Learn Speak Teach Episode #97 with Chris Do.

Watch the full episode on Youtube:

In today’s digital world, personal branding is the key to standing out in a crowded online space and forming authentic connections with your audience. Whether you’re new to entrepreneurship or transitioning from a corporate career to launching your own business, personal branding is essential for establishing credibility, attracting clients, and setting yourself apart in the marketplace.

So, how do you build your personal brand? Find out in this episode with Chris Do, a Personal Branding and Business Coach who helps creatives build businesses and business leaders build brands. Chris is also the CEO & Founder of The Futur, an online education platform loaded with content, courses, and tools to help you build better design skills and better creative businesses.

In this episode, Chris highlights why he’s deeply passionate about what he does and how he transitioned from being an immigrant to earning the prestigious Emmy Award.

Discover the key requirements necessary to make a successful transition from corporate to entrepreneurship and learn how to identify your marketable skills and effectively leverage them to carve your niche in the business world.

From selecting the right social platforms for marketing yourself to understanding the type of content that resonates with your audience, Chris provides valuable insights into building a strong personal brand. Additionally, he shares an effective strategy for reaching out to potential clients and discusses how to sell to them by simply asking smart questions and then listening.

Finally, Chris explores the difference between short-form and long-form content, shedding light on their merits and implications. He underscores the importance of injecting your personality into content production and highlights how this approach can cultivate stronger connections with your audience, fostering engagement and loyalty.

During this episode, you will learn about:

[03:17] Why Chris Do is passionate about what he does

[04:07] Chris Do’s Journey: From Immigrant to Emmy Award Winner

[05:25] Learn more about Chris

Website: https://thefutur.com/

Podcast: https://thefutur.com/podcast

[07:07] What are the key requirements for individuals transitioning from corporate to starting their businesses?

[07:12] What is a marketable skill, and how do you identify yours?

[11:00] Selecting the social platforms that you should use to market yourself

[15:56] What content should you share on your platform, and what factors should you consider?

[18:15] How to identify and locate your clients

[26:15] An effective strategy for reaching out to your target audience

[28:44] How to sell to your clients

[34:55] How to create a customer experience that encourages them to give you referrals

[37:25] The listeners’ questions session

[37:34] LST #21 w/ Erin Diehl: https://realbusinessconnections.com/podcast/erindiehl/

LST #64 w/ Erin Diehl: https://realbusinessconnections.com/podcast/erindiehl2/

LST #93 w/ Erin Diehl: https://realbusinessconnections.com/podcast/erindiehl3/

[38:04] Ampersand Studios: https://amperstudios.com/miami/

[38:39] What to do when you encounter a design barrier

[42:14] Chris Do’s music playlist

[43:12] How to build your personal brand as a creative entrepreneur while juggling client and personal projects

[44:25] Chris Do’s advice to anyone who feels like throwing in the towel in the design profession

[47:15] How to appeal to Gen Z audience by creating engaging, beneficial short-form content

[48:00] Short-form content vs. Long-form content

[50:21] Connect with Chris

Website: https://thefutur.com/

[50:42] Chris Do’s book, Pocket Full of Do: https://bit.ly/3PqtNBt

Key Takeaways:

A marketable skill is a skill in high demand, where there is a substantial number of individuals actively seeking your expertise and willing to pay for it. [07:12]
“When you have a certain amount of expertise, and you look at the same problem over and over again, you notice patterns.” ~Blair Enns [09:32]
“Low variance in process equals low variance in outcome.” ~Blair Enns [09:44]
“The number one rule in social content is first you must think, and to demonstrate that you are thinking, you must write.” ~Chris Do [11:22]
The choice of social platform greatly depends on your target audience. [14:32]
Most people seeking a solution don’t know the real problem, so you can focus a lot of your content on what the problem is and talk about it in several different ways. [16:58]
Sales involves asking smart questions and then simply listening. [29:19]
By not selling people things, you’re more likely to sell more frequently with less resistance. [32:39]
“Scarce things are rare, and rare things are valuable.” ~Chris Do [44:54]
You will have dark days in your business and relationships, but know they are just part of the game. Learn to love the grind; it will eventually lead to a better place. [46:00]
In short-form content, you may achieve large viewership numbers but typically little loyalty. Conversely, long-form content encourages audience commitment, fostering engagement and building connections with the content creator. [48:00]
When producing short-form content, inject a significant part of your personality because that will help you build a connection with your audience. [49:17]