Making Your Brand Your Business: How to craft a powerful personal brand

Making your brand
your business
Terri Trespicio
How to craft a powerful personal brand
Copyright © 2017 Terri Trespicio All rights reserved.
Top Advisor Summit Jan 2018

“I care about my clients.”

How do you stand out when
everyone’s doing the same
thing?

Just because you have
a business doesn’t mean
you have a brand.

Being great at what you do
isn’t a brand.
It’s a prerequisite.

There are a lot of  
brand strategists.

I’ve spent my career trying to create
content worth reading and watching.

Today, I work with and speak to companies
on how to nail their messaging.

I delivered a TEDx talk that
has 3+ million views.

Do you want to be rich, or
do you want to be famous?

Here’s what I’m
not going to do.
•Tell you to Tweet.  
•Tell you to use Instagram. 
•Tell you how to treat
your clients. 
•Tell you how to do your
job.

This isn’t about the what.
It’s about the
why.

“People don’t buy what you
do. They buy why you do it.”
Simon Sinek

It kills me to watch people settle for average
representations of their above-average work.
So why do I do what I do?

Let’s talk about
what a brand IS.
And isn’t.

Your brand is not
a website, logo, tagline
(You need them, sure. But that’s not it.)

It’s also not
your resume, your title, or
even your business.

What you and your work
mean to other people.
A brand is simply this:

You’re obviously doing
something right.

So why does this
matter?
• Become bigger than your
job 
• Make your work matter 
• Leave a legacy
You want to….

Let’s talk
legacy-level
branding.

Going from being good at what you do
…to being known for it.

thought leadership

Thought leaderBusiness leader

Business leader
Build a business
Achieve sustained growth
Create and lead a team
Manage people & resources
Make money 
Mastered the WHAT.

Thought leader
Challenges assumptions
Intros new ideas
Takes a stand or stance
Starts a movement
Breaks with tradition 
Points at the why.

Thought leader
Known for what they think.
Business leader
Known for what they do.

To be a thought leader, you need:
~ an area of expertise
~ a thought about that expertise,
~ somewhere to share it.

You’re not a
thought leader
without a platform
Magazines, articles, TV, radio
A book or guide
Website
Social media
Live events (local / national)
Online community
Webinars and courses
Another business

Big mistake:
Trying to get bigger
by going broader.

LIGHTS
CAMERA
EXPERT
This is me & my biz partner,
Paula Rizzo, an Emmy
award-winning TV news
producer and cofounder of

LIGHTS
CAMERA
EXPERT
Media = platform growth
(TIP: Take a look at the
bios that impress you.)

LIGHTS
CAMERA
EXPERT
Everyone wants to be on
TV. 
 
And most people go
about it the wrong way.

You won’t be known for
everything, but for one thing.

The generalist dies a forgettable death.
Generalist

It’s not a narrowing of your options;
it’s a sharpening of your edge.
Rethink “niche”

He’s a financial
advisor.
Ed is a
Financial advisor.

…and a divorce  
consultant.

What thought leadership will look like for Ed:
•New website for EnlightenHer
•Video blog
•TEDx talk
•Contribute to media

the connection
economy
welcome to

Industrial Age Connection economy

Industrial Age Connection economy
Compliance
Efficiency
Act like a machine

Industrial Age
Compliance
Efficiency
Act like a machine
Connection economy
Initiative
Emotional labor
Act like a human

…there are also big
changes afoot in
your industry.

Your brand is
your…
Promise
Presence
Practice

PROMISE

PROMISE
what are you giving me?

Don’t sell the feature.
Sell the face.

your business your brand

your business
is how you make a
living
your brand

is what that
business means

your business
kills cockroaches
your brand

promises a pest-
free life

your business
sells a shirt that looks
good untucked
your brand

promises that you
can look like an
entrepreneur

What are you
promising?

What are you
promising?
Security
Trust
Long-term growth
Independence
Wealth
Retirement

The problem?
Everyone agrees
with this list!
Security
Trust
Long-term growth
Independence
Wealth
Retirement

Where you agree,
you cannot differentiate.

Case study:
CTM Media Group

“We’re one of the largest distributors of travel and
tourism information in North America.”
(They say)

Sorry, what?

They have a positioning problem: 
They don’t want to be defined by a brochure.

So, what are you
really selling?

New positioning

Let’s take a look at an example from your industry.

Brenda Blisk, Blisk Financial Group
Brenda was named by Barron’s Magazine one of the Top
1200 Financial Advisors nationwide in 2014-2017, and #27 in
the State of Virginia. One of the Top 1000 Financial Advisors
in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013; and as one of the Top 100
Women Financial Advisors by Barron’s in 2007, 2008, 2009,
2010 Named to the 2009 Annual Women Worth Watching in
Profiles in Diversity Journal, 2009 named as one of only 28
women selected by Virginia Lawyers Weekly as “Most
Influential Women of Virginia”, 2008 one of the 20 women
recognized by Washington Business Journals Women Who
Mean Business award, 2007 BRAVA AWARD by SMART CEO
magazine honoring top 20 women CEO’s.

Let’s get this out of the way first. #compliance
Spire Wealth Management, LLC is a Federally Registered Investment Advisory Firm.
Securities offered through an affiliated company, Spire Securities, LLC., a Registered Broker/Dealer
and member FINRA/SIPC
Spire only transacts business in states where it is properly registered or notice filed, or excluded or
exempted from registration requirements. Follow-up and individualized responses that involve
either the effecting or attempting to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of
personalized investment advice for compensation, as the case may be, will not be made absent
compliance with state investment adviser and investment adviser representative registration
requirements, or an applicable exemption or exclusion.

So what’s the problem?
Website is a mirror facing the wrong way
Feels familiar
Doesn’t show us what they stand for

Getting to the root of your story
So who is the founder?
What’s her story?

Grew up on a dairy farm in Tennessee. 
One of 6 kids.  
Worked in a department store, where she
learned how to give advice.

“I knew this business wasn’t about numbers. It
was about relationships and people. I was drawn
to them, their life stories, and what they wanted
for their future. When someone feels you care
about them, they think differently about you.”
–Brenda Blisk, Blisk Financial

What does Blisk Financial want?
More high worth clients. Just like you do.

How do you do that?
Wealth is welcome here.
Communicate the right message:

(Just in case you missed it the first time.)  
#compliance
Spire Wealth Management, LLC is a Federally Registered Investment Advisory Firm.
Securities offered through an affiliated company, Spire Securities, LLC., a Registered Broker/Dealer
and member FINRA/SIPC
Spire only transacts business in states where it is properly registered or notice filed, or excluded or
exempted from registration requirements. Follow-up and individualized responses that involve
either the effecting or attempting to effect transactions in securities, or the rendering of
personalized investment advice for compensation, as the case may be, will not be made absent
compliance with state investment adviser and investment adviser representative registration
requirements, or an applicable exemption or exclusion.

OLD MISSION
Your financial success and peace of mind is our personal
mission.

NEW STANCE
At Blisk Financial, we do more than manage assets. We
provide the experience, insight, and skill to ensure that
you keep what you have—and grow your potential—no
matter how your life or circumstances change.
Being the steward of your family’s wealth is not only a
critical role; it’s a defining moment in your life. And you
can’t trust just anyone with that.

A brand fails when 
it doesn’t align
with message,
causing confusion.

Really?
That’s what
you’re going
with?
“The sexiest paper on earth.”

Messaging can go really,
really bad.

“As many of you know, this week there
has been some news coverage about
some of my past behavior.

I have made many mistakes and I am so
very sorry that I have disappointed my
friends, my family, my fans and my
team…

“…My behavior was wrong and there are
no excuses. I take full responsibility.

“…Sharing the joys of Italian food, tradition
and hospitality with all of you, each week, is
an honor and privilege. Without the support
of all of you — my fans — I would never
have a forum in which to expound on this.
I will work every day to regain your
respect and trust. –mb

“…P.S. In case you’re searching for a
holiday-inspired breakfast, these Pizza
Dough Cinnamon Rolls are a fan
favorite.”
Really??

PRESENCE

PRESENCE
what are you like?

Your presence is…
Your expertise
Your reputation
Your personality
Your story

Who are you when
you’re not in the
room?
(hello, social media!)

The point of social media is to extend
your reach beyond the room you’re in.

There is no B2B, or B2C.
Just person to person.

PRACTICE

PRACTICE
What do you do on a regular
basis (and does it matter?)

You hear a lot about brand
“consistency.”

Consistency alone
is not enough.

Meet Carl
I’ve never met this man.

Meet Carl
(I saw him on a dating app)

Carl has a
consistent look
and feel to his
brand.

This is Carl  
on the street.

–Jay Baer, Youtility
“Stop trying to be amazing
and start being useful.”

How are you
helping right now?

How are you
helping right now?
• Content, articles, blogs 
• Media 
• Events/speaking 
• Social media 
• Value-add services

Jon Snow
Lord Commander  
of the Night’s Watch.

Jon Snow
King in the North &
Heir to the Iron Throne

He didn’t turn INTO someone else;
He became who he already is.

How did he do it?
• Became bigger than his job 
• Made his work matter 
• Will leave a legacy

What will the next
generation of your
business inherit?

“You are not your resume.
You are your work.”
Seth Godin, Linchpin

Want to do something bigger?
Ask a bigger question.
25 QuestionsTo Find Your Next Big Idea
Download

Get the slides +
25 Questions
guide
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“barrons”
to
44222
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1. Text “barrons” to
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2. Reply to text with
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3. Check your email
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Reach out at
terri@territrespicio.com
Having problems?

Thank you!

Making Your Brand Your Business: How to craft a powerful personal brand

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