The Personal Branding Podcast - Brands On Brands

Dorothy Illson is a speaker, entrepreneur, and founder of Needle’s Eye Media, an advertising management agency that helps customers get the most online visibility for their dollar. She also hosts Do Well & Do Good, a podcast where she asks other entrepreneurs how they’ve achieved professional and personal success while still contributing to the community. Dorothy believes financial growth is a vital ingredient to having a positive effect on the world at large. In this episode, Dorothy explains how she found her calling in the world of ad management and explains how she was able to bring in clients when starting her business. She also dishes some important tips for making the most of your own Facebook ads. The Finer Details of This Episode: How Dorothy’s agency helps its clients get on top of their ad game and optimize the traffic coming to their sites. What is “paid traffic” and what does it mean to a rising entrepreneur? Why Dorothy realized accounting wasn’t the career for her and what drew her to the world of ad management. The reason a good grasp of numbers can go a longer way than good copy in the advertising game. Dorothy’s secret for finding clients in the early days of her agency. Dorothy’s core lessons for entrepreneurs looking to implement Facebook ads into their marketing strategy. Why you never want to send paid traffic directly to your homepage. Building an avatar for your ideal customer to understand what they want and how you can best deliver it. Why big brands with big advertising budgets are surprisingly not as effective with regards to paid traffic. The reason Dorothy trusts personal brands more than the larger, more well-known ones. Quotes: “I was able to really get experience and taste a lot of different areas of marketing.” “You really need to let your ego quiet down a little bit and just have the guts to ask for help.” “The best way to build a business is by creating raving fans out of your clients and customers who are then gonna tell people about you.” “It’s not just about getting clients, it’s about delivering to an extremely high level so that those clients are gonna keep coming and coming.” “Give people what you promised them and make it so valuable that they are gonna start to build that Know, Like and Trust factor that’s gonna lead to a sale.” “The brands that I trust the most are the brands built around people.” Mentions: Moink, AdSkills, Chris Harder, Gerard Adams Guest Links:Needle’s Eye Media - https://www.needleseyemedia.com/ Do Well & Do Good - http://dowellanddogood.co/ Dorothy on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dorothyillson/ Dorothy on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dorothyillson/   Visit Brandon’s website at www.BrandsOnBrandsOnBrands.com Join the Brand Growth Community on Facebook at www.brandonbrands.com/community And please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

This week’s Freestyle Friday focuses on a very hot topic right now, one brought about through the era of social media: personal branding. Thanks to the intimacy of platforms like Facebook and Instagram, it’s no longer necessary to structure your brand around a specific product name or even a product, but you yourself and what you have to offer, quirks and all. In this episode, Brandon takes is through his journey building the foundations of his personal brand, explains what he did to spread the word, and reveals how he changed in order to make an even bigger mark. The Finer Details of This Episode: Brandon walks us through the early days of establishing his personal brand and how he began building his presence on the Internet. The benefits curating a personal brand has over simply letting word of mouth spread. Check out http://www.brandonbrands.com/apply/ if you ever want to work with Brandon on a VIP Day or six-week workshop. Brandon lays out how he went about relaunching his brand and stood out from the rest of the crowd—even people with the same name. Why you shouldn’t hide your personality quirks when you put your brand out there. Quotes: “It’s not information that the random world put out there about me—it’s everything from me, in my voice, telling my story, in the way that I want to put it out there.”  “The big advantage of a personal brand is that you get to tell the story. You’re in control.” Links: The Online Branding Checklist - http://www.brandonbrands.com/checklist/ Visit Brandon’s website at www.BrandsOnBrandsOnBrands.com Join the Brand Growth Now Community on Facebook at www.brandonbrands.com/community And please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

Lauren Davis is an entrepreneur, local business owner, a marketer, a graphic designer, and a “brand builder” who, through Lauren Davis Creative, helps local businesses strategically leverage social media to attract the customers they need to flourish. Lauren got her start co-founding the record and gift store Culture Shock in Rockford, IL, and has since launched her own conference, #SocialRockConf, which brings small business owners together. In this episode, Lauren details how she went from running lemonade stands, to launching her own record store, explains why scheduling loads of content in advance means little if you don’t follow up on it, and gives you a crash course in lead magnets. Get Lauren's Instagram Brainstorming Worksheet here: http://bit.ly/LDCTOT The Finer Details of This Episode: What exactly Lauren does in her line of work and some of the projects she’s currently working on. Looking into what Lauren’s new Instagram course has to offer. How Lauren got a head start on entrepreneurship and what it was like to open her own record store. What Lauren did to get the word out about her business in the early days of social media. Why the most important thing Lauren has learned in her career is something that really can’t be taught. How Lauren guides her clients through the early stages of developing a brand and look. The reason Lauren doesn’t think stacking content in advance isn’t as cracked up to be as you might think. What are “hashtag communities” and how can you think more like your customer?” How Lauren went about establishing her own social media conference. Lauren breaks down what a lead magnet is and how you can design one to best appeal to people who sign up for your mailing list. Quotes: “When they are done with my course, I want them to just breathe a sigh of relief and say ‘Wow, I had no idea this could be that fun’.” “Really, what taught me how to do what I do is the real life experience of building a brick-and-mortar store in a community.” “I got to learn it as I went instead of having some idea of how it should go and then applying those principles.” “When you are fundamentally clear on what your passion is behind your branding, no one can compete with you, because that passion is yours and yours alone.” Mentions: Noom, Lizzo, Choices Natural Market Guest Links:Lauren Davis Creative - https://laurendaviscreative.com/ Lauren on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ldaviscreative/ Culture Shock homepage - http://cultureshockshop.com/ Visit Brandon’s website at www.BrandsOnBrandsOnBrands.com Join the Brand Growth Community on Facebook at www.brandonbrands.com/community And please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

Mike Kim is a marketing and personal branding specialist, a highly sought-out speaker, and copywriter. He also hosts the Brand You Podcast, where he speaks to other marketing experts and draws from his own experience to give you insight into what makes a personal brand stand out and connect with others. Mike believes that the key to branding success is keeping your image and product in proper alignment with one another and to even leverage what people may assume about you at first glance. In this episode, Mike discusses the three things you need to make your brand appealing and marketable, explains why building a personal brand isn’t as complex as you may think, and explores the “rhythm” of clarity. The Finer Details of This Episode: The value Mike finds in developing a personal brand. Why Mike sees personal brands becoming mainstream in the next few years. Mike defines the three “V’s” he uses to determine a brand’s effectiveness. Making sure your image, your messaging and your product are in proper alignment with one another. How Mike encourages his clients to turn some stereotypes that might be made of them into an advantage. Why Mike believes Vince McMahon of WWE excels at personal branding. People aren’t psychic, so you have to make what you’re selling and promoting as clear and accessible to others as possible. How Mike structured his content mastery strategy. The Personal Brand 3 (PB3) questions Mike asks people looking for clarity about their own personal brands. Why Mike is saddened by the “fish tank” that is mainstream employment. How adult and professional life strip people of the abundance of guidance they’ve received up until that point. Who Mike thinks is currently killing it in the personal branding space. Quotes: “The value of building a personal brand is that you have control.” “Social media’s only just gonna become more prevalent and the workplace is only gonna become more decentralized.” “You can either be Louis Vitton or you can be Walmart.” “You’ve just gotta use what you’ve been given.” “By the time opportunity knocks it’s too late to prepare.” “Marketing isn’t about closing a sale. It’s about opening a relationship.” “I believe true fulfillment starts with the courage to be yourself no matter the context.” “If you build a relationship with people, the selling comes very, very naturally.” Mentions: Kajabi, ConvertKit, ATHLEAN-X, Apple, Theory, Burberry   Guest Links:Mike’s homepage - https://mikekim.com/ Brand You Podcast - https://mikekim.com/brandyoupodcast/ Mike on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mikekimtv/   Visit Brandon’s website at www.BrandsOnBrandsOnBrands.com Join the Brand Growth Community on Facebook at www.brandonbrands.com/community And please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

This week’s Freestyle Friday focuses on how to work with others and make a good impression while you are maintaining your own personal brand. Running your own business takes a lot of time, and that time is already divvied up as you try to balance several plates at once—logistics, finance, communications and, of course, content. It’s by no means an easy balancing act, so it helps to have a go-to method for establishing rapport with customers to hear what they want and figure out how you can help them. In this episode, Brandon discusses what he says and does to establish clear, healthy communication with his customers and explains how to push them toward a sale without necessarily giving your services away for free. The Finer Details of This Episode: What do you charge for and what do you give away for free? How Brandon establishes a rapport with potential customers. What Brandon wants to convey in conversations with people he’s interested in working with. Brandon walks us through the process he uses to diagnose his customers’ issues. The three choices Brandon’s customers face at the end of the problem-solving process. Quotes: “You can learn the tactics of being more persuasive while still maintaining strong relationships with your customers.” “The problem that they see in their business is a problem and it is one that is solvable, it’s not something they have to do alone.” “When you’re giving away your free advice, when you’re giving away your tips or tricks, I do think you need to prove to people that you are the real deal.” Links: Visit Brandon’s website at www.BrandsOnBrandsOnBrands.com Join the Brand Growth Now Community on Facebook at www.brandonbrands.com/community And please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

We’ve come to the third and final part of Brandon’s Brand Trilogy. After discussing how you can make your brand stick out from its competitors and effectively convey its message, we’re going to look at the big—and little—things you can do to really resonate with your customers and make them spread the word about what you have to offer. In this episode, Brandon lays out five steps for going above and beyond to make the best possible impression on your customers, as well as some technical suggestions for how you can improve customer communication. The Finer Details of This Episode: Why it’s necessary to go above and beyond when making a mark on your customers these days. Actions speak louder than words, so consider how little deeds make a bigger impact on your customer’s impression of you than any story or mission statement. How the Internet makes it easier for brands to spread word-of-mouth and stay relevant these days. Think about the massive, far-reaching improvements you can make to your product or service rather than incremental changes. What is your biggest strength? Figure out what that is and lean into it. Consider what you would really like a customer to say about you and your product, then what you could do to match or exceed their vision. Be sure to invest in a good CRM (customer relationship management) interface. Quotes: “Take action every day to provide value to your customers.” “What you do matters much more than what you say or think.” “What is the actual thing that matters to someone that you can change right now?” “You have to have that mindset that there can be a big difference made in your business.” “There are so many ways to be timely, relevant and engaging that your customers will notice.” Links: Visit Brandon’s website at www.BrandsOnBrandsOnBrands.com Sign up for coaching at www.BrandsOnBrandsOnBrands.com/apply Join the Brand Growth Community on Facebook at www.brandonbrands.com/community And please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

Jeff Tippett, known as “Mr. Persuasion,” is an international speaker, podcast host, writer, and expert in persuasive communication. Jeff is the founder of the public affairs and communications firm Targeted Persuasion, and author of the book Unleashing Your Superpower: Why Persuasive Communication Is the Only Force You Will Ever Need. In this episode, Jeff explains how persuasive communication played a vital role in adopting his daughter, breaks down his "Three C's" of communication, and discusses why persuasion is a powerful act for everyone involved. The Finer Details of This Episode: How Jeff got an early start as an “entrepreneur.” The reason adopting his daughter played a major role in shaping Jeff’s attitude toward persuasive communication. What makes persuasion different from manipulation, and why Jeff sees the former as instilling a kind of leadership in people. How persuasive communication allows you to do more with less and convince people without them even realizing at first. Capture, Connect and Convince: Jeff’s “Three C's” for persuasive communication. Why Jeff puts his faith in mom & pop businesses and grassroots organizations over their bigger counterparts. Quotes: “Persuasion is seeing a better future, a better outcome for someone else and helping them to see it for themselves and bringing them along in this journey.” “I wanna say something that doesn’t give them everything, but gives them enough.” “I didn’t have to cause the emotion, I didn’t have to create it. I just had to connect with it and give them an outlet to change it.” “How do I reframe this in a way that speaks to what they care about, not what I care about?” “You’re already building your brand whether you realize it or not.” “There’s so much peace when all of our work aligns with who we are internally and what matters to us.” Mentions: Chubbies  Guest Links:Jeff’s homepage - https://jefftippett.com/ Targeted Persuasion - http://targetedpersuasion.com/ Unleashing Your Superpower - https://www.amazon.com/dp/173353380X/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_zbKkDb473RRPB   Visit Brandon’s website at www.BrandsOnBrandsOnBrands.com Join the Brand Growth Community on Facebook at www.brandonbrands.com/community And please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

A lot of entrepreneurs drive themselves mad fretting about not having enough content at the outset, but really they have it all backwards. Building a brand, at least in the early stages, really isn’t about creating content day after day. Rather it’s about listening for what prospective customers are looking for, reaching out to them for input and to gauge interest, and making the most of what you have while you build up recognition.  In this episode, Brandon explains how he was able to make his brand known before he had a ton of content, suggests ways you can optimize your own content in the early stages of brand-building, and reminds you not to let perfectionism overwhelm you. The Finer Details of This Episode: Answer the questions people in your industry and prospective customers are asking so you can tailor your service to existing needs. Realize how a single piece of content, such as a video interview or podcast, can be a source for additional content. Don’t be so hard on yourself in the initial stages and try to be perfect. You’ll have time to improve. Stake your claim on the Internet by buying a domain, putting up your pictures, and fill in the rest later. Also put your name out there by interacting with people you admire and like-minded individuals, and even participating in hashtags. Taking a look at how Brandon shows up in a cursory web search. Quotes: “This is why you build a brand, so that people can find you.” “Consistent content is the destination, not the journey.” “Today you need to set the goal of making your content consistent in the future.” Links: Visit Brandon’s website at www.BrandsOnBrandsOnBrands.com Join the Brand Growth Now Community on Facebook at www.brandonbrands.com/community And please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

For the next installment in Brandon’s “Brand Trilogy,” he shines a light on the image you craft for your brand to make it distinct and resonant. What tone are you setting for your potential customers? How are they discussing you? Is your brand image even reaching people to begin with? You need to know first how your brand comes off to people if you want to figure out what’s the best “look” for you. In this episode, Brandon instructs you to seek out the people who are already talking about you, explain how to increase your brand image’s reach through relevancy, and reveals how you can do a lot of this for free! The Finer Details of This Episode: Why all the finely crafted brand image in the world doesn’t matter if nobody can actually find you. The myriad of free ways you can build a brand persona for your company. Ask your customers how they found you in order to optimize the traffic coming into your site. You can hear what people are saying about you and your product by checking in on review sites like Yelp. Your brand won’t catch on unless it’s relevant to customers’ desires and feelings. Quotes: “If you’re not findable, then the [brand] image doesn’t exist.” “You can never lose if you’re listening to your customers.” “You gotta find new ways to tell your story.” “At the end of the day the brand image is decided by the customers.” Links: Visit Brandon’s website at www.BrandsOnBrandsOnBrands.com Sign up for coaching at www.BrandsOnBrandsOnBrands.com/apply Join the Brand Growth Community on Facebook at www.brandonbrands.com/community And please leave a rating and review on iTunes!

John D. Russell is a professional photographer and creative director based out of Manhattan Beach, CA. A good friend of Brandon’s for the last 15 years, John works with brands across the globe to help them create powerful content that effectively conveys what companies have to offer to their customers. He can count Toyota, Ford, Skechers, Habitat for Humanity among his clients and has photographed celebrities such as John Legend and Magic Johnson. To John, photography isn’t just a career but a passion that change the course of his life for the better. In this episode, John explains how photography provided him with guidance during a very dark period in his life, suggest ways influencers can more effectively work with the photographers they hire, and reveals how one of his favorite brands has very little to do with brands at all. The Finer Details of This Episode: How photography got John through a very turbulent period in his young life. The comment from a complete stranger that sent John down the path to professional photography. What pushed John to make his life-changing decision and kept him on the straight and narrow. John describes some of his more memorable experiences working as a photographer and what traits have kept him afloat and sought-after in his profession. Why John believes it’s essential for new business owners to focus on their value proposition. Why influencers should have very clear intent when working with a photographer. The reason John believes selling is more important than branding—and how we should think of selling from a different perspective. Which brands John likes, which ones he trusts, and why he believes Burning Man is doing something different and important. The one major thing John would do differently if he could start his career over from scratch. Quotes: “Photography became my outlet.” “I made a pact to myself very early on in the midst of tremendous pain and suffering that I wouldn’t become a victim.” “My network has given me opportunities to have these incredible experiences.” “When you’re given an opportunity, you have to show up.” “People don’t do business with brands; they do business with people.” “I think creating value and helping people comes first.” “Everything you ever wanted in your life is on the other side of fear.” Mentions: Burning Man, Facebook, Instagram, Uber, Airbnb, Delta Airlines, The Giving Spirit   Guest Links:John’s homepage - https://www.johndrussell.com/ John’s professional Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/john.d.russell/ John’s personal Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/myeyescapture/ John on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/johndrussellphoto/   Visit Brandon’s website at www.BrandsOnBrandsOnBrands.com Join the Brand Growth Community on Facebook at www.brandonbrands.com/community And please leave a rating and review on iTunes!