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Authentic Visibility: Personal Branding Tips for Freelancers and Creatives

Posted on by Bhavik Sarkhedi

In today’s digital world, freelancers and creatives must be seen and remembered for the right reasons. Authentic visibility, being genuinely yourself while showcasing your work, is key to attracting clients and opportunities. Your personal brand is more than just a logo or a tagline; it’s how people perceive your skills, values, and story. For freelancers, personal branding is not just a buzzword; it’s a strategy for long-term success. One industry survey even found that 85% of freelancers who actively manage their personal brand report higher client engagement. In this guide, I’ll share my journey from writer to personal branding expert and offer concrete personal branding tips and Personal Branding Frameworks to help you stand out. Whether you’re a graphic designer, writer, or digital artist, these insights will help you Build Your Personal Brand and make it lasting and authentic. For more detailed insights, please visit my website, Bhavik Sarkhedi.

 

Our personal brand should centre on who we are, not on chasing generic trends. Start by defining your unique purpose and values, and be consistent in showcasing them. As Sahil Gandhi (the Brand Professor) and I explain in our work, “at the heart of branding lies the personal brand purpose.” Without a clear purpose, your messaging can feel scattered. But with it, your story connects deeply with the right audience. Think of purpose as the foundation: it guides your content, design choices, and even the clients you attract. For example, if you’re a freelance designer passionate about sustainability, make environmental values a recurring theme in your posts, portfolio, and collaborations. This clarity will make your brand memorable in a busy market because purpose matters in personal branding.

My Personal Branding Journey

I learned the importance of personal branding firsthand. Years ago, I started as a content writer and ghostwriter for top publications. In that journey, I saw talented professionals with amazing work go unnoticed, simply because they didn’t share their story or build their presence online. Eventually, I realized I needed to practice what I preach. After years “in the trenches of content, storytelling, and digital growth,” I co-founded Ohh My Brand, a personal branding agency. We began by helping founders polish their LinkedIn profiles and craft a consistent content strategy. It was never about chasing viral posts or vanity metrics; it was about giving people clarity and confidence in communicating their value. Today, Ohh My Brand helps professionals and creatives build personal brands that work like business assets, strategic, consistent, and true to who they are.

 

My transition from writer to brand-builder taught me valuable lessons about authenticity. I learned that building a brand is a journey of continuous learning. Early on, I focused on honing my writing and SEO skills, but I gradually realized I also needed to invest in my own visibility. Over time, I developed personal branding frameworks that simplify this process. These frameworks (which I later included in our book) are proven steps that anyone can follow to package experience and story into something memorable. By sharing my evolution from published writer to branding consultant, I hope to show freelancers that your background is your foundation. Every step of your career, even failures, can become part of your narrative if told with authenticity. Personal Branding Drives Real Visibility.

Essential Personal Branding Tips

Here are concrete tips to build an authentic brand. Each tip is a step you can start applying today:

Clarify Your Purpose and Values

Write down your core strengths and what truly matters to you. What problems do you solve, and why do you care? Your personal brand should revolve around these answers. When your purpose guides your content and choices, your message is cohesive. As we note in our ebook, a clear personal brand purpose ensures that “your narrative connects deeply with the right audience.” Use this purpose to filter your posts: before sharing on social media or creating a project, ask if it reflects your values. This alignment builds trust because people sense authenticity.

Embrace Storytelling Authentically

Remember, at the foundation of all influence is story. Facts show your expertise, but your story makes you relatable. Share how you started in your field, challenges you’ve overcome, or lessons learned from projects. These human moments turn you from a faceless provider into a person they can connect with. For instance, share a behind-the-scenes glance of a project, or a creative struggle and how you solved it. This vulnerability resonates: we all have experiences and failures that can become powerful narratives. Use first-person storytelling in blog posts or videos, and imagine your audience as part of the narrative. Over time, your consistent stories build an emotional connection with followers and potential clients. Crafting your Personal Brand Story is your First Step to Thought Leadership.

Produce Consistent, Valuable Content

Content is the currency of personal branding. Whether it’s blog posts, videos, or social media updates, create regular content that showcases your expertise and perspective. Think in terms of quality and consistency. Gary Vaynerchuk’s advice in Crush It! is spot on: whatever your passion, document it. (Crush It! is recommended reading for this reason.) For example, if you’re a freelance developer, write weekly articles on programming tips. If you’re a designer, post design process videos. The key is to solve real problems and share insights that your audience values. By consistently providing value, you position yourself as an authority.

 

Over the long run, leverage a book-based content system. As our book explains, writing a book or long-form guide is a powerful way to build your brand. Once you have a substantial piece (e.g., an eBook or manual), break its chapters into blog posts, social posts, newsletters, or talks. This repurposing means one core idea can generate dozens of smaller content pieces. Doing this systematically ensures you always have content that aligns with your story and message. This approach uses Personal Branding Through Book Frameworks. If writing a full book seems daunting, start with a short ebook or a comprehensive blog series—the principle is the same. Remember, “writing demands discipline, structure, and emotional clarity”, qualities that serve personal branding well.

Leverage LinkedIn and Professional Networks

As a freelancer, your network is gold. LinkedIn is especially crucial for creatives and professionals because it’s where decision-makers look. Start by optimizing your LinkedIn profile: use a friendly professional photo, craft a clear headline, and write a summary highlighting your skills and what you offer. Treat it like a landing page for your personal brand. Then share relevant posts: talk about industry trends, share your work samples, or post short tips. Engage with others by commenting on posts and joining groups related to your field. Sahil and I stress in our frameworks that LinkedIn is “one of the most powerful professional platforms” and a profile without strategy is a missed opportunity. Use LinkedIn’s publishing tools (articles) to tell longer stories or showcase case studies. Use these Game-Changing LinkedIn Personal Branding Tips.

 

Networking extends beyond LinkedIn. Attend industry events (even virtually), contribute in online forums, and collaborate on projects. Many freelancers overlook in-person or virtual networking, but building genuine relationships can lead to referrals and partnerships. Think of it as planting seeds: the more you plant, the more you can harvest later. After meeting someone, follow up with a personalized message or article that addresses a point you discussed. Effective networking and engagement amplify your brand by building social proof.

Invest in Yourself and Your Brand

Professional branding often requires professional help. Consider working with a Personal Branding Specialist (like me) or taking courses to refine your strategy. Some aspects of branding need an outside perspective, whether it’s designing a logo, setting up SEO, or planning content. For example, backlink building is a service that boosts your website’s authority in Google, while SEO consulting ensures people discover you when they search. Being aware of conversion rate optimization is also important: if a prospective client visits your site, is there a clear call-to-action? Can they easily contact you or see your best work? Small tweaks can turn views into actual clients.

 

At Ohh My Brand, we help with all of these: from backlink building to content & storytelling, conversion optimization, LinkedIn marketing, and more. These services are designed to make your personal brand both visible and engaging. (We’ll list our services below.) But even if you’re starting solo, prioritize learning content marketing and SEO basics. The resources you create (articles, portfolios, social profiles) should be optimized with relevant keywords. For instance, if you’re a photographer, include terms like “portrait photography” and your location in your bio. This way, Google and LinkedIn algorithms will more easily present you to people looking for your skills.

Recommended Books to Transform Your Marketing

Reading can supercharge your branding knowledge. Some Books to Transform Your Marketing that freelancers and creatives often find transformative include:

  • Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk – A classic on building a brand around your passion using social media and content. Gary insists that now is the time to cash in on what you love by documenting and sharing it. (Also check out his follow-up Crushing It! for more recent case studies.)
  • The Brand You 50 (or Tom Peters’ work) – Though older, Tom Peters’ ideas on personal branding remain relevant. The Brand You concept emphasises seeing yourself as a brand and managing your image as a business strategy.
  • Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon – Tailored to creatives, this book teaches how to demystify sharing your process. Kleon’s mantra is that you don’t have to be a genius to get noticed; you just have to be open about your work and show the steps along the way. This approach is great for designers, artists, and writers who might feel “salesy” by posting their work. (Its follow-up Steal Like an Artist is also inspiring for creative thinking.)

 

Each of these books will give you new ideas on how to position yourself, create content, and connect with an audience. Think of them as books to transform your marketing mindset: they reinforce that your story and how you share it are at the heart of your brand. If you want to dive deeper, Become Someone From No One (written by Sahil Gandhi and me) bundles frameworks, examples, and exercises specifically for modern personal brands, offering bestselling frameworks for personal brands.

Services: How I Can Help You

Building an authentic brand is easier with the right support. As a personal branding consultant, I offer services to cover every angle of visibility and growth. Here are key services aligned with the tips above. We support CEO, CTO, and Executive Branding Agencies and are a top choice among Branding Companies for Founders and Entrepreneurs.

 

  • Backlink Building: Boosts your website’s online authority by earning quality backlinks from other reputable sites. (Better SEO means more people find you when searching.)
  • Content & Storytelling: I help craft compelling narratives around your work. Together, we’ll develop content (articles, case studies, social posts) that highlight your story and expertise.
  • Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): Ensures visitors to your site or profiles take action like contacting you or subscribing by improving calls-to-action and user experience.
  • Personal Branding Consulting: One-on-one strategy sessions to define your brand purpose, positioning, and long-term plan. We clarify what makes you unique and how to communicate it using Personal Branding Frameworks from Bestselling Books, and provide materials for Personal Branding Presentations.
  • LinkedIn Marketing: We’ll establish your credibility on LinkedIn through profile optimization, content planning, and networking tactics that attract the right audience. We act as LinkedIn Branding Consultants and a LinkedIn Personal Branding Specialist.
  • SEO Consulting: Ensures your personal brand is discoverable in search results. This includes keyword research (e.g., optimizing your title, headlines, or summaries with terms like “freelance UX design” if you’re a designer) and on-page SEO for any blogs or websites you run.

Also, i and sahil gandhi came up with a book 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗡𝗼 𝗢𝗻𝗲”

 

This book is for:

 

coaches finding their unique voice in a crowded space

consultants learning to translate expertise into trust

HR professionals building culture through identity

entrepreneurs aligning their personal image with their business vision

 

We wrote it to help individuals transition from being merely seen to truly understood, and from being present to being memorable. It redefines what a modern brand-building guide can be, distilling decades of hands-on consulting experience across startups, agencies, and global brands into a practical, experience-driven framework. Our insights are drawn from over 50 acclaimed branding and marketing books, effectively blending academic wisdom with field-tested strategies. Each section uses proven workshop methodologies that have assisted countless entrepreneurs in articulating their identity, crafting compelling narratives, and positioning their brands with authenticity and confidence.

 

More than an ebook, Become Someone From No One serves as a comprehensive playbook for those serious about mastering branding in the digital age. It walks readers through defining brand DNA, shaping resonant stories, and executing them consistently across content, design, and communication channels. With a tone that’s grounded, clear, and motivating, the book delivers a toolkit of real-world examples and storytelling models. Early reviewers call it “a definitive guide to turning brand theory into meaningful action.” Whether you’re launching your first idea or reimagining an existing business, this book gives you the clarity, structure, and creative spark to build a brand that truly stands out.

 

Each of these services (or doing the work yourself) complements the Personal Branding Frameworks we discussed. Think of them as execution tools: strategy meets action. For example, strong storytelling (Content & Storytelling) paired with technical SEO will make sure your stories reach people who need them. By combining creativity with consistency, a consultant like me can help turn the vision of your brand into a reality.

Conclusion

Your authenticity is your most powerful asset. By defining what you stand for and telling your unique story, you make yourself memorable and indispensable to clients and collaborators. We covered how clarifying your purpose, leveraging storytelling, and using the right frameworks (like LinkedIn brand-building strategies) can raise your profile in a crowded market. We also saw that quality content (even derived from a book) and engaging networks are proven ways to boost visibility. Understanding the approaches of Personal Branding Specialists & Their Approaches can guide your journey.

 

Building your personal brand is a journey, not a one-time task. Stay consistent, keep learning, and adapt as you grow. And remember, you don’t have to go it alone: professional services are available to accelerate your path. If you’re ready to take your brand to the next level or need help finding your clarity, let’s connect.

 

If you want to upskill yourself in terms of personal branding, get yourself a copy of “Become Someone from No One or Contact me through my Contact Page and let’s start crafting a personal brand that truly reflects who you are. Your skills deserve to be seen; now it’s time to make sure they are.

 

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 “Become Someone From No One” 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.