Due to the rise of social media, online platforms and the digital world, everything can be seen as a brand of made into a brand. Yourself included. Whether you are creating a dating profile, applying for a job, or asking for a specific promotion at work, we all depend on our brand. In this blog post, you will learn more about defining your brand and building a useful online presence based on it. Moreover, networking within your brand niche and marketing your speaking services.
Defining your unique brand and message
Personal branding is a strategic process that requires intentional development and consistent marketing. Your brand reflects your value proposition and online presence, but it is primarily shaped by how others perceive you—even when you are not in the room. It encompasses the associations, beliefs, and emotions that people attribute to you. Ensuring that this narrative aligns with your values and presents a compelling, coherent image is essential.
Just like major corporations, a strong personal brand offers numerous benefits. It enhances your visibility, particularly among like-minded professionals, and expands your network. Moreover, a well-crafted brand shapes how others perceive you, strengthening both your professional and personal reputation to your advantage.
A great example of this is Richard van Hooijdonk, a futurist and trendwatcher who has built a strong brand around his expertise in technology and innovation. By consistently sharing insights through keynotes, books, and online content, he has positioned himself as a thought leader in his niche. His clear branding makes him a go-to expert for companies looking for futuristic insights.
Here are some points that can create your brand from scratch:
- Define your purpose. Having a long-term vision and mission will help communicate to the audience what is important to you, personally and professionally. Asking yourself why and how you have lived your life till now and connect the competences, characteristics traits and interest. What characteristics have others complimented me on?
- Create your brand characteristics. This can be visualised in your uniqueness: what makes you different, and what are your unique selling points? This can also include your background, culture, race, religious beliefs, class and gender.
- Your contributions throughout your life. How have these impacted other businesses, people or studies? And how have you added value throughout your life? Moreover, what motivated you in life and which roles do you play?
These questions you need to ask yourself and will give you a somewhat answer for your brand. A strong brand stands out in the crowd, and it isn’t just for companies anymore. A nice personal brand is no longer just nice to have; it’s expected. So be prepared!
Conceptualizing your brand is also important, and creating an elevator pitch will make it much easier to network successfully and introduce yourself. Keep your elevator pitch concise – 30 to 60 seconds, preferably – and focus on some key points.
Building your online presence
One of the most important aspects is making sure your online presence is fire! This is not only favourable for you but also for engaging with other people. With so many different social media platforms, your online presence may differentiate depending on the platform. However, they should always align with each other.
Richard van Hooijdonk, for example, maintains a strong presence across multiple platforms, from LinkedIn and YouTube to his personal website. His branding is consistent—futuristic, innovative, and insightful—ensuring that his audience immediately recognizes his message, regardless of where they encounter him.
Networking and finding clients
In the world of public speaking – where opportunities often arise through connections – building a strong, authentic network is key to maintaining a steady workflow and creating room for growth. A solid network doesn’t just open doors; it supports you when the pace slows or competition heats up.
But in a sea of endless events and countless speakers, how do you make meaningful connections that last? Here are a few networking tips tailored specifically for public speakers:
1. Start with people you know
Your existing circle is more powerful than you think. These are the people already familiar with your work and impact as a speaker. Within this group, you’ll often find two valuable networks: Fellow public speakers who can share insights, opportunities, or collaborations. And people who hire speakers—event organizers, educators, or business leaders—who might rebook you or recommend you to others. By nurturing these relationships first, you create a ripple effect that can lead to even more authentic and beneficial connections.
2. Let people know you are a professional speaker
If you want to become a successful public speaker, you must go all in. You must let people know this is your full-time job, not just a hobby or side hustle. When you speak, mention being a public speaker so everybody listens and knows why speaking is what you do for a living. Establishing your authority is a form of self-promotion but also very essential in this branch.
3. Connect with people you can model on
Events are a great way to connect and meet new clients or enhance your network. But what about networking with other public speakers? It can sometimes feel like a huge competition, but there is also another way to look at other public speakers. They are a great way to learn and see as a possibility to improve your way of speaking. One way to stave off the feeling of competition with your network is to focus on connections who are a few steps ahead of you in their career. So, basically, seek role models instead of rivals. This will also create a more at-ease feeling when you meet fellow public speakers and learn from them!
Marketing your speaking services
A common mistake speakers make is offering a very generic service like “general speaking”. Instead, you should categorize your offerings. Such as,
- Conference keynotes, ideal for langer events for big corporates.
- Association speaking engagements, perfect for professional groups looking for a more in-depth insight into a certain topic.
- Podcast interviews are a great way to expand your reach, authority and audience.
- Corporate training or workshops, speaking about workshops for companies who need professional development.
Richard van Hooijdonk does this well by tailoring his presentations to specific industries, such as healthcare, finance, and logistics, ensuring that his talks remain relevant and valuable to his audiences.
These are all ways to give different options to your client base and create an easier overview. This is also a good way to differentiate the costs or overall indication of the service you provide. Just like other companies that sell different products, you should package your service in a way that makes it easy for event organisers to understand what you offer and how it will fit their needs.
