42 email: news@printmonthly.co.uk March / April 2024 - Issue 347 INDUSTRY TIPS / THE ONLINE PRINT COACH CRAFTING YOUR UNIQUE IDENTITY: PERSONAL BRANDING STRATEGIES Standing out from the competition isn’t just about what presses you have, what products or services you offer, or what clients you’re supplying print to. Personal branding has become an important aspect of professional growth and should be at the forefront of your mind when representing your business. It’s about crafting a unique identity that resonates with your target audience. It’s what differentiates you from the other print companies and positions you as the go-to person in your market. For me personally, I choose to show my more vulnerable side. I’m an open book and I share the lessons learned from my past as a fellow print business owner, and in my new capacity as a business coach to the industry, it seems to be serving me well. My clients like the fact that I have walked in their shoes, have felt the trials and tribulations of running a print business, and can resonate with what they are going through. That’s the personal brand I choose and it’s what makes me unique to many of the other business coaches out there. How much do you think about your personal brand? Personal Branding in Print It’s way more than a logo or a design of a business card; it’s about the story you tell, your values, and the unique experiences you can provide to your clients. Your personal brand should reflect your expertise, work ethic, and the distinct qualities that make you the go-to print professional you want to be. The printing industry is a crowded place and therefore you need to be different. Not everyone can offer the best prices, print the best quality, and output the quickest turnaround times. Everyone else is saying the same old stuff which let's be honest, most of which should all be gimmes. What are you doing to stand out above and beyond that? Personal branding isn’t static, it evolves in line with your career and reflects your growing skills and experiences. I have the great pleasure of working directly with dozens of print companies at any one time and so I’m lucky enough to inherit the knowledge each of them learns as they navigate their business growth. That in turn allows me to share that knowledge and experience with others that I help and It becomes part of my make up and gives my offering an edge. Identify Your USP I could sit down with ten printers tomorrow Colin Sinclair McDermott offers his advice and tips on how to stand out from the competition and craft your own unique identity in order to grow professionally Having been in the print industry since the mid-late 90s, Colin Sinclair McDermott entered the world of self-employment in 2004 and over the years that followed, experienced a number of highs and lows running his own print company, learning what does and doesn’t work. In 2022, he trained with The Business Coaching Academy to become a fully certified corporate coach with the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches. Through The Online Print Coach, industry members can access private 1-to-1 coaching with Sinclair McDermott. Sinclair McDermott says: “I didn’t always get it right, I made mistakes along the way and one of the greatest motivators now is being able to give the support I never had to make sure others don’t repeat some of the errors I made. “My clients are seeing great results and it genuinely feels like I’m doing what I was always meant to do and making a difference.” www.theonlineprintcoach.com
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