In the early 1900s, two brothers from Dayton, Ohio, dared to do what seemed impossible. Wilbur and Orville Wright weren’t the wealthiest, most educated, or most connected individuals of their time. Yet, they succeeded where countless others had failed: building and flying the world’s first powered aeroplane.
Their secret? A clear focus on their unique strengths. While others chased bigger engines or splashy designs, the Wright brothers leaned into their skills in problem-solving and mechanics, honed through years of working in their bicycle shop. They obsessed over balance and control—the true keys to sustained flight.
Their story reminds us that discovering and leveraging what makes us unique can lead to groundbreaking achievements.
So, let’s find your Unique Value Proposition.
Unique Value Proposition
Knowing yourself is the most important step in the journey of personal branding.
Knowing yourself means —
- Knowing your strengths
- Knowing what makes you authentic
- Knowing what differentiates you from the rest
Tarana Kasana shared a strategy called ‘Main Character Effect’ on LinkedIn to know yourself better and find your super-power.
(Open a Google Doc, Notion or any note-taking app to answer these questions.)
Origin Story
→ Where do you come from?
→ What’s your background story?
→ How did you become this main character?
Plot Twist
→ What was the turning point in your life?
→ Was it a struggle or a negative experience?
Character Development
→ How did you deal with it?
→ What did you learn from it?
Re-birth
→ Where are you now?
→ How have things changed?
→ What have you achieved since?
Evolution
→ What happens next?
→ What are your goals?
→ How are you getting there?
Refocus
→ What are the key takeaways?
→ Why should your reader care about these?
→ How do these experiences benefit your reader?
Do not skip this step.
This is the most important step in building a brand.
Here are a few more questions:
- What are my skills?
- What are my passions?
- What are my core values?
- Who can help me reach my goals?
- What is my message and my story?
- How do I want to deliver my message?
- What is the purpose of this personal brand?
- What makes me different from my competitors?
- Where do I see myself in 1 year, 5 years, and 15 years?
- What problems can I solve so my target audience can listen to me?
Answer these questions before moving into the next section.
Discover Your Unique Value Proposition
If you have answered the questions in the ‘Main Character Effect’ section, it’s time to use all that raw information into usable assets.
Let’s categorize the information as follows:
→ Competence
→ Values
→ Goals
→ Identity
Competence
Competence involves your ability to tackle an assigned task effectively.
Your competencies can include:
→ Communication and interpersonal skills
→ Technical know-how
→ Soft skills such as conflict resolution, relationship building, etc.
It contains your knowledge, experience, skills, professional traits, and abilities.
Values
Your values are your guiding principles, reflecting what matters most in your career.
These values influence your choices, work ethic, communication, and more.
Your values can include:
→ Honesty and Integrity
→ Respect and Compassion
→ Responsibility and Discipline …etc.
Values that clash with your true beliefs will be hard to live by.
Goals
Your goals are things you want to accomplish in the future.
It’s good to make your goals clear and easy to measure.
For example, as a personal brand strategist, your initial goal might have been to use your personal brand to get recognized and gain 10,000 followers in the first six months.
Identity
Your identity is all about what makes you special and real, about what makes you stand out from others.
For example, if you’re providing copywriting services to tech startups, you should specify your point of difference from other copywriters.
Your identity can be anything that makes you uniquely you and that benefits your personal brand.
Every person has a unique story, set of skills, and values that define them. Just as the Wright brothers leaned into their strengths to revolutionize flight, you can use your unique value proposition to craft a personal brand that inspires and impacts others.
So, take the time to reflect, refine, and refocus. Your story isn’t just yours—it’s a gift to the world. What will your legacy be? Start building it today.
Now, we will create your personal brand’s Mission and Vision Statement.