How I Finally Built a Personal Brand (And What Actually Worked)

A whale tail rising above a colorful data dot wave.

Confession time: I’ve always struggled with personal branding. I’m a private person and leaned on the crutch that my work should speak for itself. But after a trip to New Bedford, my personal brand just came to me. 

Whale tails are everywhere. No surprise there. New Bedford was once the world leader in whaling and the setting of Moby Dick. Yet they still piqued my curiosity. Just what does the whale tail symbolize?

Strength. Emotional depth. Grace. Protection. Spiritual Journey.

At its heart, a whale tail is a reminder to trust the journey beneath the surface. (Thanks, KnowMastery.com.) And that last part really resonated with me. 

I’ve been “moving beneath the surface”, honing my skills and learning how to succeed as a solopreneur. But there’s more to it than that. 

A Personal Brand in the Making

When I started out in marketing, colleagues mentioned that I observed and processed things first. That I took in all the details before resurfacing with ideas. And I thought, “How else would I do it?” I didn't know that my mind worked differently.

In fact, it took me years to learn that I only "saw" the tail and had no idea there was an entire whale beneath the surface that I could learn to harness. I had unique strengths, not just "weaknesses" that needed improvement. You see, I was the quiet girl who preferred thinking, drawing, and writing to socializing. I may have seemed shy and withdrawn, but I was taking in details and processing the world around me.

Now I combine that cognitive style with creativity and product-led thinking to create copy that moves users through the customer journey. I’m the first person to toss out ideas during a brainstorming session. But if you give me a chance, I can connect concepts and come up with something you haven’t considered. 

Deconstructing a Personal Brand

So here's how I built a personal brand that I actually love!

1. I started with the logo. The whale tail tilts upward, indicating that it's moving forward. It rises above colorful data dot waves, combining my love of water, bright colors, and technology.

2. I use the tail to symbolize my cognitive style. You may only see part of it, but rest assured a whole whale of ideas moving beneath the surface. It's just not ready to emerge.

3. I finally put myself into my copy. I highlight how my cognitive style is a strength and how I can help you connect the dots (see the wave above) to solves problems and set your product apart.

Personal Branding Advice, Sort Of.

Why does this work? Because I deeply connect with the content and symbolism. They represent me. I'm by no means a personal branding expert, so I can't tell you what will work for you. My only advice is to listen to your intuition and if an idea resonate--go with it!

What I can help you with is copywriting and strategy. So if you want to bring your message to the surface...

Send a quick email with your project details to jennifer@keckmarketing.com. We’ll schedule a 15-minute discovery call if it’s a fit!