Personal Brand Statement Examples & Tips

You only have one chance to make a first impression. This is true for people, companies, brands, you name it - so you want your first impression to be an accurate representation of who you are. In this fast-paced world that we’re living in, you may find that you have only 1-3 sentences to grab the eye of someone who could be your next co-worker or client. This is called a Personal Brand Statement.

Your personal brand is exactly what it sounds like: how you market yourself to interested parties. Your personal brand statement is the catchphrase or tagline of your overall personal brand, and you’ll want it to be attention-grabbing and succinct. Like Nike’s “Just Do It,” but explaining what you do and how you set yourself apart from others in your field.

It may help to envision where you might use your personal brand statement. Anyone who has one will feature it prominently on their social media profiles, and just under their name and contact information on their resume. It is that important and that helpful in describing the services that they provide, and a well-written personal brand statement will prompt conversation with people who see their value.

An online reputation management company, like Reputation Rhino can help you build your personal brand and help you establish yourself as an expert or thought leader in your profession.

Ideally, you will be able to drill down what you do into one perfect sentence, but you have up to three sentences to get the job done when it comes to personal brand statements. 

This admittedly tiny snippet will contain what you do, how you differentiate yourself from others in your field, and what you’re the best at. It’s a tall order, but it’s worth the effort.

As attention spans get shorter, and social media profiles limit your character usage, people in your network may be relying on these 1-3 sentences to decide if they want to work with you or hire you. 

A personal brand statement will encourage them to look further into your qualifications and contact you, or it won’t (no pressure).

Your personal brand statement should be a reflection of who you are and what someone can expect from your brand. It may take some time and effort, and a lot of brainstorming, but a great personal brand statement speaks volumes.

In many cases, examples teach more than descriptions ever could. Here are five personal brand statements that accomplish everything they should:

Carol Tice writes a blog for freelance writers - but you probably already know that. Not because you know who Carol Tice is, but because her personal brand statement is short, sweet, and to the point. You know what she provides (advice) and who she provides it to (freelance writers).

Austin Belcak coaches people on how to get great jobs while bypassing some of the biggest hurdles facing those in the market for a career. He has created a system that’s unique and yields results, and all of that was quickly relayed via his personal branding statement.

There's no question who "Nomadic Matt" is talking to; between his nickname and his personal brand statement, it's savvy travelers seeking to learn tips and tricks to make their dollars go as far as they can. He ends with a question, which comes across as a challenge: is your desired destination on his already-visited list? In this situation, the question helps to keep things interesting, and encourages readers to check his blog and see where he's been.

Nick Loper has managed to use only 5 words to perfectly describe what he does on his website, which is no small feat. "Let's" takes the place of "I help" or "I work with," and indicates to the reader that collaboration awaits. "Build" is a great way for Nick to let people know that his offerings are not get-rich-quick schemes. And "job-free income" says it all without the overused terminology of "passive income streams."

When you're brainstorming your own personal brand statement, keep in mind that if you can describe what you do in a new and creative way, that's even better than just succinctly and accurately describing what you do. In Aaron Orendorff's case, he casually refers to himself as a superhero. But right away, you know he's serious about creating great online content.

Is it time to write your own personal brand statement? Grab a pen and paper and let’s start brainstorming. If you’re working with a full-service marketing firm, like Reputation Rhino, they will be able to write your personal brand statement for you.

• Start out by making a list of your best qualities and relevant qualifications. First, write everything down that comes to mind. Then eliminate anything that isn’t highly coveted or celebrated in your industry, and keep only the most memorable characteristics.
• Decide who it is you’re talking to, whether it’s new clients or your next employer. This will help you to decide whether to focus on your accomplishments and skills, or what kinds of results you yield.

• Get creative! This is where questions or referring to yourself as a superhero come into play. You want your personal brand statement to be memorable.
• Consider each word carefully. For example, if you’ve used the word “very,” there’s already a better word choice out there than the adjective or adverb that follows it. Do all of the words make sense, convey your intended message, and flow together? Feel free to ask for feedback from friends or colleagues to confirm you’ve been successful.

There are a few formulas for personal brand statements that you’ll see time and again - because they work. Feel free to use one:

• Use a number to illustrate your past successes: i.e. I increase profits by 30% through my one-on-one coaching for service-based businesses.
• Be as specific as possible when you refer to your target market: i.e. I craft supply chain solutions for startups in the recreational cannabis industry.
• Indicate collaboration with “Let’s”: i.e. Let’s turn your 6-figure restaurant into a 7-figure+ franchise.
• Ask that question: i.e. Do you want to learn how to grow from a regional to a national distributor of fine spirits?
• Give a short synopsis of what your work does for people: i.e. Empowering entrepreneurs, growing their staff, elevating their goals.
• Talk right to the clients you want: i.e. Taking your website from ho-hum to WOWZA.
• Explain what your work accomplishes: i.e. I can raise your profile online, leading to greater traffic and greater revenue.
• Lead with what makes you, YOU: i.e. I’m a graphic designer, night owl, lover of dogs, and I won’t quit until I’ve created your dream logo and website.
• If appropriate, put your social media handle right in your personal brand statement: i.e. A food photographer who can make your mouth water @foodfortheyesfoodforthebelly
• Get straight to the point: i.e. Connecting you to your dream job.