I've coached hundreds of people on the critical steps to build their personal brand, and I am quite used to hearing a litany of limiting beliefs from folks who want to get started but can't seem to jump into action.

Amongst the more popular ones is, "I don't have enough 'stuff' to get going. I haven't written a book, I don't have fancy headshots or a speaker's reel, so I'll start after I have those pieces."📸

This line of thinking is just imposter syndrome masquerading as perfectionism. Do not listen to it. Repeat, DO NOT listen to it.

The truth is, the only thing you really need to get your personal brand going is knowledge of which audience you want to impact and how your content can help them move to a desired future state. Once you have that nailed, everything else is in the details.

However, there are some key areas that, when properly invested in, will help make a difference for your brand.

Read more to find out the most important things to invest in at the beginning of your journey. 

1. Invest your TIME

Personal branding is an act of consistency. It involves providing value to your audience day in and day out. However, if you're like most of the human population, you log in to a platform, eyes lit up, ready to publish, then you enter the bottomless pit of consuming social content. After about 20 minutes of mindlessly scrolling, you realize you haven't posted yet, and worse off, how could you possibly post when all these creators are doing it so much better than you?🤯

This is just a matter of getting the right structures in place, and one of my favorite structures is Pomofocus.io. Some of you may be familiar with the Pomodoro Method and some not, but I find it extremely helpful when working on creating and upkeep my personal brand. This method will help you to stay on task and meet and/or exceed goals that you have set for yourself while also monitoring how much time you spend on a particular task and preventing burnout and frustration.

This method combines 25 minutes of focus time on a specific activity with a 5-minute break keeping you working in half-hour blocks. This allows me to stay in creator mode instead of getting sidetracked by scrolling social media and researching all the fun content I come across on there. I stay focused on creating instead of consuming.

2. Place Your Offer on an ECommerce Site like Gumroad

I know what some of you are saying. "I don't want to sell anything. I just want to build my brand." But I challenge you to create an offer.

Having an offer out there, no matter how small, cheap, or quick the deliverables are, will help you figure out if your content resonates with your audience. Does it move them to take action to find out more? Does it create enough interest that someone would spend time navigating away from your short and fun TikTok to get more of what you're offering? It could be a short e-book or guide. Maybe a short video series or one-on-one session to dive further into your expertise.🧐

Remember, with personal branding, if the end game isn't some kind of conversion, your brand won't be clear, and you won't be giving yourself or your audience the opportunity to learn more about what you offer.

3. A Personal Brand Website or Landing Page

A personal brand website is a place for your audience to learn more about you. It's another avenue for your audience to get to know you without scrolling through your profile. This can also be a place for your best content to live. It is an archive cataloging the best of what you have offered your audience on social media.📂

Having your own website also allows you to build your email list, which will always be one of your business's most profitable assets. Collect those emails and get people signed up to your list because when you are ready to start selling on a larger scale, you have the most interested parties already in one place. I will tell you from experience that no matter the size of your social following, nothing ultimately converts like those who have raised their hand to get emails straight from you. Having an email list also prevents you from being overly reliant on platforms you have no control over. We've all experienced an algorithm or newsfeed shift that plummets our engagement. With an email list, YOU have control. That's leverage.

It also helps if you own your own domain name. If you can, grab up [yournamehere].com, .net, .org, and any others you can find; it will not only help direct traffic to your website once you are ready to start promoting it but also help with SEO and the future of your brand once you make it big.💼

4. Headshots and a Welcome Video

Clean headshots can be used for graphics created for social media, your website, and any advertising you decide to do in the future. You will need about 4 or 5 solid headshots that not only showcase your personality but also your authenticity. If you are a chef, you wouldn't want all your headshots to be of you in a suit and tie. Your audience wants to see you in your element and in action. Don't be afraid to let your truth shine through these photos. The great news? With the quality of camera phones and websites like Heroic Headshots, you won't need to spend thousands to put your best face forward.

Want to up-level your personal brand? Film a quick welcome/intro video to pin on your social channels and website. This helps your audience to get to know you more dynamically. People buy from people they know and those they can trust. It's essential to be authentic and let your audience know what is important to you. If you seem nervous, practice speaking like you're talking directly to a good friend, which will help reduce jitters. Remember, this is not a video to sell your product, and it's not a Ted talk. This is simply a friendly and concise way to let people know who you are and what you are about.👋