The .ME Effect: Why Personal Branding Matters for Startup Founders

Personal branding is a game that begins the moment you establish your startup. Often even long before that.

A brand is not something you wait to build after you’ve taken over the market. It is something you build along the way. In fact, it is precisely this something that ultimately helps you take over the market.

Without it, you’re just a random name. A name that few have heard of, and that even fewer will remember.

But, that’s not what you want to be, is it?

Well, then, it’s time for you to understand the power of personal branding. It’s time to really learn why it matters for startup founders. And to pick up on the right strategies to create a memorable brand identity.

The Power of Personal Branding for Startup Founders

Why can’t you just do business “like a normal person”, and ignore the whole branding frenzy?

Oh, to be in the good old times and worry simply about your revenue, right?

Well, I hate to break it to you, but the good old times lacked no branding frenzy either.

If you think about it, personal branding is as old as, well, the Universe. You’re always telling stories about yourself, and stories about you are always being told.

The only difference lies in this little thing called control. Who controls the story? Perhaps this concept is being talked about so much these days because businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of telling the story. Of being in control.

So, as a startup founder, you have to get behind the wheel and take control of your branding journey.

Let’s see where that journey will take you.

Attract Investors

Looking to fund your startup? You have an amazing idea, and you believe that investors will jump all over it.

Well, here’s the thing. The idea has to be great, that’s for sure. But, in the end, investors invest in people.

So, they will want to know who it is that’s behind the company. They will want to know your story. Therefore, a personal brand that’s well-crafted can make a huge difference in the process of attracting investors.

Make an effort to shape your brand. This way, you’ll attract investors who really believe in you.

Build Customer Trust

In today’s time and age, customers tend to be quite picky about who they do business with. To gain their trust, you have to do more than offer a great product or service.

Sure, quality still plays a huge role here. But, quality without connection is lacking.

Meaning what exactly? Meaning that people want to connect with the person behind the brand. So, craft a trustworthy personal brand identity, humanize your startup, and make the audience feel close to you.

Allow them to become a part of your world. Because, that’s a world that they will be more likely to trust.

Stand Out With Personal Branding

Competition is fierce. The market is crowded. Everyone is trying to do something.

How can you, thus, make your startup stand out from that crowd and really make an impact?

Through personal branding, of course. A great personal brand will set you apart. It will make you memorable. And, it will keep you on people’s mind when they’re deciding who to do business with.

But, remember one thing. It’s not perfection that sets a brand, or anyone, apart. It is individuality, singularity, idiosyncrasy.

In the words of Dr. Mansur Hasib, a business leader: “You do not need to be perfect; you need to perfect your uniqueness”.

Personal Branding Strategies: Creating a Memorable Identity

Uniqueness, memorability and trust… We call that the .ME effect. Not to be cheeky, though. But to integrate the trio that is a part of all our .ME startups.

Sure, it has to do with choosing .ME as a partner, as we’ll explain later.

But, there is much more to it, of course. There’s more work to do when creating a unique and memorable identity.

So, let’s share some personal branding strategies you should use to stand out.

Everyone Has a Unique Story – Craft Yours

You need to tell your own story. I can’t stress that enough.

Furthermore, you need to tell it well. And, the worst thing you can do is copy what someone else did.

Okay, there’s nothing wrong in getting inspired by other brands. Yet, you have to constantly keep reminding yourself of your unique selling point.

Sure, you may be new to the game. But, that’s precisely why you have something new to offer.

Everyone has a unique story. It’s time for you to craft yours. Be bold. Be different.

Or, as Oscar Wilde puts it: “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken”.

Be Present on the Right Platforms

No amount of boldness and uniqueness will get you anywhere if you can’t get through to your audience.

And, to get through to them, you have to spend time on the same platforms.

Thus, identify your target audience first. Find out which platforms they use the most. Then, create a presence on those platforms.

Be it Instagram, LinkedIn, or any other platform you can think of, you should go where your audience goes.

Being present is a sure path towards being remembered.

Leverage Storytelling to Build Connections

Speaking of being remembered, here’s what you should know.

Simply stating dry facts about your startup on one platform or another won’t really do the trick.

After all, people forget statistics. But, they remember stories.

So, leverage storytelling to build connections with your audience. Showcase your journey through compelling narratives. Use visuals to make them even more interesting. Don’t be afraid to talk about your challenges, and even the mistakes you made along the way.

That’s how you’ll evoke emotions. What’s more, that’s how you’ll get the audience to really resonate with your brand. And to, thus, remember you.

Use a .ME Domain to Take Your Personal Branding to the Next Level

Building a brand today means, among other things, building a strong digital presence.

Clearly, thus, your personal branding journey has to start with an amazing personal website.

To emphasize your uniqueness, build trust and enhance memorability, you have to choose the right domain name. And the right extension to go with it.

In other words, to achieve the trio contained in the .ME effect, you need to use the power of your domain.

Well, being personal, short and memorable, .ME offers you the opportunity to stand out.

It conveys all the right messages at an instant, helping your audience immediately grasp what your brand is all about.

Furthermore, the ease with which it is remembered is sure to increase your brand visibility.

Put simply, leveraging the .ME effect helps build a strong brand identity for your startup.

Wrapping Up

Every startup has to go on a personal branding journey.

It helps attract investors, build customer trust, as well as stand out from the competition.

But, every startup has to be smart about it.

So, create the perfect strategy to build a memorable brand. Play on your uniqueness. Be at the right places at the right time. Leverage powerful partnerships.Most importantly, control the narrative. Tell your own story.