ICH-Marketing for your own personality: This is how you become a brand yourself

“Market your personality”: This claim is more important than ever for Diana Achtzig today. How to recognize a strong brand is shown by big names like Adidas, Puma, or Apple with Steve Jobs as the face of the brand. Transferred to you as a person, this means:

• Credibility: Your brand only works if it is authentic. Philosophy, competence, and reliability are at the center.
• Own style and adaptability: Stay unique, but be ready to evolve over a longer period.
• Clear values: Stable values provide orientation. This is perceived positively, especially in hectic times.
• Lived values: What you communicate, you must also live. A personal brand is a creative condensation of your true identity.

The most important points in brief

• SELF-marketing means: You become the brand, with clear values and a unique style.
• Credibility is more important than reach; your brand must fit your true personality.
• Social media alone is not enough; you also need an analog network.
• 14 rules help with the setup, from positioning to support from a mentor.

The most attention is given to personalities who appear likable, authentic, competent, passionate, and approachable. Content can be conveyed much more easily through strong personalities, as people seek guidance. In short: the individual becomes a brand. Lack of profile, on the other hand, is deadly in marketing.

This is exactly where the crux lies for many artists. Those who are introverted find it difficult to put themselves in the spotlight when it comes to exhibitions, galleries, curators, or collectors. In such cases, another person can take over the marketing, such as a gallery. How you, as an artist, can get into a gallery is explained in the article How do I get into a gallery as an artist? You can apply, for example, at the Berlin Produzentengalerie.

Diana Achtzig considers building a personal brand solely through PR in radio, television, press, and social media to be outdated. Since the Corona era, sales and customer acquisition have fundamentally changed. The digital economy is transforming faster than ever.

The problem for many self-employed individuals: They lack a personal story with emotions and a large personal network. There is hardly any time left for building this alongside daily business. And those who rely solely on Instagram, X, and the like often do not reach young target groups. The difficulty of this is demonstrated by declining newspaper circulations and parties that struggle to attract young voters.

Without emotions and the right language, neither trust nor sympathy is created. The digital community expects both.

These 14 rules help you build a personal brand marketing for your own personality:

1. Positioning: Determine what you stand for and make it findable online, also through search engines.
2. Values: Convey values that make you credible.
3. Analog Network: Build a network of real contacts and showcase your expertise there.
4. The Right Places: Go where your target audience is, such as clubs, professional associations, conferences, workshops, or student organizations.
5. Your Environment: Actively engage with people, at lunch, in the bar, or in the club.
6. Digital Network: Additionally, build a business network on social media.
7. Lectures: Showcase your personality and expertise on stage.
8. Discussions: Engage in debates and dare to deviate from the usual opinion. This way, you remain memorable.
9. Blog: Regularly share your knowledge in texts.
10. Video: Showcase yourself and your work in moving images.
11. Podcast: Reach your audience through audio.
12. Hybrid Forms: Combine formats, for example, a podcast that also appears as a video.
13. Goals and Composure: Keep your goals in mind, but remain composed when building your network.
14. Mentor or Mentor: Get support. Personal development helps you convey emotions better.

How this can look in art is also shown in the article Self-Marketing as a Success Career: How Do I Become a Brand in Art?

Do you want more reach and support in building your ICH marketing? Diana Achtzig advises artists and freelancers. You can find all episodes of her podcast on Spotify and YouTube.

Art Gallery Berlin Achtzig
Diana Achtzig
Weißenhöher Str. 14
12683 Berlin

• Email: diana.achtzig(at)googlemail(dot)com
• Phone: 0178 4482997