You’re doing excellent work and the world needs to know. Stop being shy. If you moved fear aside and stepped fully into the spotlight, your impact would be profound. You’d be famous for your work. But something is stopping you. The fear of selling out. You see internet gurus and you don’t like their style. You don’t want to promote yourself in a shameless way. You don’t want to compromise your message. I get it.
You don’t have to sell out to get known for your work. You don’t have to dance on TikTok, share financial information or tell everyone your problems. There’s another way. Build a brand authentic to you when you follow these nine rules.
Personal branding rules: proven steps for standing out online
Maximize what makes your work unique
You know your work is different to everyone else’s, so make that clear. Expand your frameworks, your methods, your strong beliefs. Make someone know it’s your content even without seeing your name, because your unmistakable principles shine through every sentence.
Don’t feel like you need to copy what others do. That won’t feel good on any level. Instead, find your ace cards and play them. The things that come naturally to you are your superpowers. Share those. Share your work and why it’s different. Your unique strengths set you apart.
Play the giving game
Selling out means asking for more or finding ways to rinse your audience. But you’re not like that. A better strategy? Give more than you take. Share your best ideas freely. Help others win. Good things happen when you focus on serving first. Watch success flow back to you when your funnel is firmly in place.
Turn your experiences into lessons others can learn from. Create content that makes someone’s day better. Let your generosity build real relationships. Your best opportunities come from helping others succeed.
Let excellence be your brand
Everything you do, from a LinkedIn comment to your highest paid speaking gig, should be exceptional. Keep pushing your standards higher. Then share stories about the results your clients get from your amazing work.
No one got famous on a subpar performance. You have to be excellent. Show up properly every day. Share wins that prove what’s possible. Get known for someone who does excellent work. Excellence attracts opportunities without needing to sell. People notice quality and tell others about it.
Build your strategy around results
Showing up to your laptop without a plan will leave you confused, tired and unsure about the next step. But four parts make a strategy work: your goal, your audience, your content, and where you share it. Start with what you want to achieve. Your plan should guide every post.
Pick your path based on the exact outcome you want. More clients? Industry recognition? Career growth? Plan your actions from there. Don’t chase someone else’s dream and don’t leave success to chance. Hope is not a strategy. Measure progress against your goals every week.
Be more you, not someone else
You’re not them. You’re you. When you’ve found your ace cards, be happy to leave the jokers to it. Herd mentality is not your friend. Standing out means being yourself, even when it feels scary. Strong brands polarize. Not everyone will love your message, but the right people will. Stay committed to your path.
Share your real thoughts, not what you think you should say. Make your content personal. Give your audience value they can’t get anywhere else. Trust that being different works better than being better.
Act like the person you want to become
Full alignment between your head and heart will grow your online presence in a way that feels good. Be the real you, wherever you show up. But the best version of that person. Want to be seen as an expert? Share expertise. Want to be known as reliable? Show up consistently.
Your actions today create your reputation tomorrow. Match your behavior to your goals right now. Don’t wait to be perfect. Start being that person today. Your small actions compound into your desired reputation. You build your personal brand with a new sense of ease.
Keep your integrity intact
You hold other people to high standards, but hold yourself to higher ones. Especially when showing up for a growing audience. Here’s where trust builds. Do what you say you will. Meet your deadlines. Keep your promises. Focus on actions, not words. Most people don’t do this.
Choose opportunities that align with your values. Say no to things that don’t feel right, so you’re not left sticking to commitments you wish you hadn’t made. Let your work reflect who you really are by going all in on the ten out of tens, not the sixes and sevens. Make decisions you’ll be proud of tomorrow.
Focus on genuine connections
Your LinkedIn metrics are more than numbers on a screen. They are people. Living their lives, scrolling their feed, reading your content and starting to like you. Building a following means nothing without real relationships. Numbers look good but connections create opportunities. Quality beats quantity and real success comes from real people.
Share content that starts conversations. Respond to comments like you’re chatting to a friend. Make your audience feel heard and understood. Create superfans that do your promotion for you. Your network becomes your biggest asset when you genuinely care about who is part of it..
Get famous for your work today: without selling out
Refuse to compromise on who you are while making all the impact you can. Your reputation exists whether you build it or not. These rules show you how to take control. Share your genius, help others win, and stay true to your values.
There’s no need to sell out when you follow these steps. Stop making excuses for not going all in. Your future opportunities depend on the brand you build right now. You already have everything you need.
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