How to Select a Title for Yourself
If you're an entrepreneur, then you've likely wondered what kind of title you should use to describe what you do. I remember the first time I sat down to think about what I wanted to call myself. “Should I use the word 'Coach'? 'Consultant'? 'Expert?'“ I didn't want to choose the wrong title out of fear that it could pigeon hole me, or worse, inaccurately convey what I do and who I do it for.
There are many ways to build your personal brand: selecting a title for yourself is a great way to start. Below are six solid steps that will point you in the right direction and help you determine the best title for you and your future. Remember, there are no rules. Let's get started:
Step One: Become Who You Already Are
When I first started my business, I called myself a Personal Brand Strategist right out of the gate. Some might say it was premature and it probably was. The truth is, I didn’t have very much experience when I was first getting started. Does anyone? Nevertheless, I was confident that I needed to see myself as a Personal Brand Strategist in order for me to be one. I had to believe it was real for others to believe it was real, too. The first step in creating this reality was to give myself the title and embody the characteristics I believed a Personal Brand Strategist to have.
For example, a strategist is a person with responsibility for the creation and implementation of a strategy. I didn't give myself the title of "coach" or "designer" although those titles still describe the work I do in some capacities. The title "strategist" covers a broader range of responsibilities and allows me to fit inside the label more comfortably.
Step Two: What do You Do?
In very simple terms answer the question: what do you do? What is the first string of words that come to mind? Don't overcomplicate it. Take out a piece of paper and a pen and write down the first few words that come to mind. There are no rules here. Don't even think about it, just write. Try not to wonder how it should sound, or what people will think, just let your pen be guided by your 'inner knowing.'
Now, I want you to notice if anything sticks out. Are there any common or recurring themes? What do you see when you look at this sheet of paper? Take special notice of any keywords that are jumping out at you. I want you to close your eyes and ask yourself what you see and feel? What are the words that are coming to the surface of your mind? Meditate on these for a while. Take 5-10 minutes to reflect on your findings.
Step Three: Test Your Options in Google Trends
Narrow down your favorite title options to three (four if you must) and take them to Google Trends. Remember, your title should be that thing that you want to be known for (refer back to Step One). Your title is what indicates who you are and how you can help someone before they've even begun to interact with your brand. Ideally, you want to choose a title that has a decent amount of traffic and a small amount of competition. That's where Google Trends come in.
Here, I've compared 'Personal Brand Coach' in blue, 'Personal Brand Strategist' in red, and 'Personal Brand Consultant' in yellow.
As you can see, 'Personal Brand Strategist' was shown to have the most interest over 12 months in comparison to the other two titles.
It's also important to note that the interest for the term 'Personal Brand Strategist' is generally considered to be very low in comparison to more widely searched terms like 'Life Coach' or 'Brand Coach.'
This is because personal branding is still a relatively new concept, which means there are less people searching for these keywords on Google. However, this can be seen as a good thing because there’s an increase in the likelihood that I will rank high on the first page of Google for terms that have 'personal brand' in them. See below:
While it's important to consider the interest in your potential titles shown over time, it's not always the most important factor to consider. Don’t choose a title so off-base that no one will search for it, yet be sure to honor your skills and talents and remain authentic to who you are and what your mission is. This is the balance we must strike. Ultimately, your title needs to accurately convey who you are and what you do in a way that feels authentic, comfortable, and accurate for you.
Step Four: Sleep on It
After you've done your keyword research using Google trends, I recommend taking a few days to pause and reflect. Don't update your title or optimize your social media profiles right away. Sleep on it for a few days and come back to your options once you've had some time to decipher what the best fit is for you. It's wise to seek counsel from trusted advisors, friends, and your Personal Brand Strategist if you have one.
Your title is an important part of your personal brand and not something that should change often (if rarely at all). Take the time it deserves to make a wise decision that you feel comfortable moving forward with.
Step Five: Make Your Title a Working Part of Your Name
One of the first steps in personal branding is to create and possess ownership of as many social profiles as possible. This means Medium, LinkedIn, Quora, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. This is important for two reasons. First, your name and handle are precious digital real estate. Ideally, you want to have control of your name and the brand that lives under it. You don't want your audience to accidentally confuse another profile for you and your message.
Second, once you have ownership of your name and social profiles, you want to establish your personal brand on every platform that is available to you. Get yourself out there so you can share your message with more people. When I was first starting out, this is exactly what I did. I created and optimized as many social profiles as I could. I even went one step further by adding my “official title” into the field where my name lived.
The first place I tested this strategy was Instagram. Because my own name is my Instagram handle, @annavatuone, I felt that using the name slot for my title worked for me. This way, if anyone clicked on a tagged photo or searched the term “personal brand” I would be sure to come up. People would know what I did before they even clicked on my profile.
This worked so well that I decided to implement this strategy onto other channels like Pinterest and Twitter. Not only do I believe this has been the main reason for my high ranking on Google, but it has also kept all of my social media profiles looking cohesive and consistent. Now, I rank on the first page of Google for Personal Brand Strategist, Expert, and Consultant.
The most important thing to remember is you can be anything you want to be, you just have to believe that you already are. If you want to be a "Creative Director" then the first step is to call yourself a "Creative Director." If you want to be a "Life Coach" it's never too early to call yourself a "Life Coach." An object is what we say it is, a job is what we say it is. You make the rules, you call the shots. If you want others to see you as the professional you are, you first have to believe that you are. Moral of the story: be who you want to become.
