Have you missed the three-part webinar by Stefanie Sword-Williams*, organized by our partner community Girls in Tech Switzerland, on how to stand out and have a brand? Then you are in for a treat today!

While we enjoyed Stefanie’s webinar live and had the great opportunity to ask her our very own questions, we also learned so much about how to brand yourself and stand out. The webinar was split up in 3 parts.

Love doesn’t cost a thing!

This is the second part of this webinar series by Stefanie. In part 1 (Let me blow your mind!) she talked about how to feel comfortable with self-promotion and being proud of your achievements. In other words, how can you stand out as a brand with what you have achieved? The next step comes naturally; how can you make people care for what you do. Once you know what you want to be known for and how to promote yourself, it is time to let others know and make them care. And guess what,

You don’t have to spend a lot for people to care a lot!

Let’s dive right in with the key learnings from this webinar:

Know what you stand for and why

If you want to build a personal relationship, you have to be personal! Finding what you stand for and why will help you to define your personal story. Above all, it will help people understand what you stand for and why.
You can simply start by reflecting on your journey. Why do you get out of bed to do your job? When did you first realize you wanted to do exactly what you are doing now? And why should people care about it?
Next, think about the area or industry you are in? What does your industry well? Or what does it badly? How and why should it need to change?
Finally, write down what you are, what you are not, to help you focus on what you really stand for. These could be statements like: you are trustworthy and you are not money-driven.
Key Learning: Make your story relatable.

Listen to what they really want

Building a community means, you have to really care about what those people are really interested in. Imagine that you are competing with their lifestyle. What are the really “pissed off” about? Do they wish there was more of something? Is there anything they have not yet experienced? And what is holding them back?
By listening to the answers of these questions related to what you stand for and your industry, you will find the problems for which you can offer answers.
Think about:

1. 1. Who is your audience?
   2. What is their biggest problem right now?
   3. Can you think of brands outside your industry that your audience love/adore and why?

Key Learning: Be part of their lifestyle

Make your brand seen

Now that you know what you are standing for, your why, the question remains, what are the different ways that you can stand out? Does your name stop people in the track? To be seen with your brand, your story, you have to be clear with your branding. There are different approaches such as:

• Does your Call To Action appeal?
• Is your visual approach cutting through?
• How does your service stand out?
• Are you present in the right places?
• What headline do you want to be featured in?

Think about how you currently stand out, ask people how they would describe you and what you do to confirm your brand. In addition, define a headline for your brand.
Key Learning: Make standing out a priority

Don’t get dumped or forgotten

It takes time to build up your brand, and it will take more not being forgotten. The good news though is, that small things can make a big difference. You don’t need to constantly brag about big achievements, but sometimes the unexpected will raise more attention. Find yourself opportunities to achieve something and talk about it. At the same time, make your community part of it, make them feel exclusive and always leave them with wanting more of what you do. To do that, think about:

• What could you give away for free?
• How could you offer a surprise to your customer?

Key Learning: Take them on the journey

Now that you know how to self-promote yourself, create your brand and how to stand out, let’s get that money rolling in! Want to know how? Don’t miss the last part of the webinar series summary!

* Stefanie Sword Williams is the founder and author of F*ck Being Humble. She set up the platform to encourage self-advocacy and individuals to be unapologetically proud of their achievements. Named as Forbes 30 Under 30 in Europe in 2020, she has delivered workshops for global brands such as Unilever, Warner Music, Google, ASOS and internationally at Cannes Lions Festival.

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