How to Polish Your Writer Brand

How can you polish your writer brand so that you shine like a diamond and stand out from the crowd? Nicole L’autore, my guest today, shares four steps to building a brand. Over to you, Nicole.

Relax. I know what you’re thinking: I’m a writer, not a marketing professional, what do I need a brand for?

Your personal brand is not only your image, but your voice. It is how your readers and peers will define you in your industry, and it is vital to being a successful author. Don’t worry, you have a personal brand inside of you. It’s a tiny diamond encased in rock, and all you have to do is chip away at the exterior to find what is shimmering inside. It’s already there, you just have to hone it.

Don’t get me wrong, though, self-branding and marketing yourself is a process that will take some time. It is an elaborate strategy that needs to be researched and developed. However, you have writing to do. So, let’s polish your brand in four easy steps:


Step 1:

Establish Your Strengths

What makes you unique? What do you want to be known for? Before you can put anything into action, you must first figure out who you want to be in your industry.

I am a fantasy writer with a marketing background, and I use my knowledge of marketing and sales to help other writers. This is what makes me stand out among my peers, along with my quirky personality and obsession over my orange tabby cat. Figure out the image you want to paint in people’s minds when they remember you; that’s the foundation of your personal brand.

Action Goal:
Get out a piece of paper. Set a timer for one minute. For the entire minute, write down creative words or phrases that describe you. Include your unique skills or attributes. At the end of the minute, you have a list of things that you can base your brand off of. Keep the list where you can see it.


Step 2:

Create an Image

You don’t have to have a fancy logo to have a strong brand. Your image can simply be a headshot or good-quality selfie. Either way, you should be easily recognizable to your audience bouncing between platforms.

Beyond your actual “photo image,” you should also spend time developing your “reputational image.” Remember, this doesn’t have to be straight-knit or even professional. You can have a fun or serious image, so long as it is true to who you are.

Action Goal:
Take or find a photo of yourself that reflects your personality and branding. Then, create a mood board that encompasses your brand. You can make a board on Pinterest or cut images from magazines and glue them to poster board. A mood board is a great way to see the big picture that is your personal brand.


Step 3:

Do Your Research

Know your audience and where they are. Focus on the needs of your readers, and identify how you can use your skills to help them. Know their primary gender and age group. This will allow you to focus your content on the needs of your audience, and stop wasting time guessing what they want to read. The more valuable the content is to your readers, the more retweets and shares from your website.

Action Goal:
Conduct a survey on Twitter or your blog. Sometimes the simplest way to know what your audience wants and who they are is to ask. Also, take a look at the leaders of your industry. No need to reinvent the wheel when someone is already doing it.


Step 4:

Be Consistent

Now that you know your strengths and your image, ensure that you are being consistent across your media platforms. Your name, profile photo, and topics should be fairly consistent across all of your social media accounts and blog. I went so far as to use the same coral pink for my blog and Twitter account. You can also find me on almost every social media platform as Nicole L’autore.

Consistency will help people identify and remember you. This applies to posting as well. Consistently tweeting great content throughout the day will create a place for you inside your follower’s minds. They will start to look to you for good content.

Action Goal:
Take a quick look at the social media platforms that you occupy. Make sure your avatar and username are the same for each platform, and try not to change it for a while. It doesn’t have to be a professional photo, but people should be able to easily recognize you no matter where they find you.