You have a message from someone super important
(check those DM's!)
Did you know that when you refresh your email you get a hit of dopamine?
Harvard Business Review revealed that people check their work email EVERY 37 minutes.
That’s a lot of dopamine hits per day just from clicking one little button.
I am completely guilty of this and am hesitant to say at times I check my email even MORE than twice an hour.
One of the reasons I do this is that the best dopamine hits are usually in my DM’s.
My favorite rush is the notification of someone I’ve never met looking to work with me.
People I’ve never heard of, reaching out to me, wanting in on what I have to offer.
These inbound leads are the best kind of business. Usually, by the time they reach out, they’re already sold. All I have to do is close the deal.
However, it wasn’t always like this. I spent YEARS with nobody reaching out while I worked in the trenches trying to drum up business.
And that business model worked perfectly fine. I made a lot of money that way.
But people falling from the sky and contacting me first?
That’s a MUCH easier way of doing business.
Today, I still have my lead generation strategies, but a significant portion of my income is coming from these magical inbound leads.
There is only one thing that changed to make this happen:
Two years ago, I started building my personal brand on LinkedIn.
My ideal clients are there, and I was finally ready to be seen.
What I Actually Mean By This
Personal branding isn't about becoming an influencer or chasing millions of followers.
It's about being known for solving specific problems.
The shift from "who is this person?" to "this is THE person for email marketing" or "this is THE copywriter for SaaS companies."
When someone has a problem you solve, your name should be the first one that comes to mind.
The 3 Pillars of Income-Generating Personal Brands
Most people get personal branding wrong because they focus on vanity metrics instead of business results. Here's what actually moves the needle:
Pillar 1: Consistent Value Creation
Pick a platform and post consistently.
Not motivational quotes. Not personal stories about your morning coffee.
Daily content that solves real problems your ideal clients face.
Share frameworks. Give away strategies. Teach what you know.
I give away more value in my free content than most people charge for. Why? Because it builds trust faster than any sales pitch ever could.
Pillar 2: Strategic Visibility
You need to be present where your ideal clients hang out. For most of us, that's LinkedIn.
But here's the key: engage meaningfully, don't just post and disappear.
Spend 20 minutes daily commenting on posts from your target market. Not generic "Great post!" comments, but thoughtful responses that add value.
This puts you in front of your ideal clients consistently and shows everyone (including the algorithm) who you serve.
Pillar 3: Clear Positioning
The biggest mistake I see people make? Trying to be everything to everyone.
"I do marketing, sales, operations, and strategy for any business that needs help."
That's not positioning. That's desperation.
Pick one thing. Get known for it. Charge premium rates for being the specialist.
I could help businesses with a dozen different things. But I'm known for copywriting and LinkedIn strategy. That focus is what drives the inbound leads.
The Personal Brand ROI
Here's why this matters for your bank account:
Inbound leads convert at 3x higher rates than outbound. Why? Because they're already sold on you before they contact you.
You can charge premium rates because you're not competing on price anymore. You're the expert they specifically sought out.
And the time savings? Massive. Instead of spending hours on business development, qualified prospects come to you.
Your Action Plan (Start This Week)
Step 1: Pick your lane. What specific problem do you solve for what specific type of client?
Step 2: Audit your online presence. Does everything clearly communicate what you do and who you serve?
Step 3: Start creating content around that one thing. Not occasionally. DAILY.
Step 4: Engage with your target market's content daily. Make yourself visible to the right people.
Common Mistakes That Kill Personal Brands
Mistake #1: Being too broad. "I help businesses grow" helps no one find you.
Mistake #2: Inconsistency. Posting once a week, then disappearing for a month. The algorithm (and your audience) rewards consistency.
Mistake #3: Focusing on follower count instead of audience quality. 1,000 followers who are your ideal clients beats 10,000 random people.
Mistake #4: Waiting until you're "ready." (I made this very mistake!) You don't need to be the world's leading expert to start sharing what you know. You just need to know more than the people you're trying to help.
The Bottom Line
Personal branding isn't for ego or fame. It's about business strategy.
Two years ago, I was hustling for every client. Now, ideal clients find me.
The difference? I stopped hiding my expertise and started sharing it publicly.
Your next client might be scrolling LinkedIn right now, looking for someone who does exactly what you do.
The question is: will they find you?
COPYWRITING TIP OF THE WEEK
Show Your Work, Don't Just Show Your Results
When building your personal brand, resist the urge to only share the highlights.
❌ Wrong: "Just landed a $50K client!"
✅ Right: "Here's the exact email sequence that landed me a $50K client..."
❌ Wrong: "Helped a client increase conversions by 300%"
✅ Right: "How I helped a client increase conversions by 300%: Step 1..."
The rule: Results create curiosity. Process creates trust.
Anyone can claim big wins. Not everyone will show you exactly how they did it.
When you share your process, you accomplish two things:
You provide immediate value to your audience
You prove you actually know what you're talking about
Your expertise becomes undeniable when you're willing to show the work behind the results.
All my best,
Anjeanette