What do Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and Steve Wozniak have in common? Apart from being extremely successful businessmen, they're all introverts. Yes, you've read that right. Three men who build powerful personal brands and industry-disturbing businesses are all introverts.
While it sometimes might feel that extroverts rule the world, most recent surveys show that most of the world actually leans towards introversion. When it comes to growing a personal brand, it might seem impossible for an introvert; it's easier than it looks. It simply requires a different approach tailored specifically to your personality.
A quiet personal brand can be just as powerful as a loud one – use your unique personality traits to your advantage. So, if you're wondering how to build a personal brand as an introvert, we're here to help with the best introvert branding tips.
Embracing your unique qualities as an introverted creator
As an introvert, you have a unique set of character traits. These traits can have a huge positive impact on your personal brand, so don't shy away from leaning into them to build a strong and authentic personal brand:
- Deep thinking: Research shows that the introverted brain is more active even when relaxed compared to the extroverted brain – it turns out that introverts think more, and they're able to think deeply about things. Strategic thinking allows you to make the right decisions when building a personal brand.
- Authenticity: Authentic self-branding is key to success, and for introverts, it might be easier to achieve because they can hone in on their authentic character traits a little easier. Extroverts are more likely to give in to social pressure, which might lead them to build a brand based on pleasing people rather than being authentically self.
- Deep connections: While socializing feels like a chore to introverts, they have an exceptional ability to create deep, meaningful connections. When building a personal brand as an introvert, this ability can become the superpower that allows you to find better ways to connect with your core audience.
- Creativity: Introvert's abilities to focus and be in solitude often allow them to be more creative than extroverts, whose creativity goes out more toward people. It can be a huge advantage when it comes to brainstorming ideas, creative assets, and content for your personal brand.
Defining your personal brand vision
The first step to successful personal branding for introverts is to define your brand vision. Your personal brand vision is one of the fundamental pieces of building a strong personal brand. It outlines your direction and purpose and allows you to stay on track and true to your authentic self.
So, take your time to reflect on your personal brand and your business. You might want to consider journaling with prompts to help you brainstorm the right answers. Considering answering these questions:
- What are my personal brand goals?
- What do I want to achieve with my personal brand? For example, I want to increase sales, establish myself as an expert, connect with like-minded people, etc.
- What are my personal values?
- How can my values translate into my personal brand and business?
- How do I want to make my core audience feel?
- What are my strengths?
- What things I'm exceptionally good at?
- What things I'm confident in?
- What is my audience struggling with? What are their pain points?
After reflecting, you'll have a much clearer vision for your personal brand. As an introvert, you really want to hone into things you're good at and that bring you joy, and you should focus on developing and accentuating them when you build your personal brand.
Building a digital presence that feels true to you
Many people believe that to build a personal brand online, they have to be extroverted. However, the online world is the perfect place for introverts to build a personal brand – there is no pressure of real-life social interactions, just you and your screen.
While being an extrovert certainly makes things like interacting with people on social media and building connections easier, introverts can also successfully create content. The key to exceptional marketing for introverts is to adapt online platforms to fit your personal needs and strengths.
Blog
Written content can be a phenomenal way for introverts to build a personal brand online. Writing blog posts and articles gives you time to think and put your thoughts in the correct order. It's often a solitary activity, and it allows you to put your deep strategic and critical thinking skills to use.
So, consider starting a blog or creating a profile on platforms like Medium. Focusing on creating quality blog content will allow you to establish yourself as the expert in your field and offer great value to your audience without the added stress of having to speak to large crowds and use up all of your social battery.
Video
You might be thinking that video content is an absolute no-go for introverts. However, we challenge you to think about it again. While impromptu videos for IG stories or trendy TikTok videos might be too exhausting for an introvert, there are ways to utilize creating videos.
First and foremost, creating videos for socials without being on a camera can be a great way to utilize video content as an introvert. You can utilize your creativity to create graphics and film content and edit it into something entertaining and informative. Use a voiceover feature, or only do subtitles – whatever feels more comfortable.
Also, certain video platforms might be easier. For example, YouTube can be a great way for introverts to create video content without too much pressure to perform. YouTube has a bit of a slower pace, and people enjoy not only trendy, fast-paced content but also slower, more authentic, and unique content like vlogs and cozy chit-chat videos.
Audio
Podcasts might or might not be challenging for introverts because they require a lot of talking. However, if podcasts are your preferred or desired way of building a personal brand, then there is a solution to make it easier for you as an introvert.
One thing that might help is writing scripts for every episode beforehand. This will help alleviate the stress and anxiety of having to come up with things to say on the spot and will help you get your point across with much more ease and clarity.
Social Media
Social media can be a great place to grow your personal brand, even as an introvert. Because social media can be all-consuming and demanding of your attention, it's important to set boundaries and focus on creating the type of content that feels authentic to you.
Also, don't feel pressured to reply to every single comment right away. Set specific times during the day when you dedicate your time to social media engagement. That'll allow you to alleviate some of the pressure and anxiety that comes with having to deal with social interactions as an introvert.
Developing content and networking strategically
When it comes to building a personal brand as an introvert, you want to focus on intentionality and quality. That's especially true for content creation, which can often lead introvert creators to burnout. Figure out what type of content your target audience wants to see, and focus on creating well-crafted, well-researched, creative content that's unique to you.
You might create fewer posts than other people create, but that's okay. Remember: quality over quantity. Your goal is to show up as an authentic self and share your expertise. Being intentional with content creation will allow you to stick with content creation long-term without burning out.
Networking and connecting with people in your industry and your audience is not something you can avoid. So, let's talk about introverted networking strategies to help you achieve your goals with minimal discomfort.
Use your ability to forge deep connections with people by doing one-on-one online meetings to develop meaningful connections without the pressure of being in a group setting. Also, you might want to find forums and niche online groups in your industry that offer you an opportunity to engage and connect with others at your own pace. Prioritizing genuine connections is just as crucial as focusing on quality over quantity when creating content.
Consistency and authenticity in your brand
Every introvert's superpower is their ability to be true to themselves. Use that to your advantage when building a personal brand. It's easy to compare yourself to other creators who are different from you, but try to avoid it. What works for someone who's extroverted might not work for you, and that's okay.
When in doubt, return to your brand vision and reflect on it before creating more content or promoting yourself. Once you establish sustainable ways to create content and show up as an expert in your field, stick to these methods. You have excellent critical thinking skills and exceptional creative abilities, so use them to create a personal brand that's unique to you.
Examples of successful introvert brands
To prove that introverts can successfully build strong and successful personal brands, let's look at three examples to help inspire you.
Jenna Kutcher
Jenna Kutcher is a marketing expert, online course creator, NYT bestselling author, and, you guessed it – an introvert. Despite being an introvert, she was able to build a successful wedding photography brand that later turned into a multi-million dollar online course brand and even a successful book deal.
Lana Blakely
A Swedish YouTuber and content creator, Lana Blakely, blew up with her video "A Real Day in the Life of an Introvert" almost five years ago, catapulting her channel to success. As an introvert, she was able to build an authentic brand on YouTube, creating valuable content that's true to her values, which now has over 1.5 million subscribers.
Doctor Mike
Doctor Mike is a board-certified family physician and an internet personality. And guess what? He's also an introvert. He started his internet career by posting informative yet educational videos on YouTube and other social media platforms and managed to build a strong personal brand even as an introvert.
Common challenges and how to overcome them
Personal branding for shy people and introverts does come with a set of challenges.
Social media burnout
Social media can be exhausting for introverts because it's ever-changing, fast-moving, and always demands constant engagement for you to stay relevant. If you're not careful, it can be very easy to burn out from creating content on social media.
A very straightforward way to avoid social media burnout as an introvert is to set clear boundaries. Use time-batching to batch-create content once per week or per month, set daily or weekly times for social media engagement, and turn off notifications so they won't distract you during the day. This can help you manage your energy better and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Self-promo discomfort
It can be very awkward and uncomfortable to promote yourself on social media. We get it. You might avoid sharing your achievements or even your expertise online, which are essential parts of building a personal brand. If you feel awkward and uncomfortable, you'll probably avoid creating content at all, which can negatively impact your brand's growth.
A quick way to remove the self-promo discomfort is to reframe it as offering value to your audience. Instead of blatantly shouting about your achievements or offers, share valuable insights, lessons learned, or mistakes made. Not only does it make for much more engaging content, but it also allows you to overcome any discomfort you might feel.
The pressure to always be "on"
As an introvert, you might feel a lot of pressure to always be "on." You might want to always be socially interacting, engaging, and researching. You might find yourself working during weekends or after work hours, and after a while, it can lead to you feeling tired and empty.
The great news is that you don't need to always be "on." To build a successful personal brand, consistency over the long term is much more important than the intensity with which you show up. So, instead of posting every day, find a more sustainable schedule and stick with it. Plan content in advance and use social media scheduling tools to schedule new posts.
You can do this
Building a personal brand as an introvert is not only achievable but can also be extremely rewarding in the end. As an introvert, you want to hone in on your strengths and authentic character traits to build your personal brand online and make new connections with your audience and industry professionals.
Don't shy away from building a personal brand just because you might feel that you're different than someone else. That's exactly why you want to build a personal brand: to show off your unique set of values, goals, and expert skills. No better time to start than now.
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