Outsourcing Your Personal Brand? The Do’s and Dont’s

"I’m managing 30 people, have to run a business, and keep the world spinning. I don’t have time to create content. Can I not just outsource thought leadership and personal branding?

This is a statement that I hear more often than not, and truth be told, it doesn’t surprise me. Most of my clients are executives and entrepreneurs with already full days, so adding anything else to their plate seems daunting and overwhelming. The good news is that you can outsource personal brand activities, with the caveat: when done the right way. In this episode, I will share with you how to go about doing it if you are considering outsourcing your thought leadership and personal branding efforts.

First things first: personal branding activities require a certain set of skills and aren’t something people are born with. And that's also the good news because it means they can be learned. With that said, it also takes some time to develop not only the right skills but also to set up the assets, systems, processes, and workflows for it to actually make it happen. This is where most people struggle because adding learning a new skill that impacts and shapes their reputation isn’t a small feat. It comes with its own set of challenges and considerations. Here are three key things to keep in mind:

1. Understand the Need for Personal Branding and what you want to achieve with it: One thing leaders have to realise is that we are in 2024 and the attention is on social media. As much as we’d like to think of the good old times when attention was on TV or on newspapers, these times are over and if we want to attract the best talents, high profile clients and collaboration partners to us, not having a digital footprint isn’t an option anymore.

2. Acknowledge the Learning Curve: Understand that personal branding requires specific skills and knowledge, which may not come naturally to everyone. However, these skills can be learned and developed over time. But this is also where most people give up because they are not immediately good at it and/or don’t see immediate results. It’s part of the process, and you can only pivot and improve when you are moving. So knowing that the first few attempts, whatever it may be, a video, a post, a podcast interview, a speaking engagement, you name it, is highly likely not your best, but that also means you’re putting yourself in a growth zone.

3. Alignment: Before anything else, personal branding efforts aren’t a standalone activity that you just do randomly. They need to be aligned with the bigger picture in terms of your personal values, goals, and brand identity. Your personal brand should authentically reflect who you are as a leader and what you stand for. And this is already where most people struggle. It’s not something we get taught or grow up with - knowing what it is that makes us unique, how we come across, and why we are valued. It’s about understanding our own narrative and crafting a story that resonates with our audience.

This is exactly what the strategy session should be all about where you lay the foundations and clarify the motivators, triggers, traits, and goals. Once you are clear on that, the next step is to define the right tone and voice for the personal brand. This involves identifying the unique point of view (POV) that makes the person stand out on a particular topic or within their industry.

But developing a strategy is not just about creating content; it's about curating a narrative that reflects the person’s expertise, values, and character. The tone and voice should be true to them as a person and consistent across all channels, whether it's a polished and professional presence or a more casual and approachable style. There is again no right or wrong or one size fits all approach. This is part of the brand strategy process where we define what type of values you want to perceive and the image you want to be associated with that also is connected to your decision-maker. 

For example - a client of mine said to me that I was always so polished in videos and he could never do that. And I said - that’s awesome because we don’t need that for your audience. I do want to come across as polished because I’m looking after people’s reputation and there is only one of them so if they don’t trust me that I’m actually a professional with a solid framework and approach to it, they could easily put me in the category of all smoke and mirrors as this is what a lot of coaches and consultants are all about and this is one way I want to set myself apart.

If you think of your own situation - what is it that makes you stand out and it has to start with standing for something. In this day and age, it’s not about answering a question with ‘it depends’. If you want to be recognised and known for something, you need to form, have and articulate an opinion about something.

And no doubt you already have certain views based on your experience and also insights you’ve developed over years working with certain types of people or certain industries. My POV for example is the notion that another degree doesn’t solve your career or business progression issue. It comes down to being able to articulate your point of difference and create this perceived value for a particular audience for whom you need to then be seen by. I can support this stand point not only through my own experience, having worked with hundreds of incredibly smart, yet overlooked professionals over the years but also through various research, including Harvey Coleman’s PIE concept that I have referred to many times. This is also what we identify in our brand strategy session because in the end, if you can’t connect emotion and logic, meaning proven science and facts with stories ad personal experiences, it’s fraud and you won’t get far.

However, it’s a method that I develop to extract this little wisdom as I guarantee you already sit on it and we can tie it in your personal brand story but for many it’s a hidden thing because no one ever asked the question.

Once we know all of that, we know the authority position and the audience we want to be visible for, the content pillars around the positioning, have stories and case studies to support the claim and are clear on the tone and voice of the person - we are ready to go and can look after the tactical execution very easily.

However, there is one more activity to do which I will cover in more detail in a couple of weeks but that is - a personal brand photoshoot. It’s far more than getting headshots taken and it requires a different preparation to it. Whether you have never done one or want to make the next shoot the best one yet, then make sure you subscribe to the show as you definitely don't want to miss this mini masterclass.

So to put a bow on it - outsourcing thought leadership and personal branding can be a viable option for busy executives, but you need to make sure that the agency or consultancy you work with understands your personality, the type of industry you are in, the type of message you want to get across and also the tone and voice that best represents you. 

Once you’ve nailed all of that and you are not only happy but have a documented process, you will regret only one thing - not having outsourced part of your activities earlier.

Let’s wrap things up with the do’s and don’ts if you are considering working with either your expended team and/or with someone like us:

Do’s:

1. Understand the Need for Personal Branding: Recognise the importance of personal branding in today's digital age for attracting talents, clients, and partners.

2. Acknowledge the Learning Curve: Accept that developing personal branding skills takes time and effort, and be willing to embrace the growth process.

3. Alignment: Ensure that personal branding efforts are aligned with your personal values, goals, and brand identity to authentically reflect who you are as a leader.

Don'ts:

1. Neglect Authenticity: Avoid crafting a personal brand that doesn't authentically reflect your values and character, as it can lead to a disconnect with your audience.

2. Overlook Strategy: Don't jump into personal branding activities without a clear strategy, including defining your unique point of view and audience, as it can result in ineffective communication and wasted resources.

3. Underestimate Preparation: Don't underestimate the importance of preparation, including activities like a personal brand photoshoot, as it can significantly impact the effectiveness of your branding efforts.

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