4 Essential Tips for Building a Strong Personal Brand as a Freelancer
In recent research, I found out that there are over one and a half billion freelancers in the global workforce. As amazing as that may sound, that means millions of freelancers probably offer the same skills as you do. What then is your chance to be handpicked in the freelance economy? The simple answer to this is personal branding!
What then is personal branding?
Consider your brand what sets you apart from over 1.5 billion other freelancers. It is more about the uniqueness of what you can offer, your reputation in the delivery of what you can offer, and the gut feeling of your potential clients and neutral people about what you can offer.
It saddens my heart when I see many professionals trying to copy and paste everything they see in others. What then will set you apart from the people you copy? I’m definitely not talking down on having role models and people who you look up to. My point is that you are meant to build a personal brand that speaks volumes about you, the type of problems you want to solve, and the kind of people you want to help solve these problems. That is why the following proven steps will help you build a strong personal brand.
Define what is special about you
As a designer, I know millions of other designers are available to deliver their services just like I will do mine. That is why it is important to know what my unique value proposition (UVP) is so that I can attract people who need my skills. Unique value proposition (UVP) is the specific benefit that sets your service or products apart from competitors. It highlights what makes your offering unique and valuable to customers, compelling them to choose you over others.
Choose your target audience
The topic of choosing your target audience is very important if you want to build or revitalize a strong personal brand. Your skills, services, or products as a freelancer are useless if they do not solve any problem for some particular set of people. One of the first questions I asked myself before learning any skill at all is “Who is my target audience?” You need to know and choose the set of people who are desperate to solve their problems and can part with their money to have you solve their problems.
Need Help With Your Job Search?
Enroll in our online course, Find a Job Fast: The Job Search Accelerator For Career Professionals
Share your story
People love stories, not just facts. They want to know who you are and why you do what you do. Share your journey – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Whether it’s on your website or social media, tell your story in a way that connects with people. Remember, it’s not just about what you say, but how you say it.
Recently, I was wondering why I have more engagement on Instagram than on LinkedIn and I found something insightful. Because I share more personal stories, on IG than Linkedin people relate better to how personal some of these posts are on IG than Linkedin(where I share more professional facts) even though I have more followers on Linkedin than Instagram. In sharing your story, create a structure to consistently get your story out there. It is possible for people who might need your service to forget that you exist. So, don’t stop sharing your stories, always be in the faces of your potential clients.
Create a solid portfolio
You don’t just expect your potential clients to believe all you say without the proof that you can deliver. Having a well-crafted portfolio demonstrates your expertise, builds credibility, sets you apart from the competition, and showcases your unique style.
For your portfolio to be solid, you need to focus on showcasing your best work, tailoring it to your specific niche, and incorporating visuals to make it engaging. If you also include detailed case studies in your portfolio and share success stories it adds depth and credibility.
Investing time in crafting a solid portfolio pays off, it’s like proclaiming to potential clients: "Hey, I'm amazing at what I do!" I still don’t understand why it is very easy to get on a new project and get it done without itch but it’s always super hard to update your portfolio!
Additional Readings:
Meet The Writer!
I'm Favour, a content writer, copywriter, and graphics designer with a passion for making brands shine. I help businesses and individuals create content and designs that convert. My goal? Make your brand awesome, one word/image at a time.
When I'm not working, you can find me playing (bad) football, eating (too much), or watching football highlights (guilty pleasure!). Do you want to say something to me or do you want me to be of help? Connect with me via https://linktr.ee/favouraderibigbe.
