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Author: Bhavik Sarkhedi

Bhavik Sarkhedi is the founder of Ohh My Brand, co-founder of Blushush Agency. His work has been featured in esteemed publications such as as The New York Times, Forbes, HuffPost, and Entrepreneur. He is the best-selling author of 'The Unproposed Guy'. Bhavik Sarkhedi is an accomplished and verified personal branding expert, award winning digital marketer, independent SEO writer, published author of 12 books, and storyteller known for his prolific contributions across various domains.

Why Authors Make Better Personal Brand Strategists

Posted on by Bhavik Sarkhedi

Okay, to give a simple one-line answer, an author makes a better personal brand strategist because they already have the experience of marketing and branding their book and reaching out to their target readers who like to read the genre they write about. It can be anything from romance, drama, fiction, fantasy, or a thriller. They have over a lifetime of experience and have gained the knowledge of using the right strategy for not only the branding of their book as a product but also personal branding for themselves.

For authors, personal branding comes more naturally because they have to create and maintain a reputation for themselves. In the ecosystem of personal branding, where authenticity and storytelling are paramount, authors possess a unique set of skills that make them exceptionally suited to excel as personal brand strategists. The art of crafting a personal brand clarity requires more than just marketing savvy; it demands an ability to weave compelling narratives, understand human emotions, and communicate with clarity and impact. Authors, by their very nature, are masters of these skills. Through years of honing their craft, they develop an innate ability to create relevant and reverberating stories, connect with diverse audiences, and adapt their voice to suit various contexts. For people who are wondering why suddenly we have decided to talk about this topic. The reason is simple: we have a new personal branding ebook for all the people who are planning to pursue personal branding and want to learn how to build a personal brand for themselves. The book is called “Become Someone From No One.” The book is the brainchild of Sahil Gandhi and Bhavik Sarkhedi. They both share immense experience in the field of personal branding. Not to mention, they manage the webflow agency Blushush and Ohh My Brand, which is a personal branding firm.

This article explores why authors, with author storytelling in branding, expertise, emotional intelligence, and creative adaptability, are uniquely positioned to build and elevate personal brands in ways that traditional marketers may struggle to match.

The Power of Storytelling in Personal Branding

An author, no matter which subject or genre he or she has written a book about. We have to typically assume and accept the fact that they possess the art and skill of storytelling. They turn this art of storytelling into the power of storytelling, and thus everything else becomes easy for them in the personal branding domain.

At the core of every successful personal brand lies a compelling story. Whether it’s an entrepreneur sharing their journey from humble beginnings or a thought leader positioning themselves as an authority in their field, storytelling is the vehicle that makes a brand relatable and memorable. Authors are natural storytellers, trained to construct narratives that captivate and engage. They understand the structure of a good story exposition, conflict, and resolution and how to use it to evoke emotion and inspire action.

When building a personal brand using book frameworks, this skill becomes a powerful tool and assists in crafting a cohesive narrative that ties together a person’s values, experiences, and aspirations. Unlike traditional marketers who may rely on formulaic templates, authors bring originality and depth, ensuring the brand story feels authentic rather than contrived. Their ability to create narratives that resonate on a human level makes them invaluable in helping individuals stand out in a crowded digital space.

Emotional Intelligence: Connecting with Audiences

Yes, this again is a very important and rare trait that you will find most common among authors, especially with the ones who have given at least one best-selling book. Such authors have already connected with their target audience. Even if we talk about the struggling writers trying to get their first book in the market, they spend their careers delving into the complexities of human emotion, which gives them a profound understanding of how to connect with audiences. 

Writing fiction or nonfiction requires an ability to empathize with characters and readers alike, anticipating their needs, desires, and pain points. This emotional intelligence is critical in personal branding, where the goal is to forge genuine connections with an audience. Authors can translate a client’s personal experiences into a brand identity that feels relatable and trustworthy.

They know how to highlight vulnerabilities in a way that builds trust rather than weakness, and they can tailor messaging to resonate with specific demographics. For example, an author-turned-strategist might help a CEO craft a LinkedIn presence that balances professionalism with approachability, drawing on their ability to read and respond to audience emotions. This nuanced understanding of human connection sets authors apart from strategists who may prioritize metrics over meaning.

Mastery of Language and Tone

This is such a common aspect that we all know about it. What are authors if not the masters of language and tone? They make a living out of writing, and this is something they do consistently. For any author to become a personal brand strategist, the elements of personal branding through brand storytelling, such as brand message, brand voice, and brand tone, come organically to them. As we already have stated, an author works and operates like they are a personal brand. Having said that, a personal brand’s voice, whether it’s authoritative, approachable, witty, or inspirational, must be consistent across platforms, from social media posts to keynote speeches. Authors excel at finding the right tone to suit a brand’s identity and audience.

They understand how subtle shifts in word choice can alter perception, making a brand feel more relatable or aspirational as needed. For instance, an author can help a fitness coach develop a motivational tone that inspires followers without sounding overly aggressive or clichéd. Their ability to adapt language to different mediums, whether crafting a succinct social media post or a detailed blog, ensures that the brand’s message remains clear and impactful. This linguistic precision allows authors to create content that not only communicates but also captivates.

Research and World-Building Skills

Any good book that you have ever read, and I mean. So do not restrict yourself to personal branding. From fiction to fantasy, an author makes you fall in love with the book because of the detail they bring to the book and to the story. This is possible via two basic methods:

Research: Basically an author is a devoted researcher and makes sure to capture every tiny detail in their storytelling. 

World building: If not research, then the author is good at world building and creating a narrative of their own.

In both ways, they make sure they bind their audience together and weave a tale that makes them turn to the next page and never let go of the book. They know how to immerse themselves in a subject, gather relevant details, and create a believable and engaging context. In personal branding, this helps them with the ability to deeply understand a client’s industry, audience, and competitive landscape. An author can research a client’s target demographic with the same rigor they’d apply to studying a historical period, ensuring that the brand strategy for authors is grounded in data and insight.

Moreover, their world-building skills allow them to create a consistent “universe” for the brand, where every element from visuals to messaging feels cohesive. For example, an author might help a tech entrepreneur develop a brand that positions them as a visionary by aligning their content with futuristic themes and cutting-edge industry trends. This ability to synthesize research into a unified brand identity is a hallmark of an author’s strategic prowess.

Final thoughts

In the end, we also point out a few more points that bring us closer to the understanding as to why authors as personal brand strategists are better, such as adaptability across mediums, strategic thinking through narrative arcs, authenticity, resilience, creative problem solving, long-term vision, patience, and most certainly a rejection-proof mindset.

If you are also planning to become an expert in personal branding and want to really have a close look to comprehend how to build a personal brand, we would suggest you download the Personal Branding Gold Mine eBook. The amount of time and effort Bhavik Sarkhedi and Sahil Gandhi aka the “brand professor” have invested in this, we are sure that after reading this ebook, you will not require any other book by any other personal branding expert or brand strategist.

At last, we all can finally agree on one thing: that authors bring a unique blend of storytelling, emotional intelligence, linguistic mastery, and strategic thinking to the table, making them exceptional personal brand experts. Their ability to craft compelling narratives, connect with audiences on a human level, and adapt to diverse platforms sets them apart in a field where authenticity and creativity are paramount. By leveraging their research skills, resilience, and long-term vision, authors can build personal brands that are not only memorable but also widely relevant.

Building A Content System From Book-Based Strategies

Posted on by Bhavik Sarkhedi

Introduction

Content system is a framework that revolves around processes, strategies, and technologies used to create, manage, and distribute digital content. Now, in today’s era, many content systems are fully backed by a content management system or a CMS as people like to call it. This CMS is responsible for everything related to content be it publishing or analysis. For those who are still wondering, let me tell you, a CMS is nothing but a software specifically designed to manage the creation, editing, and organization of digital content

Creating a robust content system is essential for digital marketing, repurposing book content, brand storytelling, and audience engagement. Books, with their structured narratives and ability to sustain reader attention, offer timeless lessons for building a content system that resonates. By adapting book-based strategies such as narrative arcs, thematic consistency, and audience-focused storytelling creators can craft systems that are engaging, scalable, and sustainable. The reason why we brought this up is because we are finally introducing our new personal branding ebook. This is the product of the relentless efforts and work of Sahil Gandhi and Bhavik Sarkhedi both are owners of Blushush and Ohh My Brand. This blog explores how to build a content system inspired by book writing principles, incorporating planning, structuring, and delivering content that captivates and converts.

Crafting a Narrative Arc

Books follow a defined narrative production. Almost all books have a beginning, a middle and an end. There is rising action, climax, and resolution to keep readers engaged. Similarly, a content system should guide audiences through a journey. Define your content’s purpose, whether to educate, entertain, or persuade. But when you are working on it make sure you keep this in mind and act on it with full force to make sure you are not taking your audience for granted. For example, a business blog might educate on industry trends while persuading readers to trust the brand. A 2023 study by Content Marketing Institute found that 71% of B2B marketers use content to nurture leads, emphasizing the need for a structured approach. Map out a narrative arc, creating blog posts or social media campaigns that unfold like chapters, ensuring each piece contributes to a cohesive story.

Understanding Your Audience

Again this but again just to remind you that understanding your target audience and the whole target market in the long run is something you must strive for. Once you do this, trust me you know something about your brand and potential customers that even the top brands in the world are still struggling to decode. Successful authors write for a specific reader, tailoring tone and style to their preferences. In content marketing, this means developing detailed audience personas with demographic details, pain points, and content habits.

For instance, if targeting young professionals, prioritize concise blog posts over lengthy whitepapers. HubSpot’s 2024 report notes that 82% of marketers use buyer personas to improve content relevance. Use surveys, social media analytics, or customer feedback to refine personas, ensuring your content system aligns with audience needs and fosters emotional and intellectual connections.

Maintaining Thematic Consistency

One thing I personally love about books is that books maintain consistent themes like love or adventure to unify their narrative. Even if chapters talk about different things and topics, the tone and style of the author remains the same. This establishes a glued up experience for the audience or reader because they are well aware of the identity and with the consistency of the author. This is exactly what should be replicated in the content system.

A content system should revolve around core brand themes. A sustainable fashion brand might focus on eco-consciousness and ethical production, permeating blog posts, Instagram captions, and podcasts. According to Semrush, brands with consistent messaging across channels see 23% higher engagement rates. Reinforce themes through varied formats, such as a blog post on sustainable fabrics paired with a podcast featuring ethical designers, ensuring a recognizable brand voice without redundancy.

Strategic Content Planning

Authors outline books meticulously, ensuring each chapter advances the story. A content system requires a detailed editorial calendar outlining topics, formats, and distribution channels. For example, a tech startup might plan a month-long series with weekly blogs on innovations and daily social media success stories. A 2024 CoSchedule study found that marketers with documented strategies are 414% more likely to report success. Use tools like Trello or Asana to organize your pipeline, aligning content with business goals like product launches or seasonal campaigns. A good content planning will always help you in scaling content creation and tracking progress.

The whole behind this step is to ensure that you plan your content beforehand. This way you know what you will post next. This not only helps you in producing content but scheduling them as per the timeline.

Creating Immersive Experiences

Books create immersive worlds through vivid descriptions, a concept adaptable to content via multimedia storytelling. A travel brand could combine blogs with videos, interactive maps, and user-generated content. A 2025 Wyzowl report states that 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, with 87% reporting increased traffic. Incorporate infographics, podcasts, or live Q&As to cater to diverse preferences, mirroring the layered storytelling of books and maintaining a cohesive narrative across platforms.

Serializing Content for Engagement

Charles Dickens’ serialized novels kept readers eager for the next installment. Content creators can replicate this with sequenced content, like a fitness brand’s “30-Day Wellness Challenge” featuring daily emails and videos. A 2023 Mailchimp study found that serialized email campaigns boost open rates by 19%. This approach sustains interest and fosters loyalty as audiences invest in the unfolding story, encouraging repeat engagement and community building.

Books are typically serialized and this means that you know with each chapter what will be the next one. This strategy helps in building content systems and giving it the right direction to flow. By incorporating this in your content posting plan you can have a structure ready for yourself.

The Importance of Editing

Editing is critical in book writing to ensure clarity and impact, and content systems require similar refinement. Proofread for grammar and ensure alignment with brand voice. A 2024 Grammarly report notes that 59% of consumers are less likely to trust brands with poor grammar. Establish a review process and use analytics like Google Analytics to refine content based on performance, maintaining high quality.

This part signifies that when you are posting content, it should be properly tailored and edited to ensure you are covering everything at the same time you are not missing out on anything. This is a direct feature you can establish between the content system and a book.

Crafting Compelling Openings

This is a sure shot learning exercise from books that you should again directly incorporate in your book-based content strategy. If you are an avid reader, you must have come across many books and novels which have some of the best compelling openings and cliff hangers too. A novel’s first chapter hooks readers, and content needs to grab attention immediately. Use compelling headlines, bold visuals, or provocative questions.

A financial advisory firm might open with, “Are you making these costly investment mistakes?” Orbit Media’s 2024 study found that headlines with questions increase click-through rates by 17%. Test headlines or formats like video teasers versus static images to identify what captivates your audience most effectively.

Humanizing with Character-Driven Stories

Novels use relatable characters to drive emotional connections, and content can humanize brands through real people. Case studies, testimonials, or behind-the-scenes videos bring brands to life. A software company might share a client’s success story via video. A 2023 TrustRadius study found that 73% of buyers rely on case studies when making purchase decisions. Centering content around human stories fosters trust and loyalty, mirroring a novel’s emotional resonance.

Conclusion

There are many other steps that you can take to ensure a good content system build up especially based on book based strategies such as ensuring sustainability by ensuring balance of content frequency and depth across different platforms. Moreover, you can leverage collaboration and have great ROI from it. A 2023 LinkedIn study found that collaborative content teams report 28% higher ROI. Small teams can outsource tasks like video editing to freelancers, ensuring a well-rounded content system combining creativity and technical precision.

You can also drive action with strong endings This means planting a clear call to action encouraging your audience to make the right move. This reminds us, we would like you to download the Personal Branding Gold Mine eBook and let us know which structured content framework we have adopted for this book. Did you just see what we did there?

On a more sincere note we rightfully believe that after this book, you will stop asking how to build a personal brand using book frameworks. Your ability to stand out as a thought leader will come from this book, and we hope you don’t need any other book for your personal branding. Building a content system inspired by book-based strategies offers a disciplined, creative approach to engaging audiences. By adopting narrative arcs, audience focus, thematic consistency, and iterative refinement, you create content that captivates and converts. With these strategies, your content system can drive trust, loyalty, and growth.

How We Adapted Book Frameworks to LinkedIn Brand Building

Posted on by Bhavik Sarkhedi

We all know how LinkedIn is a totally different platform compared to other social media platforms. It is not Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and certainly not Facebook. Whenever you think of something professional and career-oriented, you will always land on LinkedIn, and it has emerged as a powerhouse for B2B and personal brand building, boasting over 1.15 billion members globally as of January 2025. For authors, thought leaders, and publishers, leveraging LinkedIn’s professional network offers a unique opportunity to amplify their brand and connect with decision-makers.

But how do you translate the structured, narrative-driven frameworks of book publishing into the dynamic, engagement-focused world of LinkedIn?

Our journey to adapt book frameworks for LinkedIn brand building has been both strategic and dramatically dynamic. Blending storytelling principles with data-driven tactics to create a compelling online presence. By drawing on established book frameworks such as narrative arcs, audience targeting, and content serialization and tailoring them to LinkedIn’s unique algorithm and audience preferences, we’ve crafted a strategy that drives engagement, builds authority, and delivers measurable results. Not only this, but we have a new personal branding ebook for all of you who wonder how to build your personal brand using book frameworks. This ebook titled “Become Someone From No One” is created by the relentless efforts of Sahil Gandhi and Bhavik Sarkhedi, who co-own a personal branding agency, Ohh My Brand, and Blushush. But for now, let’s focus on LinkedIn brand building. This blog explores how we adapted these frameworks, supported by recent statistics and actionable insights, to unlock LinkedIn’s potential for brand building. So let’s begin this

Understanding Book Frameworks for Brand Building

In today’s modern era, there are literally many different ways to learn anything, but let me assure you that books are still one of the most powerful tools for establishing thought leadership, and their frameworks provide a structured approach to storytelling and audience engagement. A typical book framework includes a clear narrative arc (introduction, conflict, resolution), a defined target audience, and a consistent tone that resonates with readers. Our first step was to analyze how these elements could reflect LinkedIn engagement, a platform where professionals seek concise, value-driven content.

Unlike books, which allow for long-form storytelling, LinkedIn favors bite-sized, visually engaging posts that spark immediate interaction. According to a 2025 study by Social Insider, multi-image posts on LinkedIn achieve an average engagement rate of 6.60%, making them the platform’s most effective format for capturing attention. We realized that adapting book frameworks meant breaking down complex narratives into short, impactful posts while retaining their emotional and intellectual pull. This one trick really helped us turn long-form content into short, insightful posts.

Defining the LinkedIn Audience

This is the part that we think is going to take most of your time to define the audience. Now, you may think that this step is very common and you have been doing this for your brand for a long time, but this is where you are wrong. A critical component of any book framework is understanding the target audience too when it comes to actually understanding the right LinkedIn audience and catering to it. Trust me, that’s a different ballgame.

In publishing, authors research their readers’ demographics, interests, and pain points to craft relevant content. Similarly, LinkedIn’s strength lies in its precise audience targeting capabilities, with 80% of its users influencing business decisions. We began by profiling our ideal audience professionals, decision-makers, and industry influencers using LinkedIn’s analytics tools like Website Demographics to identify their roles, industries, and interests.

For instance, a book on leadership might target C-suite executives, while one on digital marketing could focus on marketing managers. By aligning our content with these audience segments, we ensured our posts resonated with the right people, much like a book’s introduction hooks its intended readers. This audience-centric approach allowed us to tailor our messaging to address specific pain points, such as the need for actionable strategies or industry insights, mirroring the problem-solution structure of many successful books.

Adapting Narrative Arcs to LinkedIn Posts

Now, you know how to turn long-form content into short, insightful posts and have really reached your target audience with the comprehension of catering to them. This is where you start adapting to the narrative arc of a book introduction, rising action, climax, and resolution, which provides a roadmap for engaging readers emotionally and intellectually.

A 2025 LinkedIn benchmarks study found that native document carousels achieve a 5.85% engagement rate, making them ideal for breaking down complex frameworks into digestible steps. By structuring our posts like mini-chapters, we maintained narrative momentum while aligning with LinkedIn’s preference for visual, actionable content. Now, this is just one trick that you can apply while posting on LinkedIn, but the idea is simple: make sure you stick to a good narrative structure and effective storytelling.

Leveraging Content Serialization

The best part about books is that they already offer a well-serialized structure. In simple words, a book has knowledge categorized and indexed chapter-wise. So this means you don’t have to worry about what to post next if you start to post on LinkedIn from a book’s chapter 1. Books often use serialization-releasing content in parts to build anticipation, as seen in serialized novels or chapter previews. Many of our corporate profile posts and even some of the personal profile posts are done by adapting this strategy from creating LinkedIn content series, such as weekly posts that explore different facets of a book’s theme. For example, a book on digital transformation might inspire a series like “5 Steps to Modernize Your Business,” with each post covering one step.

This approach not only sustains audience interest but also boosts algorithmic visibility, as consistent posting drives 94% higher content views. We also repurposed book excerpts into LinkedIn articles, which see a 98% increase in comments when paired with images. By serializing content, we kept our audience engaged over weeks, much like a book keeps readers turning pages, while leveraging LinkedIn’s algorithm to maximize reach.

Incorporating Visual Storytelling

Books rely on vivid prose to paint mental pictures, but LinkedIn demands visual content to capture attention. Posts with images earn twice as many comments as text-only posts, and videos can garner up to 2,400 views for pages with over 100,000 followers. We adapted book frameworks by turning key concepts into infographics, carousels, and short videos. For instance, a book’s framework for solving a business challenge was distilled into a carousel post with data visualizations, such as “80% of LinkedIn users influence buying decisions.” These visuals acted like book illustrations, making abstract ideas tangible and shareable. We also experimented with video formats, such as 60-second clips summarizing a book’s key takeaway, aligning with LinkedIn’s preference for authentic, personal content over polished corporate posts.

Building Authority with Thought Leadership

Books establish authors as thought leaders by offering deep insights and unique perspectives. On LinkedIn, thought leadership is equally critical, with brands that share employee-driven content achieving 561% greater reach. To understand this via example, suppose a book’s framework for leadership was translated into posts where our CEO shared real-world applications, such as navigating a team through a crisis. If employee advocacy is encouraged too, where team members post about the book’s themes. This will directly increase the scope and range of your post reach across LinkedIn.

A 2025 study noted that thoughtful comments from brands build credibility, turning visitors into community members. By aligning our LinkedIn content with the book’s thought leadership goals, we established authority while weaving authentic connections.

Last note

There are many other steps that you must observe and adapt to, such as optimizing your content for the Linkedin algorithm, tracking and measuring success using LinkedIn benchmarks. Of course, not to forget integrating paid and organic strategies and making data driven decisions but at last, we can only tell you to trust the process and try incorporating the book frameworks for your LinkedIn brand building. Once you get it right, let me tell you that you can use the same strategies for personal branding as well. To give you a quick recap, adapting book frameworks to LinkedIn brand building requires blending storytelling with data-driven tactics. By defining your audience, serializing content, leveraging visuals, and aligning with LinkedIn’s algorithm, you can bring a massive shift, turning book principles into a dynamic strategy that drives engagement and authority. Consistency, as shown by a 94% increase in content views for regular posters, is critical. We also urge you to download the Personal Branding Gold Mine eBook crafted by Sahil Gandhi, also known as the “Brand Professor,” and Bhavik Sarkhedi, who manages Ohh My Brand, and let us know which book framework we have adopted for this book.

With LinkedIn’s 1.15 billion users and unmatched B2B potential, adapting book frameworks offers a powerful way to build your brand in 2025. Start by auditing your content, aligning it with your audience’s needs, and posting consistently to turn connections into opportunities.

What Simon Sinek and Others Got Right About Personal Brand Purpose

Posted on by Bhavik Sarkhedi

Introduction to Personal Branding

Once in a while there comes a group of people who redefine the industry or niche they work in. You can absolutely find such people in every industry or sector. To give you the quickest answer, Simon Sinek and others are just those people in the world of personal branding. Observing the importance of personal branding as the main pillar, Simon Sinek, a renowned thought leader, popularized the concept of “Start With Why.” This concept emphasizes the purpose that drives connection and influence. His framework, alongside insights from other experts, has reshaped how individuals craft their personal brands. A personal brand taking birth and having strong links to the purpose is authentic, memorable, and impactful, resonating with audiences on a deeper level. This blog explores what Sinek and others got right about personal brand purpose, diving into its importance, practical applications, and strategies to align your brand with your core values. By understanding and implementing these principles, you can create a personal brand that stands out in a crowded digital landscape.

The reason we crafted this blog is because we have personally created a personal branding e-book called “Become Someone From No One.” Both are the brainchild of Bhavik Sarkhedi and Sahil Gandhi. Both are renowned in the field of branding and helping brands become better and achieve their targets. They own one of the top Webflow agency, Blushush, and a personal branding firm, Ohh My Brand. Today, with the help of this blog, we are going to decipher how Simon Sinek, along with a couple of other personal branding experts, has unlocked the true power of personal brand purpose and success.

Hop on the ride starts here.

The Power of “Why” in Personal Branding

Simon Sinek’s “Golden Circle” model, starting with why, then how, and finally what, has become a blueprint for building purpose-driven brands. The “why” represents your core purpose, the reason you exist beyond making money or achieving status. For personal branding, this translates to identifying what drives you, what you stand for, and what unique value you bring to the world. Sinek argues that people connect with the “why” because it taps into emotions, fostering trust and loyalty. When your personal brand communicates a clear purpose, it differentiates you from others who focus solely on their skills or achievements. For instance, a graphic designer emphasizing creating art to inspire social change will likely run parallel more than the one who only showcases technical expertise. Purpose makes your brand relatable and human. Always remember that.

Authenticity as the Foundation

You are you, and that is your superpower. Nobody can be you, and that’s their weakness. Stop taking uniqueness and authenticity for corporate jargon.This is the difference that Sinek and others like Brené Brown emphasize in its critical role. Brown’s work on vulnerability highlights that authentic brands are built on honesty and self-awareness. The importance of personal brand purpose must reflect your true values, not a manufactured persona designed to impress.

People can sense inauthenticity, and it erodes trust. If you are copying someone, then you are already not yourself, which itself is a drastic mistake. To be authentic, you need to introspect and define what matters most to you.

Are you driven by innovation, community, or justice?

Once identified, your purpose should permeate every aspect of your brand: your social media posts, professional interactions, and even the way you handle setbacks. Authenticity isn’t about perfection; it’s about consistency between your actions and your stated purpose.

The Role of Storytelling

This is where things start getting serious. A good story is something everyone wants to hear. A good narrative, if used with a good personal branding framework, can make all the difference to your tale. Storytelling is an art as well as a skill. If you crack this in personal branding, you automatically put yourself way ahead of others. Guess what Simon Sinek did? Exactly the same.

Sinek often stresses that storytelling is how we communicate purpose. A compelling personal brand tells a story that connects your “why” to your audience’s values. Other thought leaders, like Donald Miller, author of Building a StoryBrand, reinforce this by suggesting that your brand should position you as a guide, not the hero, in your audience’s journey. Share stories that illustrate your purpose in action, whether it’s a career pivot driven by a desire to make a difference or a small act of kindness that reflects your values. For instance, a consultant might share how they helped a struggling business thrive, tying it to their purpose of empowering others. Effective storytelling humanizes your brand, making it relatable and memorable.

Emotional Connection and Trust

A purpose-driven personal brand leads to breeding emotional connections in your customers and clients and being honest with your whole target audience, which are vital for building trust. Sinek’s stress on inspiring rather than manipulating aligns with psychological research showing that people are drawn to brands that evoke positive emotions. When your personal brand reflects a purpose that runs parallel with your audience’s values, it creates a sense of shared mission. So the audience thinks that the brand itself is a mindset that they share a common sentiment with.

To give you an example, an entrepreneur whose purpose is sustainability will attract environmentally conscious followers who trust their commitment. Experts like Seth Godin, who champions building “tribes,” argue that purpose unites people around a common cause. Your brand becomes a beacon for those who share your vision, creating a loyal community that amplifies your impact.

Consistency Across Platforms

This is something we have already discussed a thousand times now, but somehow this comes up again. The best part is, I’m willing to talk about it for as long as it takes for you to understand that you need to be consistent with your actions. A strong personal brand requires consistency, a point Sinek and others like Gary Vaynerchuk emphasize.

Your purpose should be evident across all platforms: LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, personal websites, or even in-person interactions. Inconsistent messaging dilutes your brand’s impact and confuses your audience. Vaynerchuk, a marketing guru, stresses that every piece of content you share should reinforce your core purpose. If your purpose is to inspire creativity, your Instagram posts, blog articles, and keynote speeches should all reflect that theme. Learn and focus on building your personal brand using book frameworks. Consistency doesn’t mean repetition; it means aligning diverse content with a unified message. This builds recognition and trust, making your brand instantly identifiable.

Purpose as a Differentiator

This is where you understand the key difference that you must draw to bring in the attention. You as a pursuer of personal branding have to use your purpose as a differentiator. The market has become so clamorous and so crowded with brands, clients, customers, and all these marketing gimmicks that it has become impossible to spot the right intentions and emotions in the market. This is why you need purpose because purpose sets you apart. Sinek’s teachings highlight that while many people can offer similar skills or services, your “why” is unique. Other experts, like Dorie Clark, author of Stand Out, argue that a clear purpose helps you carve a niche.

For instance, if there are two financial advisors with similar qualifications, the one who focuses on empowering women to achieve financial independence stands out. Your purpose becomes your unique selling proposition, attracting opportunities and audiences that align with your values. This differentiation is especially crucial in saturated industries where technical skills alone aren’t enough to shine. This is just one simple example for you to learn.

Practical Steps to Define Your Purpose

Okay now, we went through how Simon Sinek and others have made it big and right using the correct way of Simon Sinek personal brand purpose. Here are some of the key practical steps that will help you define your purpose.

  • Align purpose with action
  • Build a community around your purpose.
  • Face challenges and overcome obstacles
  • Keeping track of the impact and progress of your purpose
  • Lastly, evolve your purpose from time to time.

All these pointers are so simple and are also some of the best personal branding insights from thought leaders that I don’t think there is any particular need for me to explain them thoroughly to you.

Conclusion: Crafting Your Purpose-Driven Brand

And here we are. In conclusion, I would like to mention that Simon Sinek and other thought leaders have smartly shown us that a personal brand rooted in purpose is more than a marketing tool; it’s a way to create meaningful connections and lasting impact. By starting with your “why,” embracing authenticity, and aligning your actions with your values, you can build a brand that stands out and inspires. You can always read the books by these branding experts, and while challenges like consistency and evolution arise, the rewards trust, loyalty, and influence are worth the effort. Having said that, we would again like to mention that you can download the Personal Branding Gold Mine eBook called “Become Someone From No One.” This will be your guide in building a purpose-driven brand. This book is crafted by Sahil Gandhi aka “Brand Professor” and Bhavik Sarkhedi who have a long and rich experience of helping brands achieve their targets and branding goals.

Take time to define your purpose, share it through compelling stories, and engage your community. In doing so, you’ll create a personal brand so that next time someone asks you why purpose matters in personal branding your operations will answer the question and it will also reflect who you along with leaving a positive mark on the world. 

The Top Personal Branding Frameworks from Bestselling Books

Posted on by Bhavik Sarkhedi

Introduction: Why Frameworks Matter in Personal Branding

A framework is not a new thing that people should actually be talking about. Everything we do, especially in branding comes with a framework itself. In a world where your online presence can be searched before you even enter the room. Everything about you is out there and people will sooner or later draw a perspective of you. This means the best way to handle this is to make sure you work on your personal branding and make sure people only know the things you want them to know and build a personal brand strategy for yourself.

It doesn’t matter who you are. A founder, a freelancer, or a professional aiming for the next big role, the way you tell your story determines whether you end up getting lost in the clamour or stand out as an example for people to learn and look up to. There is a lot that can be done by choosing the right framework for your book. If I confide this little truth with you: branding yourself is not about “being everywhere” or posting endless selfies. All of this starts with three simple yet crucial words that are not just words but keys to your proven success. The words are clarity, consistency, and connection.

We aim at making people learn about these frameworks and lucky for you, you don’t have to invent your own from scratch. Some of the world’s best thinkers in branding, leadership, and marketing have distilled decades of expertise into actionable systems that anyone can apply. Why did we do this?  We have created a new personal branding ebook coauthored by Bhavik Sarkhedi and Sahil Gandhi, who is also known as the “Brand Professor”. They both co-own webflow agency Blushush and the personal branding firm Ohh My Brand. In this blog ahead, we will explore eight of the most powerful personal branding frameworks from best personal branding books, supported by real-world data and examples that prove they work.

Start With Why: Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek’s Start With Why remains one of the most cited ideas in the branding world, and for good reason. His “Golden Circle” model flips the traditional communication order. Instead of beginning with what you do, Sinek urges you to start with why you do it, your purpose, cause, or belief, then explain how you deliver on it, and only then talk about what you actually provide.

The impact of leading with purpose is measurable: According to LinkedIn Business Solutions employees who connect with an organization’s purpose are 57% more effective and 85% more engaged. The same logic applies to individuals. A personal brand grounded in a clear “why” attracts not only opportunities but also the right audience that shares your values.

In a nutshell, whatever you do, let’s extend this to your personal life as well. Whatever you do, make sure you are certain with your “why”. Only then, you’ll be able to have better clarity and all your operations and updates will move in the right direction.

Building a StoryBrand: Donald Miller

Donald Miller’s Building a StoryBrand applies the principles of storytelling to branding. In his seven-part framework, your audience is the hero, and you are the guide who helps them solve a problem, provides a plan, and leads them to success while helping them avoid failure. In this framework the audience as in the reader of the book is designated as the hero of the narrative and then everything becomes more personal and more interesting to solve a problem.

Because of this there comes a sure shift in the reader’s perspective from self-promotion to problem-solving. This creates relevance and emotional connection. Miller’s emphasis on story is backed by research: content presented in narrative form is 22 times more memorable than standalone facts. For personal branding, this means the story you tell about yourself must be structured around the change and targets you help others achieve.

Known: Mark Schaefer

Mark Schaefer’s Known offers a highly practical, four-step process for building digital-age authority: identify your niche, find the platforms where your audience spends time, create consistent content, and develop an actionable audience that engages with you. Schaefer’s method is disciplined and long-term, focusing on building trust over fleeting attention. Consistency is the unglamorous but critical ingredient here; Lucidpress shows that maintaining a consistent brand across platforms can increase revenue by up to 23%. For personal brands, consistency in tone, visuals, and messaging reinforces credibility. Always remember this.

Reinventing You & Stand Out: Dorie Clark

This is number fourth on our book framework list. When it comes to career reinvention, Dorie Clark’s Reinventing You and Stand Out are essential reading. Clark advocates for auditing your current reputation, identifying your strengths, and repositioning yourself for new opportunities. She then pushes you to develop a signature idea that sets you apart as a thought leader and to build a network that amplifies your message.

This is especially valuable for professionals pivoting into new industries or roles. The urgency of this work is clear when you consider that 94% of recruiters use LinkedIn to vet candidates before any formal conversation takes place. Without a deliberate strategy, your personal brand is being judged anyway better to control that narrative yourself. This shows how you need to present yourself in an active and alive manner. Playing and founding yourself on your current reputation and repositioning yourself to make sure you are visible, heard and considered around new opportunities.

The Aaker Model  David Aaker

On number five on this list we have David Aaker’s Brand Identity Model, while originally designed for corporate branding, adapts remarkably well to individuals. Aaker breaks brand identity into four dimensions: product scope (your skills or services), organizational attributes (your values and culture), personality (your behavioral and communication style), and symbol (your visual identity and signature elements). This means that although the book framework is for corporate branding, if you can use it in the right way, you use it for personal branding as well.

By dissecting your brand into these facets, you can ensure it is multidimensional and coherent rather than fragmented. The importance of this structure is underscored by data from Demand Metric, which found that brands with consistent identity elements visual and verbal are 3.5 times more likely to achieve strong visibility.

Fascinate: Sally Hogshead

Alright now, with this book framework we enter into a different ballgame. Sally Hogshead’s Fascinate and its companion tool, The Fascination Advantage, focus on differentiation through innate strengths. Based on research by Kelton Global with over 100,000 participants, her system identifies seven “advantages”: Power, Passion, Mystique, Prestige, Alert, Innovation, and Trust and helps you uncover your top two.

The premise is simple: instead of trying to be better than others, lean into being different in the way that comes most naturally to you. You must learn to build your personal brand using book frameworks. For personal branding, this creates an authentic competitive edge that can’t be replicated by simply copying others. Yes, you need to be authentic and for that the first step is stop imitating others and bringing up an original idea.

Dare to Lead (BRAVING Model)  Brené Brown

The second last on our list of the top personal branding frameworks for bestselling books we have Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead brings the BRAVING model into the branding conversation. BRAVING is an acronym for Boundaries, Reliability, Accountability, Vault (confidentiality), Integrity, Non-judgment, and Generosity, even behaviors that build trust.

Trust is the currency of both leadership and branding tips from books; without it, even the best messaging will fall flat. Edelman’s 2021 Trust Barometer found that 81% of consumers say brand trust is a deciding factor in their buying decisions, and while this study focuses on corporate brands, the implications for personal brands are identical.

The Brand You 50: Tom Peters

Finally we have reached the bottom of this insightful list. The last name of the top personal branding framework is of course Tom Peters’ The Brand You 50. This delivers fifty rapid-fire, actionable steps to become “distinct or extinct.” From documenting measurable results to curating your online footprint, Peters’ approach is unapologetically execution-oriented. His advice aligns with findings from CareerBuilder that professionals who actively manage their personal brand are three times more likely to land higher-paying roles.

So, with this book you get 50 no bullshit but actionable measures that you can simply adapt to without having to think twice. But of course, make sure your intentions are well aligned with it.

Lasting Thoughts

The combined evidence makes it clear: personal branding frameworks are not just motivational theory but they’re practical roadmaps supported by measurable impact. Edelman’s Trust Barometer reports that 65% of people trust experts more than governments or organizations, meaning your perceived expertise directly shapes your influence. Applying these frameworks effectively starts with selectivity. You do not need to master all eight at once, in fact, that’s a recipe for overwhelm. On the contrary, we would like you to download the Personal Branding Gold Mine eBook crafted by Sahil Gandhi also known as the “Brand Professor” and Bhavik Sarkhedi who owns Ohh My Brand and let us know which book framework we have adopted for this book. After this book, you will stop asking how to build a personal brand. Your ability to stand out as a thought leader will come from this book, and we hope you don’t need any other book for your personal branding.