7 Psychological Insights That Will Help You Develop a Powerful Facebook Strategy for Business

What is the most powerful tool in your marketing arsenal?

Is it keyword research? Copywriting? Beautifully designed ad campaigns? Maybe….

But the driving force behind all of these things?

Psychology.

You see, sales and marketing are really about understanding consumer psychology.

Why do people buy? What makes them click on your Facebook ad? What sort of stimuli do most people respond to?

I’ve been interested in consumer psychology for quite a while. It started innocently enough. I was curious. What makes customers interested in a product, service, person, or brand? Why do people click on headlines? What makes 100%-refund-guarantees so assuring? How will this influence conversion rates or customer loyalty?

Asking these kinds of questions helped me develop a deeper understanding of my customers.

And then I figured out something more. Consumer psychology applies to just about everything in business.

Even social media.

What did I do? I started using my knowledge of psychology to improve my Facebook strategy.

And guess what?

It worked.

It wasn’t just my personal brand that started growing by leaps and bounds. My clients got the benefits too!

I’m not going to keep these techniques a secret.

I wanted to share with you the psychological insights I learned so you can dramatically improve your game by leveraging Facebook marketing more effectively.

So, what are the most important psychological “hacks” you can start using today to improve your social media marketing?

1. Kick rational advertising out the window

Most people are emotional creatures, not rational.

Many of us analytical types tend to think that everyone else sees the world in terms of ones and zeros like we do. But this is simply not the case.

Most people act emotionally, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It just is.

One of the most effective things you can do to improve your Facebook strategy is to quit relying on rational thinking as your main driver and start relying on customer’s emotions to take the wheel.

Great…But how do you do this?

One of the most effective methods is to convey emotion through facial expression. Try using ads that have someone’s face on them, whether it’s a real photograph or a drawing.

I do this often, simply by adding an image of a face to my posts. It’s simple. It’s quick. It’s effective.

Seeing a face is way more appealing than seeing some inanimate object.

It works not only on posts, like the ones above, but on sidebar ads too.

People are already browsing through Facebook, looking at pictures of friends and family. Using headshots or other shots that include facial expression is a natural way to enter into your customer’s newsfeed unobtrusively.

Facial expression is the only universally understood language, and the human brain is wired to process facial cues far more easily than written word.

In fact, according to a study from Caltech, people may have specific neurons in their brains that respond to individual people!

This means that when you see my face, Tony Robbin’s face, Donald Trump’s face, or Brad Pitt’s face, you have a neuron in your brain dedicated to only them!

Pretty cool, huh?

Take a look at some of the ads below.

Notice how the headshot of Noah Kagan smiling instantly changes your mood and instills trust.

This ad from AdEspresso offers almost no rational reason for clicking on it, but the positive emotion instilled by the cartoon and the eye-catching red (more on that later) makes me want to click on it.

Notice how Tim’s confident (or smug?) facial expression communicates confidence about the method he is teaching without any extra information.

The face is enough to build my trust and encourage me to interact with the Facebook ad.

Do you see how powerful conveying emotion through facial expression is? Use it in all your Facebook ads, regardless of the topic.

2. Use color to catch attention and convey your message

Something that many marketers are aware of but rarely utilize is the power of color.

The human brain evolved to see red colors more vividly. This was a huge advantage to hunter-gatherers who could now spot ripe red fruits out of green leafy trees as well as potential dangers like venomous snakes and fish.

(That snake could kill you.)

This is a huge advantage to marketers.

Red in your ads will catch users’ attention much more effectively than any other color.

However, the combination of red and blue is even more powerful as blue is more calming and relaxing.

For example, let’s reexamine the AdEspresso ad.

Notice how the ad uses red to grab your attention and direct you to the “Try it now” button but combines it with some blue text to give the ad a more calming and friendly tone.

This is an easy psychological trick you can use to your advantage in your next campaign.

Colors are powerful. They’re a language unto themselves.

It’s time to start speaking this language with your customers. Why? Because it’s a language that is neurologically innate. We’ve learned the language of color through nature and through the complex development of our species.

Color has a way of communicating that doesn’t depend on effective ad copy or even a smiling picture of a model. Choosing the right color can drive up your engagement and improve your Facebook marketing.

3. Slash the price (by just one cent!)

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to find something in a supermarket that costs exactly $1 or exactly $5?

That’s because, once again, the human brain has evolved to discern the difference between prices based on the left-most digit.

That’s the power of pricing.

For example, the reduction of one cent—from $100.00 to $99.99—is perceived as more significant than the reduction of 40 cents—from $99.99 to $99.59.

While the brain may suck at math, this is an incredibly easy-to-implement tactic that can increase your Facebook ad conversions almost instantly.

This doesn’t work every time or in every situation. However, I have learned that odd styles of pricing are far more effective at luring customers in than flat, round numbers.

Give it a try. Run a split test with differing price points, and see which one wins.

4. Use now as a trigger word

Our brains are not wired for our modern technological era.

It sounds odd, I know. After all, most of us run around virtually tethered to some electronic device—wearing it, talking to it, and interacting with it.

But the brain is still trying to adapt to these devices, no matter how marvelous they are.

Our brains are still way back in the day when we were living on plains, hunting and gathering for survival. This means our brains are still wired for one of two basic responses: fight or flight.

You’ve heard of fight or flight, haven’t you? The idea is simple: fight or flight is “the instinctive physiological response to a threatening situation, which readies one either to resist forcibly or to run away.”

The fight or flight response takes its toll on the entire body in various ways. Some of these effects are obvious—like sweating. Other effects are subtle—like digestion slowing down.

Either way, our bodies respond.

Here’s how one science website describes it:

In response to acute stress, the body’s sympathetic nervous system is activated due to the sudden release of hormones. The sympathetic nervous systems stimulate the adrenal glands triggering the release of catecholamines, which include adrenaline and noradrenaline. This results in an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. After the threat is gone, it takes between 20 to 60 minutes for the body to return to its pre-arousal levels….In the face of something frightening, your heart beat quickened, you begin breathing faster, and your entire body become tense and ready to take action. This response can happen in the face of an imminent physical danger (such as encountering a growling dog during your morning jog) or as a result of a more psychological threat (such as preparing to give a big presentation at school or work).

In other words, our brains are wired to make impulse decisions.

Using the word now is a great way to capitalize on the brain’s propensity for impulsivity and get your customers to click on your Facebook ad.

Here’s how one Inc. writer describes the word now:

Immediacy is what everyone wants: Get what you want now. Make a change now. You can start now. Tomorrow is too late, yesterday is over, and now is exactly the right moment to start.

Humans are wired to want now. It’s just the way we are.

Cater to that desire in your ads or social campaigns, and you’re sure to improve your scores, conversions, and engagement.

5. Focus on the images, not the words

According to most modern studies, the brain processes images much faster than text.

This means that when you are designing your Facebook or other social media campaigns, you should focus more of your time and energy on the images you are using than the text you include.

Social media today is a visually driven world. The more visual content you have and the better it is, the more successful your social media campaigns will be.

6. Create scarcity

We’ve established that the brain is wired for impulse decisions and fight or flight. Thus, ads featuring products with (perceived) scarcity instill a sense of urgency, influencing a customer’s desire to purchase.

Notice how the “Only 24 Hours Left” warning creates a sense of urgency to buy.

You want it more because it’s scarcer.

It’s called the scarcity principle, and it will work wonders for your social media strategy!

7. Use odd numbers for opt-ins

I was just about to write the conclusion to this article when I realized…

I can’t end on an even number!

Why? Because odd numbers are, for whatever reason, more psychologically appealing. Odd numbers improve engagement, increase click-throughs, and attract more eyeballs.

The simple takeaway?

• If you are running a Facebook ad with a giveaway to increase email opt-ins, use an odd number to help increase conversions.
• If you are posting an update about a listicle, use an odd-numbered headline.
• If you are using a number in any place in your Facebook updates, use an odd number.

For example, the giveaway “9 Powerful Hacks to Massively Increase Facebook Ad Conversions” would convert much better than “10 Amazing Ways to Improve Your Conversion Rate” (according to science).

Conductor’s research showed that odd-numbered headlines have 36% more clicks and a 20% higher CTR than non-numbered or even-numbered headlines.

The same principle holds true for Facebook ads, Facebook articles, and Facebook opt-ins.

Odd numbers just work.

Researchers have discovered that the mind considers odd numbers to be more natural. A list-driven article like this one, therefore, has a more trustworthy neurological connection due to its odd-numbered status.

Conclusion

More often than not, I find that most Facebook ads fail to utilize any of the above tools, and that is a shame because using human psychology is one of the most proven and consistent ways to increase your sales and conversions.

And the thing is none of these psychological insights are hard to implement!

That’s the power of consumer psychology. Knowing a few insights can be powerful and can positively impact your marketing efforts!

If you want to see any of the above advice in action, simply run an A/B split test, utilizing the power of color, facial expression, and trigger words. You’ll be AMAZED at the results.

Like with everything, however, don’t take my word for it. Go out there, and do it for yourself: test, test, test, and see what gets you the results.

I’m still curious. What kinds of psychological hacks are you testing and trying in order to improve your Facebook strategy?

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11 Methods That Will Make Your Content Marketing Campaign Go Viral

Have you ever wondered how some bloggers and online entrepreneurs manage to crank out tons and tons of useful and exciting new content on a daily basis, and others…

…well, others can’t even crank out one useful piece of content a month!

And don’t even get me started on marketing it.

There are a number of bloggers who actually can write AMAZING content, but they are clueless marketers and can’t get any of it to go viral.

If you have struggled with any of the issues mentioned above, it’s okay: you are not alone, and there is nothing wrong with you. Every writer, digital strategist, or content marketer has struggled with the same thing!

What you need to do is learn the necessary skills to not only write killer content but also market it like a pro.

That changes today.

To make this super-organized and logical, I’ve divided it into two major sections.

1. First, you have to plan and write awesome content.
2. Second, you have to market it.

You must do both, and I’ll show you exactly how to do both with step-by-step instructions.

Some people think all they have to do is write content and the world will come knocking at their doors, linking to their content, and sharing their articles.

Write an article. Hit publish. Sit back and make money, right?

Nope. It doesn’t work that way.

In order to succeed at content marketing, you have to do both: the writing and the promoting of your content.

Remember this:

1. Content never written won’t be promoted.
2. And content not promoted might as well not have been written in the first place.

No matter how awesome your content is, if you’re not marketing it, sharing it, and promoting the heck out of it, nobody will read it.

With this straightforward guide, you’ll learn the process I use to make my content go viral.

Part I: Planning and Writing Viral-Worthy Content

This is where things start—planning and writing.

Most people know this much. You have to plan an editorial calendar, get your butt in a chair, and write the articles.

That’s good as a start, but it’s not quite good enough. I have six points that will help you not just create content—but create viral content.

It starts with the early stages of content ideation and planning. Here’s what you need to know.

1. Define the objective of your content

The first and most important thing you can do before your pen ever touches paper or your fingers touch the keys is to define the objective of your content.

As the old quote goes,

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.”

If you do not have a definite goal for your content, not only will you likely write an incoherent piece, but you will also likely have difficulty marketing it in the proper channels.

As I detail in my Advanced Guide to Content Marketing, there are several goals you need to define before you start churning out content.

• Decide how you will use this content to grow your business. (Is it to generate leads, improve sales, boost your marketing, or create a community? There is no wrong answer—it’s up to you.)
• Decide on a specific goal for the content once you have determined how it will be used.
• Develop the core message that will be congruent through all your content.
• Identify your competition and analyze them.

A content marketing Excel sheet like the ones pictured below can be a huge help.

You can find samples and templates for these spreadsheets online.

Here’s one from the Content Marketing Institute. (Careful. That link will download the spreadsheet automatically.)

Econsultancy lists a variety of these free templates. Hubspot offers a few as well. I recommend you check these out before you spend hours creating and formatting your own.

A good calendar will include not just dates but the topic, the content, and the keyword focus of the article.

The level of detail is up to you. Some campaigns are pretty simple and maybe only need a date and a title. Other campaigns can be advanced and may include details such as keyword focus, persona target, author, geotargeting, product focus, seasonal push, etc.

Keep things as simple as possible, and you’re more likely to succeed.

2. Focus on the headlines

Which would you be more likely to click on?

“How to Totally Shred Pounds of Fat and Uncover Your Dream Body in Only ONE Month!”

Or

“Burn Fat with This Program!”

The answer is obvious.

No matter whether you are creating videos, articles, or podcasts, the headline is one of the most important aspects of successfully getting your content in front of your target audience.

Make your headlines juicy and enticing, and your conversion rates will skyrocket. Bottom line: your business will grow.

Make your headlines boring and generic, and the most you’ll get is maybe hundreds of views (if that).

You’ve seen the juicy and tantalizing headlines all over the web. Even something as mundane as a pipeline can seem exciting when pitched the right way.

You don’t need to be sensational to craft a great headline. Instead, you need to be hyper-focused on what your readers want and make a promise that earns their click.

In fact, you use a simple formula to make the process easier. Try this one, from Buffer.

3. Don’t B.S. your readers

In your quest to create epic content, you have to realize that your reputation online is everything. It takes hard work to maintain your reputation, and it can be destroyed in a matter of minutes. Lost reputation can take years to rebuild.

EVERYTHING you publish should be well-researched and fact-checked (or have a decent train of logical thought if the concept you are trying to explain is more philosophical in nature).

If you start creating clickbait content that makes promises you cannot deliver on, your reputation will be tarnished and will be nearly impossible to recover.

However, even if you are putting out less content than the others in your industry, your content will still outperform your competitors’ if it is grounded in hard data. Telling the truth through your content, even when it’s ugly, will earn you a sterling reputation and the trust of your customers.

4. Make your content super actionable

Have you ever noticed that I strive to offer advice you can take action on immediately?

There is a reason why.

When people read articles, especially informative articles, they don’t want theory or conjecture. They want concrete steps they can act on right away—actionable steps.

I’ve learned what my audience wants, and I try as hard as I can to deliver it.

Whether you include an “Action Step” at the end of each of your articles or simply write in a style that carries actionable information throughout an article, it’s up to you. But you have to make sure whatever you put out there, people can act on it and act fast.

The model I use for making my content actionable looks like this:

• Create value and fix pain: The headline I created for my article promises a solution to your pain and an offer of value. Heck, it’s free for you to read this article, and you get plenty of great advice, right?
• Build relationship: I’ve pulled you in. Now, I want to build a relationship with you. If you’ve been a reader for a while, or simply know about my success, you may already have a relationship with me. If not, you can check out my ugly mug on the sidebar or even email me.
• Earn trust: In my article, I’m proving the fact that you deserve my trust. How? By providing solid researched and experience-based information.
• Take action: You, the reader, can totally take action on this. In fact, based on these four bullets, you can develop your own plan of attack for an actionable content strategy.

5. Create engaging and original content

The Internet is full of crap, and if you want to succeed, you have to be the shiny diamond in the rough. One of my favorite examples of content that stands out is Craig Clemens’ article on “How to 10x Your Income Over the Next Four Years”.

Where most articles begin with something bland and generic about how you should wake up earlier, skip the Starbucks latte, and invest your pennies in some mutual fund, Craig comes out with a bang, offering the highly controversial, engaging, and original thought: the first step should be to cut out porn.

This is engaging. Why? Because most people have a visceral response to something like porn.

The content is also original because Craig is willing to say something that not many people can say.

Originality is engaging, so don’t be afraid to stick your neck out there. It’s worth it.

6. Always include videos and pictures

A picture is worth a thousand words.

So, what is a 3,000-word article with 6 photos worth to someone?

While I will leave the math to you, it is important to realize humans are visual creatures and we process images much faster than text. If you want to increase the amount of user response and the number of social media shares, adding images and videos can be one of the best ways to do this.

I try to include as many relevant images as possible in my articles.

It’s hard work finding those pictures and adding them into WordPress, but I’m willing to do it. Why? Because if this 2,000+ word article had zero images, you probably wouldn’t read it.

Part II: Marketing

Now, your article is written. You’re ready to level up to marketing.

I use the word marketing, but you can also think of it as promotion. You’re leveraging tactics to get your content in front of your audience.

Here’s exactly how to do it.

7. Get an awesome quote from an industry leader

We all know the power of social proof. This power is doubled when you can get it from an industry leader.

If you have created some epic content and already have built a solid platform to share it on (though this can work even if you are a total beginner), reaching out to an industry leader for their thoughts on your work is a great way to improve your content marketing through social proof and get your name associated with A+ players.

The process for reaching out to them is pretty straightforward as well.

Send them an email or message, and boom. Instant credibility.

8. Reach out to people you see sharing similar content

If you ever see people who are constantly sharing content related to your niche and who are your Facebook friends, reach out to them and ask for a friendly share.

More often than not, if your content is good, people will be more than happy to do this, and it will likely win you a regular “share buddy” you can go to whenever you create some pretty exceptional content (which, if you remember points 3-5, should be pretty much always).

Besides, a lot of social media people and content creators are always looking for high-value stuff to share. You’re doing them a favor by letting them know about your content!

9. Turn your content into a video or podcast to broaden its scope

Some people prefer to learn through watching or listening, and some through reading. If you limit your content to the written word, you are massively short-selling yourself and your audience. You are cutting out a whole portion of your audience who might love your work but might not prefer its format.

The same is true if you are a YouTuber, reading this guide. Get on Fiverr, and pay someone to transcribe notes from your informational videos so that people with different learning styles can also have access to that information.

10. Email the sources you quote in your articles

If you are writing articles that require you to cite lots of sources, you have yet another great way to improve your content marketing!

Contact the most cited sources with the article, letting them know how important their work was to you, and ask if they would be willing to share it along their various channels of influence.

Say please, ask nicely, and you’re likely to get a positive response.

Again, this can be a great way to boost your credibility and get your content out there!

11. Create content worth marketing

Sure, this point may seem a little redundant, but it is worth repeating.

If your content sucks, why are you even trying to market it? What you are creating needs to offer value to the world, and even if it isn’t 100% original, it should offer insights and present the information in a way that the audience isn’t used to seeing.

You need to create great content before you can be great at marketing it.

Conclusion

Content marketing can be overwhelming.

There are so many different channels to market your content on that you may feel you can’t even choose which one(s) to pursue.

But relax, content marketing shouldn’t be this scary.

What’s most important is to create good content and do what you can to share it. Once you have mastered the basics, you can worry about the hard stuff.

Until then, enjoy and start creating outstanding content today.

In your experience, what kind of content goes viral? What did you do to make it happen? Let me know about your viral content experiences! I always love a good success story.

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13 Daily Activities that Will Double The Size of Your Personal Brand in 6 Months or Less

How is your personal brand doing?

No really—how’s it doing?

Do you open up your inbox each day to a flood of people talking about how they love being your customer, how you changed their business, health, and life, or about how incredible your message is?

Or do you open up your inbox in the morning only to be showered with upset customers and people complaining about something you said in an article four months ago?

We live in a day and age where there is so much crap out there. People want to buy from and follow a business that has a relatable figurehead, someone who is personable and trustworthy—who speaks to their specific needs.

So I will ask again…How’s it going for you?

If you are struggling to build your personal brand and are looking for actionable steps you can take each day to double the size of You, Inc. and improve your income and impact in the world, read on.

Note that not all of these things have to be done daily. This is a guide full of different ways you can double your personal brand.

Like Bruce Lee said

Absorb what is useful, reject what is not, make uniquely what is your own.

In my experience, building a personal brand is hard work. It’s hard work to get it off the ground. It’s hard work to grow it. It’s hard work to sustain it.

So why do we do it?

Because it’s fulfilling. Not only do you get to experience personal fulfillment, but you can improve the lives of those around you. Building a personal brand is worth the effort, because it increases your positive impact in the world.

Besides, a personal brand helps you financially. Whether you own your own business or work as part of a larger business, there are virtually no downsides to building a personal brand.

Now, if you’re ready to double the size of your personal brand—and enjoy the many life benefits that come as a result—this is the article you’ve been waiting for. 

1. Write from the heart.

One of the best things you can do to build your personal brand is to write daily/regular authentic blog posts where you talk about your life, your struggles, and your triumphs while offering real value to your audience.

People love to read the authentic stuff.

You can’t fake authenticity. It’s hard to open up, to be real, to feel raw, and to share things that are, well, heartfelt.

But what does this do for your personal brand and your audience?

It will show others you are a real person just like them and make you far more relatable. People like to know the person that they are buying from and doing this positions you as a “friendly expert.”

2. Take a picture doing something you love, and post it on social media.

A picture is truly worth a thousand words. Posting regular pictures to social media of you partaking in a favorite activity will make you more relatable to everyone and will build special rapport with people who share your interest.

For example gym pics, pics at the gun range (a highly polarizing activity that will likely generate some controversy so be warned), in the kitchen, or at the movies are all great ways to seem more personable and start great conversations with your followers.

3. Create a daily YouTube video.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a billion or so, right?

Have you ever noticed how a lot of the YouTubers making millions of dollars built up their following through daily vlogs?

This was not by accident.

Getting on camera for thousands to see is hard, but if you can pull it off, people will get to see into your life. It makes you far more relatable, even to the extent that if they meet you in person they will already feel like they know you.

There’s a huge value in that. Your brand isn’t just an artificial projection of what you want people to see. With video, it becomes a portrayal of who you actually are.

4. Start a daily or weekly podcast.

If you have a radio voice (even if you don’t) podcasts can be a great option to build your personal brand.

You can talk about your life and important issues for 10-15 minutes a day and get things edited and uploaded rather easily.

This is easier than YouTube and while it is not quite as personal, it will still get the job done.

Podcasts are alive and well, and there are hundreds of thousands of people who still get their daily earful while commuting to work or while exercising.

5. Write one heartfelt Facebook post every day.

If you have a large Facebook following, then writing out a few hundred word Facebook post that intrigues readers and invokes responses is a great way to get your voice out there and develop rapport with your followers.

Often, the most engaging Facebook posts are the most sincere. Facebook is meant for camaraderie and close relationships. Use the platform for what it’s meant to do— create rich and meaningful relationships.

Creating Facebook groups is one way to ensure your personal brand stays close-knit. Take this example from a Facebook group. The person who shared this post got more than 100 reactions and comments in just a few hours.

Also, don’t be afraid to be polarizing, the more true you are to your beliefs and opinions, the more respect you will get and the more press you will receive.

6. Open up about issues that are bothering you, or challenges you’re facing.

Often, whenever you can hide behind the comfort of the internet, people decide to keep their challenges to themselves. In doing so, they limit the conversation to boring topics instead of issues and challenges that inspire readers and make you more relatable.

Nobody gets excited over a personal brand that’s flat, bland, or drama-free. That’s not personal. That’s guarded.

I mean this in the nicest way possible:  Get over yourself.

Seriously. We’re all people here. We all face challenges. The more we open up about our struggles, the more feedback, heart, emotion, and relationships we can develop.

A great example of this is Tim Ferriss’s post on suicide. The number of responses and amount of feedback this post got was staggering, all because he was willing to be vulnerable.

7. Create an aura of professionalism.

Here is the thing, you are supposed to be the “Friendly expert” not the “Friendly loser” just because you are trying to be relatable to people doesn’t mean you should completely abandon professionalism.

Everying I explained about authenticity and vulnerability above holds true. But keep this in mind—stay professional.

Obama is a professional, holding one of the highest offices on the planet. He can be down to earth and authentic, but even in those most playful moments, he keeps it professional.

It takes skill to pull off a stunt like that. But it also takes a tight grip on one’s professionalism.

As real as you are, you’re not looking for a thousand shoulders to cry on. You’re not posing as a dramatist. You’re a professional person who does great work, and wants to help others do great work as well.

Lewis Howes knows how to create a powerful personal brand. As authentic as his writing and podcast is, he still maintains a sense of decorum and professionalism in all his publications and visuals.

You need to make sure your site, and pictures look professionally done, and the content you release is top notch, period.

8. Do crazy stuff regularly.

Want to know one of the best ways to increase your personal brand? Be memorable! The world is full of boring people trying to make it online. Don’t be one of them!

Skydive in New Zealand, make a crazy gamble, commit to learning a new language in a month and offer to give your whole email list a free book if you fail.

Richard Branson has a great personal brand, and he’s not hesitate to show pictures of himself doing crazy stuff — like posing next to a snoozing employee.

He even blogged about the experience.

Many personal brand builders are eager to open up about their hobbies and passions. That’s why they have a personal brand. Others love to get a glimpse into their lives, and maybe be inspired to do things they wouldn’t otherwise do.

James Clear runs a highly successful personal blog. One of his passions is travel—but not your touristy travel. He does ultralight travel, and he tells you how to do it, too.

Sure, it may be crazy. But it’s also engaging.

Do memorable stuff, and people will flock to you.

9. Show yourself with friends and family.

Have you noticed how the two biggest keys here are being relatable and likable? Good! Because, THEY ARE.

If you want to be super relatable, then show yourself hanging out with your family and friends.

People often get intimidated by experts, but if you show them you are a regular person who eats, drinks, and uses the bathroom just like them, you will be much more successful, and showing family and friends is a great way to do this.

10. Talk about yourself and your life.

Make sure in your content, no matter what the topic, you relate it back to your life, your struggles, your successes.

Basically, show people that whatever you are teaching is not just for the select few, it’s for everyday ordinary people.

11. Get mentions from reputable sources.

What would it do for you if I gave a shout out to your company? What about if Richard Branson came out and gave you an endorsement?

While those things probably won’t be happening anytime soon (although if you create some really amazing content we can talk) climbing the mentions ladder and catching the eye of big names is a great way to build your brand quickly.

12. Share a “lesson of the day/week” in an email.

Another great way to build your brand, especially with a large email list,  is to share regular emails discussing a lesson you have learned.

If you do these right, making them purely about giving value with no promotional cause, people will respect you more, and be more inclined to open emails that you are sending to sell stuff later on.

13. Just be yourself.

The most powerful way you can build your personal brand is to be yourself. Be authentic in everything you do.

You’ll have ups, downs, challenges, breakthroughs, scary moments, euphoria moments, and it will all be worth it. Do you.

Never espouse an opinion that is not yours, never recommend products you do not believe in, never pretend to be someone you are not, people will see through it and your brand will suffer.

Conclusion

While doing all 13 of the things on the above list would certainly grow your brand and fan base at a record fast pace, it would probably also kill you.

This is not meant to be a comprehensive guide to building your personal brand, but rather an list of ideas you can implement to grow your brand at a faster pace than you already are.

So pick 3-5 of the above things (in addition to number 13 of course) and start executing on a daily basis. Give it a go for the next 6 months, and just see where it gets you.

I’ve experienced remarkable success in building my personal brand. Why? It’s not because I’m anyone special. It’s simply because I’ve worked on it for more than ten years.

Six months is a lot shorter than ten years. But I’m confident that six months from now, as long as you do a few of the things in this list, your personal brand will double.

With that kind of success, who knows where you’ll be in ten years?

What tactics have you tried in building your personal brand? What worked? What flopped? What would you try again if you were guaranteed to get results?

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