Get Noticed: Building a Personal Brand as a Freelancer

Every day, people form impressions of you based on your style, the way you communicate, and your personality. Think for a second how your friends would describe you.

Are you the reliable friend that's always there when you're needed? The one that always has great advice? The go-to person for book recommendations?

These traits people commonly assign to you are examples of your personal brand. And while these instances apply to social settings, the same principle goes for freelancing.

Just as people associate you with certain qualities in everyday life, clients associate you with professional skills, values, and expertise. And just like in everyday life, your personal brand isn't about what you say or do. It's about how other people perceive and remember you.

What a personal brand is

In short, your personal brand is what makes you recognizable and unique. Think of it as a sort of identity - a combination of your personality, skills, and reputation.

As a freelancer, your brand is inextricably linked to who you are as a person. You don't have the luxury of hiding behind a corporate identity because you are the brand.

As a result, your personality, values, and how you communicate play a huge role in shaping your personal brand. For example, if you're naturally open and approachable, those traits will shine through in your client communications. Your personal traits and how you present yourself will shape how others perceive your brand.

What makes your personal brand inseparable from your personality

Just like a company brand, your personal brand comes through in both visual and verbal communication. However, the main difference between a personal and company brand is that a company brand isn't necessarily linked to any one person.

Instead, it's a carefully curated set of rules all employees follow to form a consistent, artificially created brand identity. A personal brand, on the other hand, is much more difficult to, for the lack of a better word, fake.

When working with a company, clients don't expect all the employees they come into contact with to have the same personality as the company. This is because we're all aware of the fact that companies maintain their brand image through marketing and communications, but employ different people for a range of roles and responsibilities.

In contrast, when working with a freelancer, clients usually don't distinguish the individual from the brand. Since you and your brand are one and the same, the more your brand is aligned with who you are, the easier it is to build long-lasting relationships.

As a freelancer, your personality is a major factor in what makes your work unique. Even if you do offer the same service as someone else, the way you communicate and solve problems might just be what tips the scales in your favor. It's a unique advantage you have over corporations and large companies - your personality becomes a part of your value proposition.

If your personal brand feels inconsistent with your personality, it creates a disconnect that can drive clients away. What's more, maintaining a personal brand becomes much harder when it doesn't align with your true self. When your brand isn't a natural extension of your personality, you'll need to go through constant effort to keep up appearances.

How personal branding helps your freelance business

Building a personal brand as a freelancer is a must if you want clients to see you as a professional. In fact, personal branding comes with lots of advantages that shape your long-term success.

1. You gain a competitive edge

Did you know that as much as 46.7% of the global workforce is made up of freelancers? Sure, you can argue you aren't competing with all of them since not all of them are in the same industry as you.

However, the sheer amount of freelancers out there means that, whatever you do, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of others competing for the same freelance work as you. To get the project, you'll need to stand out and convince the client that you're the best choice there is.

This is exactly what personal branding is for. A strong personal brand sets you apart from the competition by clearly communicating what makes you unique. It makes it easier for clients to recognize your value and choose you over others who offer similar services.

2. You can grow your network

While you can't rely on networking alone to keep a business going, a recent study has shown that 60% of freelance work comes from passive sources. This includes both referrals and returning clients.

A strong personal brand helps here by increasing your visibility and making you memorable to the people you interact with. It attracts the attention of both other freelancers in your field, as well as potential clients.

We can all agree that your chances of getting recommended are higher if you're remembered than if you're not, right?. For example, if you're a freelance writer, your network is more likely to think of you when someone needs writing services if your personal brand revolves around creating high-quality content.

3. You filter out the wrong type of client

While you might be taking all the work you can get when you're starting your freelance business, at some point, you'll want to get picky. Your personal brand can help you say no to projects you don't want to work on without really saying anything.

By clearly defining your niche, style, and values, you're communicating who your ideal client is. If a client doesn't relate to you, you're saving both them and yourself the trouble of having to work with someone who isn't the right fit.

4. You position yourself as an expert

Besides helping you establish your presence in the freelance market, personal branding also allows you to position yourself as an expert in your field. When you constantly showcase your knowledge and skills through online platforms and professional interactions, you're building a reputation of expertise.

This expertise then attracts clients looking for someone with extensive experience in the field. For example, let's say you're a designer who stays on top of the latest trends and shares those insights publicly. You may even offer consultation sessions centered around brand modernization through redesign.

Over time, clients will begin to perceive you as a leading expert and trust you with their projects. As a result, you'll be bringing in more clients and can even potentially raise your rates without pushback.

5. You build trust and client loyalty

Trust is the foundation of any relationship, and the one between you as a freelancer and your client is no different. That said, before trust, there are two more stages your client needs to go through: know and like.

How you present your personal brand has a huge impact on whether a client will want to get to know you at all. How you maintain it determines whether you'll get to the like and trust stages.

To effectively guide your clients from one stage to another, you'll need to create a personal connection with them. Luckily, all it takes is a little consistency - in your messaging, your content, and your interactions.

When clients see you consistently delivering on your promises, showing your expertise, and upholding your values, they're more likely to return for future projects. They're also more likely to recommend you to other people who need your services.

6. You can set higher rates

Saving best for last, one of the most significant ways a personal brand impacts your freelance business? Increasing your perceived value in the eyes of clients.

Thanks to a strong personal brand, clients don't see you as just another freelancer offering services. Instead, they see you as a specialist or even an industry leader.

When your brand focuses on high quality, expertise, and professionalism, it sends a message to clients: your services aren't meant for everyone. They're meant for those who value premium services and are willing to pay for them.

Your personal brand is all about creating perception. For example, if you're a freelance marketer with a personal brand that emphasizes proven results, knowledge of SEO, and success stories from previous clients, the perception is that you bring more value to the table than the average marketer.

This allows you to set higher rates because clients are no longer paying for a service. They're paying for your level of expertise and the peace of mind that comes with hiring a professional.

How to build a strong personal brand

Now that you're on board with building a personal brand, you probably want to know how to do it. The good news is, personal branding isn't as hard as it seems. The less good news? It takes time, effort, and consistency.

1. Start with who you are

Your personal brand starts with a deep understanding of yourself. A good brainstorming session should get you on the right path. Think about the following questions:

• What are your core strengths and values?

• What do you do and who do you do it for?

• What skills set you apart from other freelancers in your industry?

• What value do you add?

• How do you want clients to see you?

• How do you want clients to feel?

2. Narrow down your niche

To become an expert, you need to focus in on a field and spend time working in it. The same goes for freelancing. If you try to be everything to everyone, it's hard for clients to perceive you as an expert.

So, your next step in personal branding is narrowing down a niche. Focus on a specific that thing you're great at and where you can offer value. This could be a specific industry, a type of service, or even a client demographic.

3. Know your target audience

You know how we keep saying personal branding is about how clients perceive you? Well, it's much easier to get them to perceive you the way you want them to if you know who they are.

Think about the clients you want to work with. What problems do they have and how can you help solve them? What are their interests? How do they usually talk?

Answering these questions helps you find your brand voice and tailor your messaging on your website and social media. When your audience feels like you're speaking directly to them, they're more likely to hire you.

4. Stay consistent

Consistency is one of the most important aspects of building a personal brand. As a matter of fact, consistent brand presentation across all platforms increases revenue by 10-20%.

Your visual identity, tone of voice, social media, website, emails, and business documents should align with your brand. Making sure your presentation remains consistent across all platforms helps reinforce your brand, making it more recognizable and trustworthy.

From the tone of your emails to the visual identity of your website and social media profiles, everything should align with your brand. Make sure your messaging, values, and presentation remain cohesive across all platforms. Consistency helps reinforce your brand, making it more recognizable and trustworthy.

Personal brands to get inspired by

All of this sounds good in theory, but you still aren't sure how to approach your personal branding? We get it - sometimes you just need to see something in action to understand it. Here are a few examples of personal branding for you to get inspired by.

Sarah Andersen (Sarah's Scribbles)

If you've spent any time on social media in the past few years, you've probably come across Sarah Andersen's work. She is a freelance cartoonist best known for her webcomic Sarah's Scribbles.

Her personal brand is honest, quirky, and relatable, featuring a lighthearted take on life's frustrations. Her brand is built on a strong emotional connection with her audience that comes from a deep, personal understanding of the challenges faced by introverts and young adults (plus a self-deprecating joke or two).

Lauren Hom (Hom Sweet Hom)

Lauren Hom is a lettering artist and designer with a vibrant, playful, approachable personal brand. She is known for her colorful lettering projects like Daily Dishonesty and online courses on lettering.

She connects with her audience by sharing personal projects, her creative process, and her journey as a freelance designer.

David Airey

David Airey is a graphic designer who's built a personal brand around simplicity, professionalism, and expertise. Specializing in logo and brand identity design, his brand emphasizes clarity and minimalism.

David’s blog and books are educational resources that establish him as an expert in branding. His personal brand is authoritative and focused on delivering timeless, high-quality design solutions. As a result, he appeals to clients who value thoughtful, clean graphic design and clear communication in branding projects.

Ash Ambirge (The Middle Finger Project)

Ash Ambirge is an author and columnist who inspires her audience to take control of their lives. Her personal brand is bold, rebellious, and unapologetic, which is reflected both in her writing style and visual identity.

As the founder of The Middle Finger Project, she positions herself as a disruptor in the business and freelancing world, encouraging people to build their own careers on their terms. Her writing style is funny and attitude-packed, resonating with people who want to embrace independence and confidence.

Taylor de la Fuente (Bigmouth Copy)

Taylor de la Fuente is a copywriter known for her conversational, relatable, and down-to-earth writing style. Her personal brand is playful and approachable, with a focus on helping businesses develop an authentic voice.

Taylor positions herself as a confident, big mouth communicator who isn’t afraid to speak her mind, which aligns with her mission to help brands express themselves clearly and boldly. Her personal brand resonates with clients looking for fun, engaging, and personality-driven copy that stands out from the usual corporate tone.

Personal branding = long-term success

As a freelancer, you have to take every opportunity you can to stand out if you want to take your business to the next level. Building a personal brand lets you attract the clients you want to work with and makes them remember you. Pair that with quality work and you've got more opportunities, loyal clients, and higher rates.