Personal Branding Strategy – The story of how I managed to move from being Penniless on the streets of India to reaching a 6-figure Income as a Personal Brand
In 2011, I was penniless on the streets of India with nothing and nobody to turn to. However, from there, I was able to speak on TED Talks, be featured on national television & even be featured on Coca-Cola viral youtube advert. From there I moved to earning a 6-figure income.
So how did I do it?
And how can you also replicate the same success?
I have outlined 11 steps that I have followed over the years.
See what helps you and what you can apply to your life.
The 11 Strategies of Personal Branding
- Internal Analysis
- External Analysis
- Competitor Analysis
- The Power of Mentoring
- Strategy Formulation
- Tools of the Trade
- Sharpen The Saw
- Have Savings
- Relationship Analysis
- Preventive Measures
- Channelizing Addictions & Drawbacks
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The 11 Strategies of Personal Branding
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Personal Branding Strategy #1
Internal Analysis
This is where internal introspection comes into play.
– Who are you today?
-How did you evolve from where you once where?
-Where are going next?
-How is your brand evolving?
-What do you need to change the coming year?
-What can you do prove to be of more value to your target market?
-What can you learn from your critics?
-What can you do more?
-What must you do less of?
To give you an idea of my change internally.
2016 — I used to read books aggressively
2017 — I stopped reading books and decided more on implementation
2018 — The focus was more towards selling & marketing of my brand
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Personal Branding Strategy #2
External Analysis
The year Brexit became a reality, the Middle East turmoil grew even more, Oil prices rose, the US Economy saw its shift with Donald Trump, the EU decided to come together, Russia is now expanding its influence and China is increasing its economic presence.
You have Facebook, Google & Youtube change its algorithm and user agreements and that has impacted so many users.
All this will impact people directly or indirectly as companies, brands & individuals either lose or gain purchasing power. People will lose their jobs or have to change their employers.
How are you handling this?
How are you preparing for this?
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Personal Branding Strategy #3
Competitors Analysis
In my field of work, there are tons of competitors who come in and there are tons of people who leave. However, every year more tougher, smarter and brilliant mind enter making survival even tougher. What worked in the past may not work anymore. So how are you preparing for the future?
To analyze my competitors and know what they are doing, I joined Facebook groups, online coaching programs, subscribed to different websites and services and studied what is it they were doing and what I had to do to get better by studying from them.
There is always something to learn and improve upon.
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Personal Branding Strategy #4
The Power of Mentoring
Consider the following choices:
– Access information on google & youtube and take 10 years to reach your goal
Cost — FREE
– Opt for group coaching and take 5 years to reach your goal.
Cost — USD 5,000
– Opt for one-to-one coaching and take 1 year to reach your goal.
Cost — USD 10,000
Which one would you opt for?
If time is money — you would opt for the last option.
If money is the problem — then option 1 is the best.
In my case, time is of essence and I need to achieve my goal as quickly as possible. That is why I choose the route of going for a mentor.
Even after studying and learning so much, even today I need a mentor.
Today I have mentors where webinars, sales funnels & copywriting is concerned.
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Personal Branding Strategy #5
Strategy Formulation
As time passes by, as situations change, as environments evolve — you and I also need to evolve.
In 2017 my focus was to create so much content and value that people would come to me. However, in 2017, youtube, facebook & google changed its algorithm to ensure that your content would only move so far after which if you have to move further, you would have to pay. That changed the dynamics of doing business online.
So if I had to survive, I had to change.
And that is why now I focus more towards selling & marketing my brand online.
2017 my focus was more towards being visible on Quora, Facebook, Instagram & Whatsapp.
2019 my strategy is more on youtube, creating an email list & being more involved a closed community.
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Personal Branding Strategy #6
Tools of the trade
2017
My set up for broadcasting consisted of an iMac which acted as my audio & video device along with my iPhone.
2018
I upgraded my set up to have a Rode USB Broadcast microphone + new software to control & edit sound & video. Later I even upgraded to lighting in the house.
2019
The setup now will include a professional camera system + professional sound system + professional lighting system to create a studio setup in the house.
Why this upgrade?
Because if I have to scale my business, I have to provide quality and for this, I have to have the tools to help me get better.
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Personal Branding Strategy #7
Sharpen your saw
So you had completed your Degree & your Masters a few years ago.
After that what did you do?
What did you teach yourself?
What did you learn?
What new skills & expertise did you gain?
Or did you just coast along after your formal education?
Given that I have to constantly learn new skills, I spent 2018 learning how to use Final Cut Pro, Photoshop & Youtube Marketing. However, for 2019, I have to learn Internet Marketing, Sales Funnels, Copywriting, & Email Response Marketing.
Reason?
With new skills come in new abilities to grow and develop.
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Personal Branding Strategy #8
The Power of Savings
In 2018, I had unplanned expenses
– My iMac Crashed along with my iPad & Laptop — all together
– I had my bariatric surgery that I had to undergo
– My wife gave birth to a baby
– Me and my wife had a sudden trip to make and go to meet her family members
– I subscribed to 3 new courses online
– I purchased new softwares for my broadcasting
– I enrolled for 3 new business communities
I was able to do this only because I had savings.
If you have savings — you will be able to take advantage of opportunities and moments in your life as and when they present themselves to you. However, without the extra savings — you will not be able to survive.
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Personal Branding Strategy #9
Change relationships
With time, people change, priorities change, the world changes.
Once upon the friends I had whom I couldn’t live without speaking to them every single hour of every single day and every single time — today we no longer exchange even basic pleasantries.
Its not that we hate each other.
Its just that our priorities have changed.
Before we both were single.
Today my friend has a business to run and he has to also complete his education, while I have a family, a baby and my online brand to take care off.
I think no better example can be given than the fact that ever since I left Dubai, UAE — I have had to delete more than 5,000 contacts & connections to make room for new ones.
Evaluate all your relationships every year.
Get rid of the ones that no longer make sense.
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Personal Branding Strategy #10
Preventive measures
Consider the machinery in and around my house
The Air-Conditioning
I got a group of professionals to ensure they were all cleaned up.
The House
I had pesticides, carpenters, and electricians ensure everything was in tip-top shape.
My electronic systems
I ensured I gave them for a checkup just to make sure they were still fresh and in working condition
My banking accounts & cards
I ensured I created new accounts & replaced my old cards to new ones
My Online Presence
My websites, my social media handles and my groups — I ensured all of them were updated and sorted out.
What is the reason for all this?
So that there is no breakdown or problems or issues during day-to-day operations.
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Personal Branding Strategy #11
Channelizing Addictions & Drawbacks
Everyone likes to talk about the good stuff, the positive bits and the optimistic aspects to a personality. But what about the other side of the spectrum? What about drawbacks & addictions which every human being has? How to manage them? And if they are not managed — how do not think about it to handle them?
As you tend to get more successful, you tend to make more money and that gives you more opportunities to get deeper into the world of addictions, drawbacks and distractions. And if they are not addressed, not channelized and not properly sorted out — they can become your Achilles heel.
Let me give you an example.
2017 — my addiction was chatting with women online as I was alone. I sorted it out by getting married.
2018 — my addiction became online games and the amount of money & time I would spend on them. I sorted this out by giving myself a daily small budget to spend.
2019 — I have no idea what my next addiction will be — but I am determined to identify it and channelize it so that it doesn’t destroy me.
Loy Machedo
Personal Branding Strategist
+66-92-541-4784
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