I wanna have a pro personal brand.
PHIL:Have a pro personal brand.
PHIL:Phil Pallen come on the show to show us how to have a pro personal personal brand.
IAN:Welcome to episode 197 of the Comfort Live Marketing Show.
PHIL:Nowadays, we juggle two versions of ourselves.
PHIL:That in-person experience and what's becoming everyday more important,
PHIL:the online version of ourselves.
PHIL:So branding is really achieving consistency between those two experiences.
IAN:In today's episode, we're talking about how you can create
IAN:a professional personal brand.
IAN:I've got my good friend, Phil Pallen on the show to talk about this.
IAN:Let's get on with it just after this.
IAN:Well, hello, hello, hello.
IAN:Welcome to the show, episode 197.
IAN:This is the show that helps you level up your impact, authority, and profits
IAN:through Confident Live video broadcasting on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
IAN:And of course, this is a podcast that comes out every single Friday.
IAN:If you haven't come across the podcast, then please do go to iag.me/podcast.
IAN:Well, just before I bring in my special guest today, just a
IAN:few little housekeeping things.
IAN:We are coming up to episode 200.
IAN:I've been doing a lot of thinking about what we're going to do for episode 200,
IAN:and basically I'm going to be relaunching this show and this podcast, going
IAN:to be doing some really cool things.
IAN:I'm actually going to be doing a bit of rebranding as well, so I might be picking
IAN:Phil's ears, or Phil's thoughts on this.
IAN:Phil's ears?
IAN:I don't know why I said that.
IAN:Phil's thoughts.
IAN:That's what you do.
IAN:You pick people's brains.
IAN:Oh, it's one of those days.
IAN:My brain's not working.
IAN:So, I'm thinking I might have a little bit of a gap of maybe two or three
IAN:weeks while we, get ready for that.
IAN:So it's just to let you know, let me know what your thoughts are and
IAN:what we should do for episode 200.
IAN:That would be awesome.
IAN:Well, let's see who we got in the house at the moment.
IAN:We have got Paul watching from Vancouver, Canada, THE GRAMMAR DETECTIVE.
IAN:Great to see you, Paul.
IAN:And we've got the fabulous Carl.
IAN:Carl's bearded banter saying "hellooooo."
IAN:Great to see you.
IAN:And yeah, you were here at episode 100.
IAN:You won second prize, I think.
IAN:Wasn't it, Carl?
IAN:In the big giveaway.
IAN:Yeah.
IAN:Thank you, Carl.
IAN:"Bend his ears.
IAN:Pick his brain."
IAN:I always mix my metaphors.
IAN:That's the problem.
IAN:Well, let's get on, as we get on with bringing in Phil.
IAN:Phil Pallen is a personal branding expert and keynote speaker, his
IAN:non-conventional approach to digital marketing and talent for social
IAN:media has built in a global audience.
IAN:As a brand strategist, Phil has advised hundreds of brands from over
IAN:30 countries, including a shark on Shark Tank, a Nobel Peace Prize winner,
IAN:politicians, and some of the most important names in entertainment.
IAN:A digital nomad and globe trotter, Phil has delivered speeches on five different
IAN:continents and frequently appears as an expert contributor in media outlets
IAN:around the world, including CNN, Access Hollywood and the Daily Mail.
IAN:Welcome to the show, Phil.
PHIL:Oh, the applause, the metaphors.
PHIL:I for one, like when you mix them up, because it makes it unique
PHIL:and it makes them your own.
PHIL:Ian, I'm so happy to be here.
PHIL:Thank you.
IAN:Well, thank you.
IAN:You're very, very kind there.
IAN:I'm always mixing my metaphors, but I want to note, you've been speaking
IAN:of five different continents.
IAN:When's your first gig in Antarctica?
IAN:To the Penguins?
IAN:It's going to happen?
PHIL:I know.
PHIL:Can you imagine that would be a very small audience?
PHIL:I've had small audiences before sometime.
PHIL:You never know.
PHIL:But you know this, Ian.
PHIL:I'm a little finicky with weather, so Antarctica is not
PHIL:really one of my dream locations.
PHIL:I can see why other people might want to go there, but I prefer sunshine,
PHIL:as I say, in January in a t-shirt from Florida, which is where I'm based.
IAN:Well, there you go.
IAN:So you're in Florida, but you are not from the USA.
IAN:Are you?
IAN:So tell us a little bit about your background and also like how we met
IAN:as well, because we were talking about this just before the break.
IAN:We met back in...
IAN:well, I'm not going to tell you.
IAN:You already know that.
IAN:Let's talk about it.
IAN:Okay, sure.
IAN:So, I grew up in Canada.
IAN:I'm Canadian still.
IAN:I have my green card.
IAN:That's how I'm able to live here and work here.
IAN:But I've spent a lot of time, I'd say, I guess I've been
IAN:at this for about 11 years.
IAN:You met me when I was speaking at New Media Europe.
IAN:Our friends, Mike and Isabella Russell, used to run this amazing
IAN:conference and that's where we met.
IAN:I spoke, that was one of my first international speaking engagements.
IAN:and I've been a brand strategist for 11 years.
IAN:Helping people position, build and promote their brands.
IAN:And I say people more than companies.
IAN:I think that's what makes me unique, not necessarily in the landscape now.
IAN:There's lots of people who specialize in personal branding.
IAN:There are photographers that specialize in personal branding.
IAN:That's now a thing.
IAN:In 2011, it wasn't as much of a thing.
IAN:So, it's pretty unique that I have done this in terms of focusing on
IAN:branding people for over a decade.
IAN:That's awesome.
IAN:So, we started our businesses roughly at the same time.
IAN:I was about 2011 as well.
IAN:And yeah, New Media Europe, those were the days.
IAN:2015 and that was in Manchester.
IAN:Were you in Manchester or was it London?
PHIL:I was in both.
IAN:Yeah, I thought you were in both.
IAN:So, that's cool.
IAN:Just to look at the comments, Carl is saying, "Nooo Ian we are
IAN:not a 100 shows older already."
IAN:We are.
IAN:We've got somebody watching on Facebook.
IAN:I don't know who you are unfortunately.
IAN:Because Facebook.
IAN:Saying, "Good afternoon from Toronto!"
PHIL:Canadian..
IAN:I know we've got all the Canadians in the house today.
IAN:And Paul has got lots of questions.
IAN:I think we need to get started with this, with personal branding.
IAN:Because it's really interesting what you said about focusing on the people
IAN:because I know that I'm not alone here.
IAN:I have this feeling that I want to show myself as this company.
IAN:Because if I'm just a person, then other businesses might not take me so
IAN:seriously, or that used to be my thought.
IAN:I don't think that anymore.
IAN:But is that a common thought?
IAN:And how do you as a brand strategist, talk to your clients about that?
PHIL:So I don't think anyone is surprised or even this idea of personal
PHIL:branding, I don't know how new that concept is for people now that it's
PHIL:been around for quite a while, but I still, Ian, encounter friction or people
PHIL:who say, "Oh, well that's not for me.
PHIL:My job is selling insurance.
PHIL:Why would I need a personal brand?"
PHIL:And I would challenge you, or anyone that believes that.
PHIL:Not you.
PHIL:You have a business built around yourself like I do.
PHIL:I would challenge anyone that that pushes back on that.
PHIL:I don't think in 2023, got that one right, I don't think you have the
PHIL:choice anymore to have a personal brand.
PHIL:You have one if people are typing your name into Google, they're
PHIL:looking for information on you.
PHIL:People are trying to get the dirt, they're trying to get info,
PHIL:they're trying to get context.
PHIL:They're trying to get motivation to hire you, to contact you.
PHIL:You have a personal brand, even if your job is selling insurance, we juggle two
PHIL:versions of ourselves, the in-person experience, which is you and I had the
PHIL:privilege of being together in real life.
PHIL:Now we don't take that for granted after the last few years.
PHIL:In November.
PHIL:But you and I also can exist digitally.
PHIL:This is very close to real life.
PHIL:It's not quiet.
PHIL:We have a camera that I'm looking into.
PHIL:We have the internet that connects us and you got a camera on your end,
PHIL:but technology really exists to help us recreate the in-person experience.
PHIL:Nowadays, we juggle two versions of ourselves.
PHIL:That in-person experience and what's becoming everyday more important,
PHIL:the online version of ourselves.
PHIL:So branding is really achieving consistency between those two experiences.
IAN:That's really helpful.
IAN:So, Paul is saying here.
IAN:He's been really looking forward to the show, which is awesome.
IAN:He's been struggling to grow his brand as a business for years,
IAN:trying to figure out the niche, the brand, the value, et cetera.
IAN:And he's also saying, "I have often considered hiring a coach, but not
IAN:sure what type of coach can help me."
IAN:And that's really interesting because I'm in the process of looking
IAN:to work with the coach as well.
IAN:I think often we are too close to our own business and our brand.
IAN:What are your thoughts on that?
IAN:Do you think that is the case that we sometimes need outside help
IAN:to look in at what we're doing?
IAN:And when it comes to our personal brand, what should we do when it comes to that?
PHIL:Yeah, good question.
PHIL:Call it what you want.
PHIL:Sometimes people refer to it as a coach, a strategist.
PHIL:I will sometimes call it an accountability partner.
PHIL:In a situation where you've built a brand around yourself, I like to remember this.
PHIL:You hear your own voice differently than other people hear your voice.
PHIL:Because you are in your body.
PHIL:You are living the experience.
PHIL:I often describe the work that we do, we aren't necessarily coaches, we're
PHIL:strategists, but it's the same thing in terms of holding up a mirror in front
PHIL:of you saying, "Hey, here's what I hear.
PHIL:Here's what I see."
PHIL:Now, my focus is on personal branding, positioning your brand, building somebody
PHIL:to show for them and promoting it.
PHIL:Social media strategy is a big part of what I do because I work with people.
PHIL:So, that's my job to hold up that mirror and say, "Hey, here's what I see.
PHIL:Here's maybe the order that based on my experience in working with
PHIL:people in all different industries, here's what I would tackle first.
PHIL:Here's your number one priority based on your business goal."
PHIL:I often say, even before hiring a coach or a strategist or someone to
PHIL:help you, make sure you're crystal clear as far as you can go on your own.
PHIL:Make sure you're clear on your business.
PHIL:And if you're not clear, then that coach will probably prioritize that
PHIL:as item number one on the list.
PHIL:What's your goal?
PHIL:What's your goal in all of this?
PHIL:You want to create a new website?
PHIL:Great.
PHIL:What's the goal?
PHIL:Why, ? Any coach in any aspect of your life.
PHIL:Right now, I started this week a fitness and a nutrition plan that has nothing
PHIL:to do with branding, but I have a coach.
PHIL:And the very first question he asked, "Tell me, Phil,
PHIL:specifically, what is your goal?"
PHIL:Specifically numbers.
PHIL:And I approach my work in the same way.
PHIL:You got to get specific.
PHIL:What is your goal?
PHIL:And that's going to make working with a coach a whole
PHIL:lot easier and more effective.
IAN:Yeah, so important to think about those big goals.
IAN:What's the point of this?
IAN:Sometimes it can be enjoyment, but if you've got a business, you're wanting
IAN:to generate money, but what's that for?
IAN:What is the goal?
IAN:The ultimate goal in your business?
IAN:And sometimes you might need a coach to help tease that out.
IAN:It's really interesting what you said about personality.
IAN:And so many people, they get into their forties and fifties and they
IAN:still really don't know who they are.
IAN:People struggle with that.
IAN:When it comes to your business, and because we're multifaceted,
IAN:what aspects of you do you want to amplify with your personal brand?
IAN:Carl's got a great question and maybe you can come into those questions
IAN:that I mentioned about which part of you do we put forwards in our brand.
IAN:His question's a really simple one.
IAN:What does branding a person actually mean?
PHIL:What does it mean?
PHIL:I think I touched on this in my own definition, but
PHIL:I'll take it a step further.
PHIL:What does branding a person mean?
PHIL:It sets you up.
PHIL:The exercise of it sets you up for success, I think, to achieve
PHIL:whatever those business goals are.
PHIL:It's entirely possible nowadays to build a brand, build a business as a person.
PHIL:On Instagram this morning, I posted a reel giving my formula.
PHIL:When I break this down into a science, for Carl and for everyone
PHIL:listening, content is what you say.
PHIL:Ian, you brought up a second ago, personality.
PHIL:Personality is the unique way that you and only you deliver that
PHIL:content and personality is what keeps people coming back for more
PHIL:Content.
PHIL:What you say, personality, the unique way that you and
PHIL:only you deliver that content.
PHIL:Those are the two variables with every single person as a brand.
PHIL:So, why would we do personal branding?
PHIL:Think about your goals.
PHIL:Think about how you enjoy spending your time.
PHIL:It is my goal.
PHIL:It is my mission on planet Earth to help as many people as possible,
PHIL:identify what they love to do, and pair that thing with something others
PHIL:need and ideally are willing to spend money on, so we can turn this into a
PHIL:business, create a livelihood out of it, doing something that brings you joy.
PHIL:And I know you feel the same way about your job as I do.
PHIL:I absolutely love my job.
PHIL:And let me tell you why I love it, because I do what I want.
PHIL:I don't sit here and write 10,000 word blog posts thankfully, nowadays, or
PHIL:certainly the direction things are going.
PHIL:We have technology.
PHIL:We have AI to help us with that.
PHIL:I like to talk.
PHIL:I don't like to write, but as part of my job, I'd be sitting here, I'm sitting
PHIL:at my home office in sweatpants, can't see them, but you got to trust me,
PHIL:literally on my own schedule, talking to you through a camera, sharing ideas.
PHIL:This is my job.
PHIL:Obviously there are other parts to my job, but I have created a career
PHIL:that has so many elements, layers of it, doing things that fulfill me, and
PHIL:that's the joy of personal branding.
PHIL:It's taking inventory of what do you love?
PHIL:That on its own as a hobby, how do we pair what you love with something others need?
PHIL:I'll finish this with this.The best online branding recreates
PHIL:the in-person experience.
PHIL:What makes you great?
PHIL:What makes you memorable?
PHIL:What is your goal?
PHIL:How can we use the web, the digital real estate that we
PHIL:have to achieve consistency?
IAN:Really good stuff there.
IAN:And this excites me.
IAN:I think it excites a lot of people watching of listening as well.
IAN:So Paul says, "Thank you.
IAN:I love the idea of 'holding up the mirror.'" And he also says, "On
IAN:our own, it's hard to know what, if anything, we have to offer."
IAN:And I don't know about you, Phil, but I went through this moment in my twenties,
IAN:I think it was, when I just didn't know.
IAN:I was like, what are my strengths?
IAN:What am I good at?
IAN:And sometimes we're too close to ourselves.
IAN:We need that help from other people.
IAN:Martin, I think, I assume this is Martin Buckland who says, "Hallelujah.
IAN:I know who I am."
IAN:Well done.
IAN:That's great.
IAN:Now you've answered my next question, well, partially answered
IAN:it, which was, what does having a standout personal brand do?
IAN:You've worked with loads and loads of people.
PHIL:Almost 350 clients in 11 years.
IAN:Wow, that's a lot.
IAN:So I just wonder whether you could give some examples and you don't necessarily
IAN:need to name many names but I'm interested in the before and the after.
IAN:So somebody who didn't have a particularly solid personal brand before
IAN:and what their brand did for them.
IAN:What was the point of it?
IAN:What were the benefits of having a strong, professional, personal brand?
PHIL:Oh yeah, I love this question.
PHIL:Also, I try to answer it differently every time someone asks me for a
PHIL:before and after, or an example of someone I've worked with.
PHIL:There are so many, I have almost 70 projects on my website.
PHIL:I don't necessarily show the before because that's someone else's work.
PHIL:And that's not very nice of me to go, "Hey, look how much
PHIL:better mine is than theirs."
PHIL:Or if a client did it themselves, which is often the case.
PHIL:But I have lots of afters, almost 70 projects on my website.
PHIL:So philpallen.co/projects.
PHIL:But on my website, first page is projects.
PHIL:And there I have almost 70 examples of the types of clients that I've worked with.
PHIL:So public speakers, coaches and consultants.
PHIL:We're talking about coaches.
PHIL:I've worked with a lot of coaches.
PHIL:Food brands hospitality nutritionists, jewelry designers, media personalities.
PHIL:I've worked, in over a decade, with a lot of different industries, which makes it
PHIL:interesting for me to jump industry to industry, but a lot of the things that I
PHIL:observe and the advice I give is the same.
PHIL:An example of someone that comes to mind who really benefited from the
PHIL:exercise, there are lots, but there's one on my website that I'll describe.
PHIL:Her name is Kate Payne.
PHIL:She's under coaches and consultants, that category.
PHIL:And Kate came to hesitant about the idea of personal branding.
PHIL:That's why I'm bringing her up in this conversation.
PHIL:She.
PHIL:was like, "Well, I obviously I have to brand as a company
PHIL:so people take me seriously."
PHIL:Doesn't that sound familiar, Ian?
PHIL:And we said to her, "No, Kate.
PHIL:People hire you for you.
PHIL:They come to you because of your perspective, your experience,
PHIL:your way of doing things.
PHIL:And so we really need to capitalize on the human element of your brand.
PHIL:That's you.
PHIL:It's you.
PHIL:You are the reason."
PHIL:And she's like, "Okay.
PHIL:I trust you."
PHIL:So, we got photos done.
PHIL:We built her website.
PHIL:The website for me is the part that I'm the most involved
PHIL:with in a branding project.
PHIL:I've got an amazing team.
PHIL:Most of my team members have worked with me for over five, six years.
PHIL:So they're lifers, which is super cool.
PHIL:Very small team.
PHIL:We all have our roles.
PHIL:I pretend I'm Picasso, so by the time that I make a website and
PHIL:code and design and layout, my colleague Lauren writes the copy.
PHIL:We work with a photographer wherever the client is.
PHIL:My designer Sche* has done a really beautiful brand identity and I get
PHIL:to just bring in all these elements together and create something awesome.
PHIL:Kate, after we launched her website within six months,
PHIL:said, "My business has tripled.
PHIL:And there's no other explanation for it than my brand, my website, this new me."
PHIL:So if we unpack that, it's more than just, "oh, look at how beautiful my website is."
PHIL:It's also reflected in Kate's confidence as a brand.
PHIL:Her ability to go, you know what?
PHIL:Yes, I am a business, I am a brand.
PHIL:It's clarity in her services and what I would often describe as access points.
PHIL:How can people access you?
PHIL:Is it one-on-one?
PHIL:Is it group coaching?
PHIL:Is it digital downloads, speaking on stage, virtual?
PHIL:What are those access points and how do we clearly outline to someone, this is
PHIL:how I can servee you and this is what it costs and these are the details?
PHIL:So the website for us, I'm really excited by the output of the website, the
PHIL:physical, the tangibleness of a website that anyone in the world can go to.
PHIL:But I got to say it's the exercise of making one that's actually
PHIL:more important than the output.
PHIL:Because it forces you to think through how do I want to be perceived by someone?
PHIL:We get to craft that, and that's why I, with so much
PHIL:enthusiasm talk about my work.
PHIL:Every single day, I get to be involved, with helping someone craft their
PHIL:first impression, and that's so cool.
IAN:It must be so exciting to see that growth.
IAN:And I loved what you said about confidence, because
IAN:I totally agree with you.
IAN:When I rebranded, when I created, when I commissioned the branding that I've
IAN:got for this show and the videos, it's weird, but it did give me more confidence.
IAN:And you think, well, why would that be?
IAN:I think it also makes you more memorable.
IAN:So with so many people creating content these days, how do you stand out with so
IAN:many coaches and consultants out there?
IAN:How do you stand out?
IAN:And if your brand is memorable, then that helps you stand out.
IAN:And I think also the clarity.
IAN:What was the word that you used?
IAN:Touch points or these access points.
PHIL:Access points.
PHIL:Yeah.
IAN:points Yeah.
IAN:I'm going to be totally transparent and honest about this.
IAN:This is something that I've really struggled with in my business is I
IAN:don't think I do a particularly good job at it expressing, explaining what
IAN:it is that I do and I might offer.
IAN:I don't think I do a good job at my access points.
IAN:And I think that is one of the things I'm really focusing on this year, being much
IAN:better at explaining that on the website.
IAN:And I found that fascinating because my next question to you, Phil, was going to
IAN:be, what does personal branding cover?
IAN:And I've got here, well, it surely it includes fonts, colors, photos, logos.
IAN:I haven't actually put websites, but yeah, websites.
IAN:But you are expanding a lot more on what that is.
IAN:So, how would you fully answer that question?
IAN:What does a personal brand cover?
IAN:And then I'm going to come back to Carl.
IAN:And Paul have got some great questions that I want to come back to.
PHIL:Great.
PHIL:We'll come back to those.
PHIL:You actually just described in completion.
PHIL:I would say the second vertical of my business, or let's call it access points.
PHIL:You like that, Ian?
PHIL:So, we're going to use those.
PHIL:But I work with clients in three phases.
PHIL:Positioning their brand, so that's doing the work that we've touched
PHIL:on today, positioning, how are you different from your competitors,
PHIL:who are your brand heroes, what does your visual brand look like.
PHIL:If people don't know, and are like, "I don't have a favorite color."
PHIL:Great.
PHIL:Walk over to your closet and pull out the 10 outfits that make you feel the best.
PHIL:Lay them out on your bed and take a photo of it, and then tell me what
PHIL:you see in that photo when you pull it up, certain colors that are repeated
PHIL:or certain designs or textures, let that inspire your visual brand online.
PHIL:So you described the area.
PHIL:I have to say we probably shine the most, which is that second one.
PHIL:Build.
PHIL:Positioning is absolutely.
PHIL:Essential.
PHIL:It's like building a house.
PHIL:Before we can stage the house or we can build it, we need to
PHIL:figure out where it's going to go.
PHIL:So, that's the most important first step.
PHIL:The second step is building something to show for your brand after
PHIL:you've identified your positioning.
PHIL:So it starts, for me, with photography, which people go, "Really?
PHIL:You would start taking photos?"
PHIL:Yeah.
PHIL:Because we have to find a photographer that we trust that can deliver what
PHIL:we need, the vision that we have.
PHIL:But good photography can inspire the rest of the branding process.
PHIL:So for example, an outdated profile photo on social media, that's
PHIL:like showing up to a wedding in pajamas, in my opinion nowadays.
PHIL:Like, let's be serious.
PHIL:It means that you don't take your brand online seriously.
PHIL:You don't take yourself seriously.
PHIL:Good Photography is a really important investment.
PHIL:I'd say it's more important than a logo.
PHIL:For now if you're launching a business, you're not going to hire someone like me.
PHIL:Put your name until you show, until you prove to yourself what we will
PHIL:call proof of concept, that there is demand for your business, that it
PHIL:can grow, that people need it, that it's something that fulfills you.
PHIL:Put your brand name in a font for now before you design an intricate logo.
PHIL:But brand photography is the most important part of the build.
PHIL:So that's where I start, because so many aspects of it
PHIL:inspire the rest of the build.
PHIL:So photography, brand identity, and that's more than just a logo.
PHIL:Within that, we're talking about multiple logos.
PHIL:Your logo is going to show up in different ways.
PHIL:And one of your graphics, Ian, for this show, when it shows us side by
PHIL:side, you've got your logo up top and it's written horizontally and
PHIL:it fills up the space really nicely.
PHIL:For me, I don't have room for my name written out back here.
PHIL:So I use my mark on the wall.
PHIL:I have about six or seven different versions of my logo, depending on
PHIL:different uses and where it's going to go.
PHIL:And then we would call those logo lockups.
PHIL:So you need logos, you need color, you need typography.
PHIL:How many colors?
PHIL:I don't know how detailed do you want me to go, but I'm
PHIL:just going to give an overview
IAN:Go, go, go.
PHIL:Generally, between three and five colors.
PHIL:You want a white, a light, a bold, a dark and a black.
PHIL:And I say a white and a black, not necessarily pure white and black.
PHIL:On a screen, it can be a bit dark.
PHIL:So typically, when I do black in a color palette, it's normally a super
PHIL:dark gray, not quite a full black.
PHIL:But yeah, colors, I'd say between three and five.
PHIL:What else?
PHIL:Typography.
PHIL:You need a header font, and a body font generally.
PHIL:So I normally will have two to three fonts just depending on what a client
PHIL:needs and how we want them to show up.
PHIL:And then you have to think about how's your brand going to look in real life
PHIL:on a business card or physical signage.
PHIL:That's physical, isn't it?
PHIL:Now you know I'm a branding enthusiast when you see that tattooed.
IAN:You might have to explain.
IAN:Explain to the podcast listeners what's happening here?
PHIL:I'm showing up my wrist, to the camera because I have
PHIL:my logo tattooed on my wrist.
IAN:That is commitment.
PHIL:That is commitment.
PHIL:My colleague Lauren was like, "Oh, thank God.
PHIL:Now he won't keep rebranding.
PHIL:Put that energy into clients instead of our rebrands."
PHIL:It's true.
PHIL:I haven't rebranded since then.
PHIL:You want to think about how your brand's going to show up online
PHIL:in the email signature, website header, social media, all different
PHIL:places that it can show up online.
PHIL:And then in print physical, which I just gave a few examples, that's the build.
PHIL:And then that final stage, I'll do super quickly.
PHIL:That's like social media.
PHIL:It's really anything to sticker for sale, sign out front of that brand that
PHIL:you've worked hard to build that house.
PHIL:How do we sell it?
IAN:I love the idea of starting with photographs.
IAN:I don't think that is what most people would think as you said.
IAN:And it's interesting because looking back, I didn't do this deliberately,
IAN:but I had this really good friend, who took photographs and they're
IAN:still what I use today, which reminds me this year I need to get some new
IAN:ones because they were back in 2016.
IAN:They're too old.
PHIL:It's time.
IAN:It's definitely time.
PHIL:But also Ian, you talked a second ago about your confidence as a
PHIL:brand through that exercise and your brand feels very confident to me.
PHIL:You also understand brand, you understand the merits of brand.
PHIL:You show up with your exact color of red.
PHIL:Even your glasses are super unique and identifiable as you.
PHIL:And if I saw those glasses sitting on a table, I would
PHIL:go, those are Ian's glasses.
PHIL:We have a mutual friend, Kim Garst.
PHIL:I met her last year for the first time and she's just one of the loveliest
PHIL:people I've ever met on the planet.
PHIL:By the way, she had really wonderful things to say about you.
PHIL:Kim is similar.
PHIL:She's got a brand, she's got her glasses, she's got her color.
PHIL:And that's taking yourself seriously as a brand.
PHIL:And it's cool when you arrive at this point where you have the
PHIL:confidence to go, you know what?
PHIL:I am something.
PHIL:I am this.
PHIL:And to be able to put that into words is even more exciting.
IAN:Definitely.
IAN:Well, thank you Paul.
IAN:Thank you Carl, for being so patient.
IAN:But I did want to ask Phil those things, and we're going to get onto
IAN:a question about tools in a minute, because I love tools and technology.
PHIL:Me too.
IAN:I know you do.
IAN:So Paul is asking, there are so many variables, websites, SEO,
IAN:YouTube, social media, coaching courses, et cetera, in a business.
IAN:And I can almost feel the overwhelm in voice there because there's so much.
IAN:Does a brand strategist help pull all of these pieces together?
IAN:I think that's a really interesting question because basically are you
IAN:the savior to all of us who have so many things all over the place?
PHIL:Yes.
PHIL:I'll be honest with you, I have no idea what other brand strategists do.
PHIL:I think I saw that title in 2013 on LinkedIn and thought,
PHIL:oh, that's a good title.
PHIL:I don't pay a lot of attention to my competitors or what other people are
PHIL:doing in my industry, because I've got my plate full with people that need my help.
PHIL:And I focus on providing a service that gives them clarity.
PHIL:That's the long answer.
PHIL:The short answer would be yes.
PHIL:This brand strategist certainly focuses on removing overwhelm.
PHIL:So, branding is my arena.
PHIL:I'm have fitness on the mind because it's January at the time that we're
PHIL:doing this live and recording.
PHIL:And when I walk into a gym without some structure or
PHIL:guidance, I feel so much stress.
PHIL:That is not the place I want to be.
PHIL:But even this morning I did my workout all on my own, so proud of myself.
PHIL:And my trainer who's virtual gave me a very specific list of what to do.
PHIL:I even had to film myself to be able to give feedback.
PHIL:That's what we do.
PHIL:When you hire someone, you're hiring an expert that's super confident, has
PHIL:authority in the area that you need help.
PHIL:And that's the merit of it.
PHIL:The downside is you have to pay for it because that's how we make a living.
PHIL:The upside is you can probably have a really beautiful final
PHIL:result if you do what you're told.
PHIL:Not all of my clients necessarily do what they're told, but a lot of them do.
PHIL:And I've noticed, Ian, in a decade of working, the two qualities that
PHIL:my clients have that are almost guaranteed for success is, trust in
PHIL:me, trust in my team, the advice that we give you, the framework to follow.
PHIL:And the second would just be positivity, a good attitude, being excited, and finding
PHIL:the joy as not all of it is joyful.
PHIL:Trust me.
PHIL:People hate getting their picture taken, but if we can find joy in the
PHIL:process, those are the two qualities I've seen have led to the most
PHIL:success, most successful final product.
IAN:Yeah.
IAN:I can definitely imagine.
IAN:Paul is saying, "I'm constantly overwhelmed and often discouraged."
IAN:I hear you.
IAN:you are not alone, Paul.
IAN:I think we've all gone through periods of that in our time.
IAN:But there is help and we really hope that this episode today is helping you.
IAN:And of course, we do know somebody who can help.
IAN:Carl is saying, " So I have 'Carl's bearded banter', posting to YouTube
IAN:and Facebook, my own content...
IAN:beard products & advice with a bit of fun and a few competitions.
IAN:But personally, I do not sell any products.
IAN:Can I be branded?"
IAN:You already have a brand, Carl.
IAN:So I think we know the answer to that.
PHIL:But it's a great question.
PHIL:People often think, oh, well I don't have a physical product, is this a
PHIL:brand or is it just a hobby of mine?
PHIL:You know what?
PHIL:I do something pretty unique.
PHIL:I post twice a week on YouTube, although I did once a week this
PHIL:month because it's January and we're easing back into the year.
PHIL:And then February I get back to posting two videos a week on YouTube for
PHIL:free that help people with resources.
PHIL:Having done that now for a few years, I get a lot from the exercise
PHIL:of creating videos, researching, becoming an expert, almost like a
PHIL:pilot doing their hours to train.
PHIL:For me, I have this thing in my schedule that keeps me accountable,
PHIL:that keeps me learning, that keeps me sharing and growing.
PHIL:My email list has grown to over 30,000 in three years, and I don't
PHIL:sell a lot, Carl, to my email list.
PHIL:But guess what?
PHIL:Brands will come to me and say, "Hey.
PHIL:Would you be willing to put our brand in front of your audience?"
PHIL:And that, my friend, is not free, and I have a lot of brands that do it.
PHIL:It's a win-win.
PHIL:I get paid.
PHIL:My audience gets free resources.
PHIL:So just because your brand is rooted in providing value for free
PHIL:doesn't mean you can't monetize it.
IAN:Yeah, definitely.
IAN:Well, we are almost out of time and I want to get onto the bit that
IAN:we're both excited about, which is what are your tools of the trade?
IAN:So what are the tools that you use and what would you recommend?
IAN:We don't have five hours unfortunately, but can you tell us your favorite
IAN:ones when it comes to personal branding, but maybe beyond as well?
PHIL:Let me give you my favorite tools.
PHIL:This is one of my favorite questions because actually on YouTube I
PHIL:get to satisfy my inner geek.
PHIL:and I work with a lot of super cool brands, to try out their products and
PHIL:to create content that promotes it.
PHIL:So in terms of branding, my number one tool for self-starters, people that
PHIL:want to actually take action on some of the things that Ian and I have talked
PHIL:about today, the number one tool I can recommend for you is Adobe Express.
PHIL:For those of you watching, I have a little pillow over here.
PHIL:Ian and I are both very proud Adobe Express Ambassadors, but
PHIL:there's never been a tool like this that is so sophisticated.
PHIL:It comes from Adobe, which is obviously the leading software in
PHIL:the creative worlds, design worlds.
PHIL:There's never been a tool that has democratized brand building in this way.
PHIL:I get super, super excited about it.
PHIL:Let me tell you where to go.
PHIL:If you don't have a logo.
PHIL:You go to Adobe Express logo maker.
PHIL:It will ask you three questions.
PHIL:What's your business name and the slogan, if you have one?
PHIL:Choose a style.
PHIL:So bold, decorative, colorful, modern.
PHIL:It'll give you a few styles, choose one.
PHIL:And then using AI, it already starts to create designs for you using Adobe
PHIL:fonts, using Adobe Express, which brings in a lot of the amazing, features and
PHIL:integrations from other Adobe apps.
PHIL:Popular ones like Photoshop, illustrator, InDesign, et cetera.
PHIL:Acrobat.
PHIL:So, that's the best tool to get started right away.
PHIL:I recommend going to my Instagram, instagram.com/philpallen.
PHIL:I have a lot of posts that teach you how to do this on my Instagram
PHIL:and obviously on YouTube, but that would be my number one tool.
PHIL:I love all kinds of tools.
PHIL:I love ConvertKit for email marketing.
PHIL:The reason I love it is that it strips down all the design.
PHIL:An email that looks super designed feels like junk mail that we throw out.
PHIL:We rip it in half and throw it in the garbage and don't even look at it.
PHIL:Your email should feel like a normal email, in my opinion, as an
PHIL:individual, personal brand creator.
PHIL:It should feel like an email plain textile emails.
PHIL:Doesn't mean you can't have visuals, but I love ConvertKit for that reason.
PHIL:What are some other tools that I like?
PHIL:Oh, I have so many, Ian.
PHIL:I post them all the time, almost every day on platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
PHIL:So when in doubt you need a tool for something specific, type my name and
PHIL:then that need, and there's probably something that'll come up for you.
IAN:I've put you on the spot with all of these things.
PHIL:No, no, I love it.
PHIL:I could list a hundred, but you said we're at the end of the show.
IAN:I know.
IAN:You're too kind.
IAN:Adobe Express is awesome and I have to say, I've not played around with
IAN:the logo maker, so I'm excited about playing around with that after the show.
IAN:And I know there are loads of other tools that we could talk about,
IAN:eComm live, all those things.
IAN:Welove that.
IAN:But we are out time.
IAN:So, people can find you.
IAN:You've mentioned lots of different things.
IAN:There's philpallen.co/projects for the projects, and also we've
IAN:got philpallen.co/ freebies.
IAN:So what's at the freebies?
IAN:Tell us about the freebies.
PHIL:Yeah.
PHIL:So here I have lots of digital downloads that I've created and
PHIL:just made available for free.
PHIL:Some of these, my most popular one is 100 Evergreen content Ideas.
PHIL:It has been downloaded over 24,000 times.
PHIL:I have lots of individual worksheets, eBooks, resources there that
PHIL:will help you on your journey to identifying your personal brand.
PHIL:I have a brand positioning, worksheet.
PHIL:I have brand archetypes, all kinds of things there.
PHIL:Some of them are more technical, some of them are really simple.
PHIL:One is as simple as six questions that will help you position
PHIL:your brand more effectively.
PHIL:Lots of resources over there, and they're all free.
IAN:Awesome.
IAN:Well, you can't get better than that.
IAN:They're free.
IAN:Check out Phil's website, philpallen.co.
IAN:And also you can stalk him in a nice way on all the socials, Instagram.
IAN:Is Instagram your favorite?
IAN:Where do you prefer to hang out these days, Phil?
PHIL:Yeah.
PHIL:Instagram is the app I open the most.
PHIL:I'm not as crazy about TikTok.
PHIL:I don't go to Facebook these days unless I have to message you on Messenger.
PHIL:For me, yeah, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest.
PHIL:Those are my three favorites.
PHIL:Awesome.
PHIL:Well, they are very visual tools.
PHIL:Thank you so much, Phil.
PHIL:It's been great to have you on the show.
PHIL:It's been really awesome.
PHIL:So, do check out Phil at his website.
PHIL:But we are out of time.
PHIL:I'm trying to do a much better job at, just making our shows a little
PHIL:bit shorter, pack more into them.
PHIL:That's the idea.
PHIL:Let me know what you think about that.
PHIL:Do check out the podcast, ieg.me/podcast.
PHIL:But until next time, I encourage you to level up your impact,
PHIL:authority, and profits through the power of Confident Live video.
PHIL:See you soon.
PHIL:Bye.
PHIL:I wanna have a pro personal brand.
PHIL:Have a pro personal brand.
PHIL:Phil Pallen come on the show to show us how to have a pro personal personal brand.