Personal branding: reasons why you should consider it.

I started being active on Twitter in the summer of 2022, following a phone call with Tibo, who gave me one of the most valuable pieces of advice I received in 2022: creating a personal brand.

What's even more remarkable is that this advice holds true for various journeys: indie hacking, employee careers, freelancing, journalism, research, and more. Being known and recognized in a particular domain can bring numerous benefits, and that's precisely the topic we're going to explore today.

Estimated reading time: 3min and 14 seconds

Capitalization
I used to create a separate social media page for each business venture I embarked on. However, I was mistaken. If a business fails to gain traction, you might end up discarding its page, along with the audience you painstakingly built, and starting from scratch with your next project.

Now, think about it. What is the common thread connecting all your projects? It's you. By capitalizing on your own identity and personal brand, you won't need to rebuild an audience every time you launch something new.

And… People are naturally inclined to follow individuals rather than companies. Still not convinced? Just take a look at Tesla vs. Elon Musk: 21.5 million followers vs. 170.8 million followers. Elon Musk has 7.9 times more followers than Tesla, the company he founded.

When I realized that, I decided to give it a shot by committing to daily tweeting. Initially, my tweets mainly revolved around data and cryptocurrencies, as my first SaaS venture was related to crypto. Finding inspiration in the beginning was challenging, and I had almost no engagement (my account was seven years old with just 11 followers, most likely friends). It felt like I was speaking into a void with no one responding. However, I soon discovered the 2 main power of sharing knowledge:

Give, and people will give back to you.
The more I shared, the more people began to follow me. My follower count grew, going from 11 to 10k in just a few months (currently at 15k, but growth is a topic I'll address in a future email). Now, whenever I have a question, my audience is there to help me.

Opportunity related to perception
Let me ask you something: if you needed a coach, with whom would you prefer to get in touch:

• A) Someone with 8,000 followers who consistently shares insights on coaching.

• B) An empty Twitter account with only 3 followers, a vague "coach" description, no evidence of expertise, and no profile picture?

Assuming both individuals charge the same fee, I'm pretty sure you'd choose option A. The person A has demonstrated knowledge and expertise. Person B might be exceptional, but without any evidence, it's a risk for you. Do you see what I mean? Personal branding opens up opportunities.

Since I started X:

• Over 50 people have reached out to me, seeking mentorship.

• I've been invited to participate in podcasts and Twitter Spaces.

• I've received CVs (although I'm not hiring 😅).

• People have offered their assistance for my SaaS projects, both paid and unpaid.

• I've gained new clients for my SaaS ventures.

• I've received numerous kind messages, and I'm genuinely thankful for them. They've been a tremendous source of motivation.

• I've made new friends.

Opportunities are endless when you share with people. And I can't wait to see what will happen in the next few months.

Now I hope I will start to read from many of you on social media :)

One last thing…
Personal branding doesn’t mean sharing publicly every personal things about you.