SPA Girls Podcast – EP142 – Personal Branding for Authors with Lauren Clemett

This week we were privileged to have personal branding expert Lauren Clemett with us to discuss how to create your personal author brand, and why it’s so important. Based in Australia, Lauren has a wealth of experience with advertising, marketing and branding from a distinguished career in England, New Zealand and Australia. She now helps entrepreneurs understand their personal brand, and how they can use that to amp up their business, and find the right clients. For us, she talks about how to create a personal brand for you the author, and how to figure out who your readers are, and why they should love you! (Hint: it’s all about them)

If the thought of branding gives you hives, then you need to sit down and have a listen to this episode! Lauren takes us through the basics, explains how to create a brand that represents you and your books, and talks about the ways that you can use this information to amp up your books and your author business.

This is another tip-packed episode, so make sure you have your note book handy!

Show Notes:

At 8 years old Lauren was told she had ‘word blindness’ and would never be able to read or write properly, yet she went on to become a five time best selling author and Stevie Award Winning Neurobranding expert, using her dyslexia disability as her greatest asset – to understand how the brain sees brands.
For over 25 years Lauren worked in world leading advertising agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy & Mather and Clemenger BBDO as Production Manager and Brand Manager for international corporate AXA, as well as owning her own advertising agency.
She owns her own personal branding consultancy, the Ultimate Business Propellor and created the award winning Authority Rocket program which has helped hundreds of professional services providers around the World, to become well known, well paid & wanted.

What is branding, and why is it important?

A personal brand is the ability to paint a particular picture of yourself, your core values, and emotions in the mind of the reader.

‘You can’t judge a book by it’s cover,’ is not true in this case. A reader wants to know who the author behind the book is. What are their core values? What is relatable to them?

If you choose to have pen names, then each must have it’s only clear branding.

Reader Persona

  1. Get to know what it is you want to be known for as an author. What do you want your reputation to be?
  2. Who is your target reader (avatar). What are their attitudes and beliefs. What do they want to get out of reading your book?
  3. WIIFM – What’s in it for me (the reader)

How to create the personal brand

Before you do anything, even write the book, consider the purpose, and set the intention.  What is the outcome you want when people read your book?

Your personal brand is your expert ease. The things you do with ease that others may find difficult. What do you find easy to talk, and write about? It’s pointless doing something that doesn’t relate to you, the story will not flow if it is forced and you’re not interested.

Engage and capture the essence of how you want to make people feel.

It might help you to think about mind mapping before you begin. Get all the things out of your head that relate to the book you want to write.

Marketing is easier if you already know who you want to buy your book. Knowing your audience is vital. This will help with covers, blurbs and social media.

Finding your true North.

How do you rise above those you’re in competition with? Everyone is doing what you are, so how do you make yourself known. What is your point of difference? This is why you must identify what do you want to be known for.

Reputation- what do you want your reputation to be in the market place. What do you want people to say about you?)

Recognition- what do you want to be recognized for. Covers, story methodology, short gritty content, or sweet romance?

Respect- setting intentions. Create appreciation by putting up a really good book. When writing a series ensure you give the reader what they want and expect, continuity is important. Reviewers will help to build respect in your books, and brand. Look at achieving awards, those will help create awareness and recognition. Get yourself out there in the market place!

You can’t help every Mary in the dairy (so don’t try, just focus on what is relative to you and your brand)

How much do you want this? Purpose and Intention. Take the leap and put yourself out there.

Fear is the number one factor that holds a writer back!

Fear of failure

Fear of success

Lauren creates a weekly action planner, and this helped her write four books in a short space of time.

Finding your process is important.

Beware of Bright-Shiny-Object-Ities. Often a newbie writer will come up with an idea without planning the direction they are heading in, and consequently will change focus easily and start a new book before finishing the last one.

Remember the hand guide to help achieve your natural personal brand.

Thumb – (thumbs up) consider all the things that make you feel good as an author.

Index finger – (direction) what’s the stuff you know about already that you can infuse in your books?

Middle finger – (flipping the bird) what’s the stuff you don’t like. What doesn’t work for you?

Ring finger – what engages and captivates you. What do you like to write and could write forever when you get in the zone?

Little finger – what are the little things you do with ease, and likely do automatically the more you write. The little nuances you use without thought.

We’re living in the age of authenticity, so don’t try and be someone you aren’t.

Links

Ultimate Business Propeller. (free starter course on website for branding) https://ultimatebusinesspropellor.com/about/

UBPERS FB page – https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheUBP/

Lisa J Faith – https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B008OC3YV8

 

 

 

 

Author: SPA Girls

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