look and feel good through science-based natural medicine”
“Blossoming Health… where women cultivate health and let their true colors bloom!”
~ Vanessa Haug, Health Coach
“We’re 90% nutrition, 10% chocolate and 0% BS.”
~ Naughty Nutrition (see how this compares to their brand statement above?)
Where to use your brand statement – other than in an elevator?
If it’s appropriate to do so, you can use the full or a shortened version of your brand statement and use it in any of the following places:
- Business card & other marketing materials (digital or printed)
- Corporate bio
- Your website and/or blog
- Your ‘About Me’ profile and/or ‘Start Here’ page (as I’ve done)
- Online bio (e.g. used for guest author bio)
- Email signature
- Your resume/CV
- Social media profiles that you use specifically for business
- LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook page, Facebook group, Instagram, and/or YouTube
Some parting words on Personal Brand Statements…
Taking the time to craft a thoughtful brand statement so that it allows your people to clearly understand exactly HOW your brand helps them to attain their goals and solve their problems. Then they’ll naturally want to do (more) business with you!
When deciding to create a personal mission statement, aim high. It must motivate you to stretch and become the very best version of you. If you merely strive to maintain the status quo, you’ll hardly succeed in pushing yourself beyond where you are currently.
Therefore, be sure to include your vision of excellence and how you can meaningfully impact the lives of others by leveraging your knowledge, skills, and abilities.
~ Karima Mariama-Arthur (@WordSmithRapport), quoted in Forbes.com