By There are many opportunities for income beyond the traditional corporate ladder, and your personal brand can help you tap into them. As Black women, we have to show up and overwork for every penny we earn.
With a wealth of resources at our fingertips, there’s virtually no reason this should be the case anymore. We should be able to work smarter, not harder. And that’s exactly what a personal brand can do for you.
But it all starts with asking yourself why you want to monetize your brand, to begin with.
This may seem like a simple step – because of that; it is often the most overlooked. Honing in on why you want to monetize your brand is a key factor in discerning which income streams are right for you.
Are you looking to make more money? Do you want more job offers? Do you want to create content? Are you open to consulting or coaching? By understanding your motivations, you’ll be able to map out better a plan for monetizing your brand.
There’s no wrong answer here – it’s all about understanding what you want to get out of monetizing your brand. So take some time to think about your motivations, and then move on to the next step.
Book Speaking Engagements
One of the first income streams that come to mind is speaking engagements.
From giving speeches to leading workshops, there are many opportunities to get paid for sharing your expertise on stage. When you share your insights with others, you’ll not only continue to build your personal brand, but you’ll also attract newer opportunities for monetization.
Write a Book
This is another personal branding crowd favorite when it comes to setting up and diversifying income streams.
You can use your book as a marketing tool to attract new clients or customers, or you can sell it on Amazon. You can also create downloadable content for free and use it as a lead magnet to grow your email list.
There’s no one else quite like you, which means there’s no one else who can share your experiences and insights in quite the same way. So get writing!
Create a Course or Program
Virtual learning is having its moment, and it doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. Leverage your knowledge, insights, and unique expertise to create a course or program that helps others learn and grow.
By sharing your expertise with a wider audience, you’ll be able to reach more people and make a bigger impact with your work, which means more lives changed and more dollars in your pocket.
Offer Your Services as a Consultant
Of course, this may not be a possibility for everyone. Always review your employment contracts, as well as HR regulations, to ensure you’re in compliance before moving forward.
If you’re able to, offer your services as a consultant to help others achieve their goals. After all, you’re an expert in your field, which means you have a lot to offer others who are just starting out or looking to make a change.
Consulting allows you to share your passion and expertise while getting paid for it. What’s not to love?
Tap Into Advertising
Maybe you don’t want to (or you’re not ready to) put a price on your insights. The internet is an amazing place where anyone can launch a website, podcast, YouTube Channel, or any number of other platforms to share what they’ve learned along the winding paths of their career journeys.
You can join an advertising network and start earning money from the ads that are displayed on your site. This is a great way to monetize your personal brand without quite making the big leap into the spotlight.
Premium Content Membership
If you have valuable insights and expertise (and you do!) that people are willing to pay for, consider creating a premium content membership. This could be an online course, e-book, audio program, or anything else that would provide value to your audience.
By offering premium content memberships, you’ll be able to monetize your personal brand while also providing valuable resources to your audience. This is a great way to build a loyal following and turn your brand into a sustainable business.
Adding Income Streams One by One
Of course, you don’t have to (and probably shouldn’t) do all these things at once. Splitting your focus not only dilutes your brand but can also lead to complacency or burnout.
Instead, focus on one or two income streams you’re passionate about and that fits well with your brand. Once you’ve got those up and running, you can always add more later.
The important thing is to get started. Every step you take gets you one step closer to your goal. And remember, these are just a few ideas to get you started.
What do you think?