How to Make Money Using Your Personal Brand
There are few things that get me more excited than helping people build their personal brand. Maybe traveling to a new place, enjoying a good self-care day or a chewy chocolate chip cookie, but honestly, personal branding has got to take the cake. When you build a personal brand, the opportunities are endless. Not only does it help you develop as a person, it positively impacts your bank account, too. Your personal brand is something that will continue to work for you, so as long as you have the patience to continue to water and grow it. I know that I’ve given you guys a lot of information on how to build a brand, but now let’s talk about some of the ways you can monetize your brand.
Speaking Engagements
When you have a personal brand, people look to you as an industry influencer. Something interesting happens when you show up in peoples’ timelines consistently, you stay top of mind. You are regularly asked to speak at events about the topics you are well-versed in. One of my first speaking engagements was at my alma mater, Sonoma State. I’ve also been asked to hold corporate workshops for companies who want their employees to build their personal brand. And most recently, I’ve been asked to speak at Social Media Week alongside people like Gary Vaynerchuck. While speaking is not my main source of income, I’m able to earn an additional $5,000-$10,000 per year just by speaking about what I know.
Services
When you have a personal brand, people come to you instead of the other way around. You are regularly getting new inquiries in your inbox from people who want to work with you. For example, I offer one-on-one coaching through my Personal Brand Accelerator program. This has allowed me to build a strong clientele base and work with those clients on an intimate and educational level while building the foundation blocks of their personal brand. I don’t go fishing for clients, they come to me. This is a great place to be as a service-based entrepreneur, and it’s all thanks to my personal brand.
Affiliate Links
When you have a personal brand, people trust your opinion. You can easily create a “resources” page on your website to make extra money with affiliate links. Win-win!
Check mine out here. This is where I link the systems I use that help me operate my personal brand efficiently. This another great passive stream of income that can work for you while you’re sleeping.
Writing for Publications
When you have a personal brand, editors are more inclined to work with you. You can make money by simply sharing what you know for mainstream media publications. A great way to get your foot in the door is to do your research and find out who handles pitch inquiries. Add a personal note about that person in your email and then pitch your idea for an article. Take the opportunity to build a relationship with the editor to ensure a higher chance of getting repeatedly published.
Feel like you need more help in this area? Good news. In the third module of PBA, we take an in-depth look of who you should be pitching, what you should be pitching and when you should be pitching it. You can sign up for the PBA waitlist here.
Courses
When you have a personal brand, selling your online course becomes infinitely easier. You can tap into the community of people you’ve already built VS. creating a course you’re not sure if people will actually buy. I have received such a high demand for my Personal Brand Accelerator services that I have actually created an online course that will be launching in the Spring. This course will give you the ability to work at your own pace and have lifetime access to all the information.
Brand Partnerships
When you have a personal brand, companies want to work with you. Depending on the size of your audience, you can charge upwards of $150 per one sponsored post.
Remember when approaching brand partnerships to only work with brands that you would actually use. You want to be genuine when promoting a product or else people will be able to tell and you don’t want this to be an opportunity where you could lose credibility. Reach out to brands that align with your values and develop a relationship with the brand marketer.
I hope these ideas were helpful and able to give you an idea of how to monetize your personal brand. When you have a personal brand you have the ability to live life on your own terms. Personal brands don’t just give you opportunities, they give you freedom to live the life you want to live. Get paid for who you are, not just what you do.
