Just like a business has a specific look, identity, and personality, so can an individual freelancer. This includes design and colour scheme, as well as the tone of voice you use to speak to clients and describe the work you do.
A personal brand is just like a business brand, but it applies to an individual business person, freelancer, or entrepreneur.
Big branding benefits for freelancers
Branding is about familiarity and consistency. It defines who you are and what’s different about the service you provide, helping you to separate yourself from the competition.
Freelancers can benefit massively from developing a distinct brand personality, just as much as a small business or a household name. It will help you build relationships with your current and future clients, keep your service and messaging consistent, show you’re credible, and improve loyalty.
How to define your brand personality
Your personal brand could be formal, efficient, and professional - perfect for freelancers offering traditional professional services, like accounting or legal advice. Your brand could also be informal, friendly, and modern - ideal for designers, copywriters, and other creatives. Or you could be anything in-between.
However you design your personal brand is entirely up to you. It should be comfortable for you, tell the world who you are, and be easy to keep consistent.
Branding questions to ask yourself:
- How do I want my clients to see me? Expert? Colleague? Consultant? Collaborator?
- What kind of service do I provide? Essential? Creative? Specialist? Customised?
- How do I work with my clients? Remotely? Closely? In their office? In my office?
- What would the perfect recommendation say about you and your business? Efficient? Easy to work with? Innovative? Creative?
Talking to clients (face to face and over email)
You’ll naturally use different levels of formality depending on who you’re speaking to, and how well you know them. Keep it consistent by being your best self whatever the scenario. That could be friendly and flexible, or efficient and a safe pair of hands.
On your website
Your site is where you introduce yourself and your service. It’s easy to customise colours and fonts, duplicate pages, and set professional, stylish templates with website-making tools like Wix and Squarespace.
On social media
This is a great place to talk directly to potential clients and people in your industry, as well as assert yourself as a brand. Choose a writing style, or combination of styles, which suit you and your business’ personality. It could be anything - personal, funny, aspirational, honest, human, professional, experienced.
It’s easy to look at big fancy businesses and think branding is difficult or expensive. For a freelancer, it’s actually really simple. You’re probably dealing with your clients and customers on a personal level, so your own personality and ways of doing business are an essential and natural part of how you brand yourself. Basically, you just need to present yourself in the best light.
With a bit of finesse and a nice colour scheme, your solo business can be just as professionally branded as even the biggest global businesses.
Your invoices can look great too. Solna helps you create branded invoices in a flash, and send automated reminders so you’ll get paid faster.
in LND
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