Personal Branding vs Business Branding – What’s The Difference?
Personal branding vs business branding what should you do? Branding is vital when creating a business but as an independent business owner what should you do?
Hi Trish Davies here, branding expert and the creator of Build Your AU and Trish Davies International. I have spent the last 15+ years creating my own personal brand TrishDaviesInternational.com and various niche specific business brands.
Brands such as Lead Your Lifestyle, Buying USA Real Estate and of course Build Your AU. As an independent business owner, yourself you may be wondering which way you should go when it comes to branding. Should you go under your own name or with a name that is more associated with your industry or niche.
Today I want to look at this conundrum of personal branding vs business. This will give you clarity on which direction you should take. So, what is the difference?
Personal Branding vs Business Branding
Before I look at the difference between a personal and business brand it is important to clarify what a brand is. A brand is someone’s perception of a product, an organisation or an individual person. That perception is guided from the experience that person has.
A brand is much more than just a nice logo, website or name. It is the recognisable feeling and the emotions that are evoked within people that really makes the brand standout.
Therefore, the fundamental thing here is perception, other people’s perception. In essence it is the individual that is the difference between a personal and business brand. It is the general public’s perception of you, your values, your message. This is what they scrutinise using a very large magnifying glass.
Now that may feel like a lot of pressure bring placed upon your shoulders. It is but it that pressure can be used in such a positive way and that is why I like personal branding.
You will enter the business sphere with a particular direction in mind within a specific niche. In time your passions may change which means your personal brand can change at the same time. If you go with a business brand that may be associated with a specific niche, therefore that change is harder or maybe impossible.
You have more flexibility with a personal brand because it will evolve as you evolve. One thing that never changes though are your core values which are the foundations to your personal brand. They still remain firm throughout any transition you may have in the future.
Because of those core values your audience will know, like and trust you due to your unwavering commitment.
What Constitutes The Know, Like & Trust Factor
Developing a personal brand creates a real connection within your audience. Your audience will be emotionally attached to your brand because of the person you are. Sometimes that can be hard to create through a business brand, that informality is just not there.
With a personal brand you can take your audience on a journey of discovery. A journey that helps them get to know what kind of person you are. Once they know who you are and what you stand for they will like you and eventually trust you.
Know
It is a huge misconception that you must be some kind of celebrity to create a personal brand. Yes there are huge influencers online but don’t think you can’t take your place alongside them.
For your audience to get to know you the main thing you need to do is to show up. You must provide value, share your expertise and experience through an online presence.
Like
Once people start to know you they will make their informed decision as to whether they like you or not. Not everyone will which is fine because it means that they are not your audience. Showing up is a great filtering exercise.
The people who like you will then start to be influenced by you and the recommendations you provide. Those recommendations have a huge impact on their buying decisions. Therefore, they are more likely to buy your products and services over someone else.
Trust
Trust is the ultimate factor within any relationship. The product vendor and consumer relationship relies heavily on trust. People must trust you to make the commitment to work with you. That initial trust makes influences their first purchase with you.
From that first purchase and the impact it makes on them will cement their trust in you. They will come back time and time again because of the value to provide to their lives.
My Own Personal Brand
I always practice what I preach. Therefore, my personal brand is Trish Davies International which has the purpose to help people create wealth. Anyone who lands on my homepage immediately knows what to expect from my website through the following statement.
“Here you will find a wealth strategy and business model that will create a life of freedom and choice. All whilst doing what you are passionate about.”
From that statement you will find out more information about my story and how I can help people. I finish that page off with my mission statement –
My PURPOSE… My WHY is
“To loyally inspire others to confidently recognise their gifts and talents.
So that they are determined to move forward and create a life that matters.”
I have clarity on what my personal brand is all about. In essence to help individuals create a life of freedom and choice as that is how I lead my life.
Extensions to my personal brand are niche specific brands that provide solutions to create wealth. Those niche brands are closely intertwined with my personal brand, they are relevant, they do not confuse my audience.
All of my core values remain the same throughout all of my brands. That uniformity helps create that know, like and trust factor I referred to earlier.
Personal and business branding works, it just does. My recommendation to you though is to start of creating your own personal brand. This will become your main asset and from that you can branch out with other niche specific business brands.
Think of your personal brand as the trunk of a tree which is firm, solid and load bearing. Other business brands can then branch off from that firm foundation you have in place.
Create Your Personal Brand Through Build Your AU
As a branding expert I know the significance of personal branding. Therefore, I have created a unique experience and process to help you create your own personal brand.
Build Your AU is that process where I help you establish your authenticity, authority and attract your audience. Everything I have mentioned enforces the importance that personal brands must be created authentically and have credibility. This is what the marketplace is looking for and this is what you can create through Build Your Au.
My free 9 step program will help you create the foundations for your personal brand. You landed on this webpage to compare personal branding vs business branding. I am confident that I have answered that question and provided the resource to help you create your personal brand. To learn more about my free 9 step personal branding program click here.
Helping you build your authenticity, authority and audience.
Trish Davies
Build Your AU
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