Warning: Don’t Let This Happen to Your Personal Brand Story

There’s a personal brand story pattern I’ve noticed with some small business consultants and coaches.

I work with them to get their brand story out and down on paper. They spend the time, money and energy to explain they WHY behind what they do. We even put together a plan to get that story working overtime for them ASAP.

And then?

NOTHING.​

Fear stops them cold.

This frustrates me to no end . . . because I get it.

I sat on my own personal brand story for the first two years of my business. I kept parts of it under lock and key for 14 years before I shared the whole story with my husband.

Hell, there are still people very close to me who don’t know my story.

And the same might be happening for you.

You might have a story that only certain people have earned the right to hear.

People who you know have gone through something like you. People who you know you can help.
You don’t have to tell anyone or everyone in the world your story. But if part of the reason you’re in business is to make a positive impact in the lives of others and you don’t tell the people who really need to hear how, you’re not serving your purpose.

That’s a punch to the gut isn’t it?

Just remember this . . . you are always in control of your own story. You decide . . .

• What details to include
• Who gets to hear it
• Whether to put it on your website or not
• Whether or not to tell it

And with every one of those decisions comes a consequence.

Avoiding your story at all costs? That comes with the highest consequence of all.

Hear Your Own Personal Brand Story

If you know you’re done sitting on your story and you’re ready to commit to getting it out, here’s a way to dip your toes in the water.

Commit to telling your story to seven individuals in the next 30 days. Sharing your story with one person is a helluva lot easier than getting on a stage and sharing it with 70 or 700 or 7,000 for the first time.

Why is this important?

Because you’ll hear your story in your own words. In your own voice. You will get used to the idea that you’re going to be telling this story  . . . ALOT. And when you experience the resistance you have around telling it, you can come up with a plan to deal with it.

(I promise, the more you tell it, the faster you move away from feeling like you want to vomit.)

So you get used to hearing other people’s reactions.

This last part is key, because when you share your story with people from your target audience, their feedback is priceless. Don’t waste an opportunity to get it, even if that feedback stings.

Use it to make your personal brand story and your message stronger.

Ask them these questions (no opt-in required), so that the next time you go out with your story, it’s clear, concise and powerful.

And pretty soon, you’ll see that telling your story is about serving your audience. It’s about giving them permission, creating community and leaving them feeling lighter or even transformed.

Your story will never do those things if you keep it in the dark.

What holds you back from telling your story? Let me know in the comments below.