Common Personal Brand Content Mistakes to Avoid

Hello friends, I want to discuss the mistakes you can avoid before diving in to build your brand. Over the years, I have had the honour of helping brands create long-term strategies and visual content that connect them with their customers on a personal level. While it seems simple because your brand is about who you are and the services you provide, many still fail to connect with their customers. I hope this article helps you!

Topics covered:

- Envy and Jealousy

- Long-term Strategies and Energy Levels

- Problem-solving and Value-adding

- Building a Community and a Movement

- It is not entirely about You

Envy and Jealousy

Before creating content for your brand, sit down and ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing. In some cases, I have witnessed my clients hire me to create content for their brand solely for one reason— my competitors are constantly pushing out content, and so must I. Without a rhyme or reason, blindly following your competitors’ actions will not build a solid foundation for you to reach your customers because, without proper planning or strategies, your content might be washed away in today’s sea of markets where most of the products or services you see online are similar.

The question is, how do you stand out?

Long-Term Strategies and Energy Levels

In the beginning stage, we will need a consistent flow of content pushed out towards our targetted audience. Having one powerful video will not keep all the eyeballs on you because it takes a while for your content to shape what your brand is about from your customer’s point of view. There might always be a possibility of you changing the direction of your content after a while. This usually happens when you feel that your content is not getting the reach it deserves, but on the other hand, it takes a while to build a strong identity. In this case, it is important to create a long-term strategy and stick to it till the end. Next, let’s talk about energy levels. Do you have what it takes to create content consistently on a long-term basis by yourself? If not, please hire a professional to help you out. I have seen some of my clients creating content on their own, and after a while, they stopped doing so because they had to focus on the more important tasks, like building their brand and bringing in the cash. Therefore, if you want to do it yourself, create a long-term strategy that is easy to maintain within your time and headspace.

Less is more.

Problem Solving and Value Adding

Regardless of what your products or services are all about, it all boils down to one thing. “Does it solve a problem?” As industry experts, we sometimes tend to create content that revolves around us. This means that we tend to focus too much on how powerful or valuable our products and services are, and we fail to understand that most of our customers are human beings who will not understand the terms you put out. This will result in customers comparing you and your competitors, searching for who is the cheaper and more convenient to purchase from. Instead, try to create content from your customers' perspective. In other words, think like a customer and address their concerns. A great starting point is to turn frequently asked questions (FAQs) into educational content. Focus on producing value-adding or educational material that showcases your expertise in a way everyone can understand. By doing so, potential customers will recognize how thoughtful and knowledgeable you and your brand are, which will help build trust and encourage transactions.

People buy from people.

Building a Community and a Movement

This is where you can stand out and be uniquely you. Have you ever come across Red Bull or Dove’s social media pages? If you look closely at them, they focus not on the products but on their customer experience. In other words, they have created a movement which allows their customers to be a part of their community. Red Bull sells a lifestyle of adventure and passion. Dove sells emotionally-driven content that reminds us of how beautiful we are. A great way to do so is to honour your customers. Shine a spotlight on them instead. Feature their personal stories or involve them in any movements your brand has. This will allow your audience to see how selfless and open-minded you and your brand are. It is not just about selling your services or products but also about your customers’ well-being.

Let them be a part of your brand.

It’s not Entirely about You

As a brand photographer and videographer, I constantly remind myself that I am still a service provider. Yes, I can create quality visuals, but do they serve my client’s ideas and directions? Sometimes, it is not about us or how powerful our products or services are but how well they can serve our clients. Everything flowed once I learnt to put my artistic ego aside and played my role as a service provider well. I will act according to their briefs and sprinkle some creative juices.

Think of it as a collaboration.

It takes both hands to clap.

Thanks for reading!