Do you want to know how to build your personal branding? It’s simpler than you think, but to be honest: it’ll be work.
Personal branding 1 is like your identity, but on full blast: it’s what you represent, what you’re doing, and how you tell the world about it. It’s also how you connect with others and the mark you leave on the planet. In simple words, it is about showing who you are with authenticity.
🌎 Take changemakers like David Attenborough or Sylvia Earle: their branding is way more than their projects. It’s a core message, a way to engage with people, to share a vision and passion.
And you can do it too!
With Wildya’s personal branding strategies, you will build your image, define your values, core message, and engage with your community through consistency and clear communication. All to make a real impact on nature!
Easy peasy, right?
1) Define your core message
What is your goal? What do you want people to remember you for? That’s your core message.
🌊 For example, Sylvia Earle has not only a career in marine biology. Her core message is: protecting the oceans. It’s her thing, her vision, her personal branding. She’s repeating all the time, everywhere. And it works, we remember her for this!
“We need to respect the oceans and take care of them as if our lives depended on it. Because they do” Sylvia Earle 2
As an ecopreneur, your message should be clear: you want to protect biodiversity? Saving a specific endangered species? Or do you want to raise awareness about the importance of ecosystems?
Your message must be your compass. It guides what you do, what you say, and how you interact with your audience.
And the more your core message is niche and simple, the easier it will be for people to remember!
🦍 Dr. Jane Goodall’s message is known to be straightforward: she wants to protect chimpanzees. It’s clear, simple, and stays in people’s minds. Of course, she did more general conservation work. Still, we know her for her relentless efforts to protect this species.
Take a moment to think and reflect on what passionate you the most and what you want people to remember you for. That’s how you start building authentic personal branding.
2) Craft your unique value proposition (UVP)
What makes you so unique? Why should people follow you over another ecopreneur? That’s your unique value proposition (UVP).
🌲 It can be a clear mission: for example, Douglas Tompkins, founder of Tompkins Conservation, wanted to restore wild habitats. His message? Simple. His mission? Clear. But what makes him truly unique is his commitment to protect nature on a huge scale, in both his personal and professional life.
Your UVP is what resonates with your audience in a memorable way. What pushes them to believe in you, to follow your journey. After all, your brand is you, in all your singularity.
Find what makes you stand out. Your vision. Your values. Your message. And put them at the heart of everything you do. This way you’ll build a unique personal brand.
3) Consistency must be one of your key personal branding strategies
Consistency is like a common thread. Regardless of where you are, your message must stay the same.
📸 On social media, your website, or even in person, people need to recognise you. Use the same picture everywhere. It’ll be like your digital business card.
Think also about your branding kit: colours, typo, image style. Like a uniform, it allows people to identify you in the blink of an eye.
If you change the tone, style or message every time, you might create confusion among your community. Be clear and stay true to your mission.
Remember, no need to be everywhere. When it comes to social media, choose the right platforms adapted to your message and audience. Don’t try to juggle everything: be strategic.
In a nutshell, consistency creates strong connections. The more consistent you are, the more people will recognise you, and the more successful your personal branding will be.
4) Be authentic & stay true to your values
Image credit: Bethany Hamilton.
People like the real version of you, not a fake one (especially now with AI everywhere!).
Be yourself, not a clone that you think the audience wants to see. The public is generally good at seeing through fake identities. Your values should be real and at the centre of all your initiatives.
🦈 Look at Bethany Hamilton. Pro surfer, she lost her arm in a shark attack at 13. Instead of quitting, she kept surfing, promoting perseverance, courage, and love for the ocean. Her message? “Choose resiliency.”
She used her story to inspire people around the world while staying true to her goal of being a pro surfer. Now she’s one of the most famous surfers worldwide and a role model for many.
If your motivation is only to please your audience or your bank account, better to stop now.
Authenticity is more than staying true to your values: it’s about including them in all your interactions, building trust and creating honest connections on a deeper level. By being authentic, you’ll attract the right like-minded audience.
5) Be transparent about your challenges and wins
As we said, people want to see the real version of you. This means not only the success stories, but also the challenges.
Patagonia is an example of transparency. ⛰
As a clothing brand, they share about the impact of their industry, supply chain, ecological footprint, working conditions, and efforts to improve their production. Now they’re one of the most renowned brands worldwide.
💡 Fun fact: Kristine Tompkins, wife of Douglas Tompkins, was Patagonia’s CEO for 18 years and helped develop the brand’s success through her personal branding!
Share your failures, show you’re human. The public is more interested in brands and ecopreneurs who are honest and authentic with them. And don’t forget to share the lessons you learned and how you’ve adapted. It can even inspire your community!
6) Use storytelling to engage and inspire
People love stories. Young. Old. We’re all captivated by a good story, and especially with a good storyteller.
Your story is what makes you stand out. It’s what inspires people to follow your path. It’s more than just words; it’s your travel, your experiences, your emotions. Of course, for that, you need effective storytelling techniques.
📖 You guess who’s the example here? Indeed, David Attenborough. As well as being a naturalist, Sir Attenborough is foremost a storyteller. He spent his life unfolding the beauty of nature with millions, narrating about wildlife, plants and ecosystems. Today he’s a living legend.
Why? Because he found a way to tell stories about nature in an accessible and fascinating way.
“I firmly believe that the art of storytelling will never change. If you tell a good story, people will hang on your words” David Attenborough 3
So tell us a story. Your story. Talk about what animates you, your dreams for the planet, your fears, obstacles and successes. People love following those who have a genuine story to share.
7) Grow your network to build your personal branding
Image credit: Wildya Community platform.
Your network is more than just a list of contacts. It’s allies that share your vision and values.
You want partners. People who believe in the same cause as you. Those who’ll be supporting you, teaching you, and helping you move forward. Your network should be people with whom you can collaborate, exchange ideas, and grow your mission together. All for a greener future.💚
There’s just one way to achieve this: reach out. Go to events, join groups, connect with colleagues, invest in initiatives that resonate with you. The most important is to be where it matters.
You’ll see, the more you’re surrounded by the right people, the stronger and more recognised your personal brand will become.
PS: unsure where to start? Join us on the Wildya Community platform and start building your network of ecopreneurs!
8) Create content that reflects your expertise
Sharing content to grow your visibility is essential. But not just any content. You need to share content that demonstrates your expertise. 🤓
Got some knowledge or unique experiences? Show them! Create content that helps your audience, answers their questions, adds value, but most importantly, proves you’re worth their trust. That’s how they’ll recognise you: as the person who knows his shi…sheep!
The goal? Becoming a reference in your field. Whether it’s articles, videos, podcasts, or even social media posts.
Remember: if you want your audience to follow you, give them a reason to come back. Be the one who helps them understand and solve problems.
Ensure to strike the right balance between informative and entertaining content. The idea is ultimately to share a good moment with your community.
9) Demonstrate social proof
Image credit: Review from one of Wildya’s clients.
The public likes real stories. Testimonies, comments, feedback, case studies… This is what makes your personal branding (and yourself!) credible. There are tangible proof of your expertise.
For example, CV & Interview Advisors claimed that LinkedIn profiles with recommendations are 3 times more likely to retain the attention of recruiters.
These social proofs can be integrated into your website, social media, newsletters and more! The goal is to show that your community trusts you and the positive impact you have had on it.
But be careful! As said before, you need to be authentic. Testimonies must reflect the reality of your work. Transparency is fundamental to building trust and a successful personal branding.
10) Build your community through social media
Social media should be your playground for creating meaningful connections and surrounding yourself with like-minded people. It’s all about building human relationships.
Be active, post, exchange, answer, engage.
“The more you interact, the stronger your community will be” Bespoke 4
The secret is consistency. Find the right rhythm for you to post and engage, and stick to it. It can be once a week, or more, as long as it’s regular and consistent.
For example, less than 1% post once a week on LinkedIn. That means posting even just one time per week is already more than most users, which can boost your visibility and grow your community!
You also need to diversify the formats: stories, live, polls, reels, carousels… So many possibilities to create connections and share your mission.
Don’t hesitate to show your face on social media. It’ll make your content more human, more accessible, and people will be more responsive to it.
For example, Oliver, founder of Wildya, is a Top Voice on LinkedIn with an awesome community of biodiversity lovers and ecopreneurs.
But to build a community and have a real impact, you need the right formula.
That’s perfect because Wildya developed a Nature Scaling Impact formula just for you, in a free workshop! You’ll learn the strategies to build a real community!
11) Amplify your personal branding with public speaking
Image credit: Oliver Dauert, founder of Wildya, speaking at Change Now.
Speaking in public is an effective way to share your vision, energy, and get involved in conversations that matter. When you speak, it’s more than just informing, it’s about engaging.
Conferences, webinars, online videos, podcasts, masterclasses: they are all powerful levers to build your reputation and present yourself as a leader and expert in your field.
Simply put: to expand your message beyond your community, you need to speak up! 🎤
Look at Greta Thunberg. She used her voice to raise awareness on a global scale. Through public speaking, she has inspired millions, making her a true leader in environmental activism.
12) Choose our Environmental Entrepreneurship Bootcamp to build your personal branding
You really want to build your personal branding, but still feel a bit out of reach after all these tips? Then Wildya’s Environmental Entrepreneurship Bootcamp is made for you!
In 12 weeks, you’ll learn how to build your personal branding, refine your marketing strategy, get the funds needed to develop your project, and more. Alongside ecopreneurs just like you who want to grow their mission!
Here’s a sneak peek:
✅ 1.5-hour group call each week exploring a specific topic with other participants
✅ Weekly course video covering all key strategies to help you progress
✅ 3 individual calls with Oliver for personalised feedback, tailored to your project!
✅ And some other cool things….
With this bootcamp, you’ll measure, test, adjust, take actions. You’ll be guided every step of the way to ensure your core message is clear, reach the right audience, and create real opportunities to level up your game.
Ultimately, you’ll leave with tangible actions for your project and a new community of like-minded ecopreneurs and changemakers!
Why still waiting? Save your spot now and join the bootcamp starting on September 1st.
Be careful, only 10 spots are available!
13) Choose Wildya’s 1:1 Consulting with Oliver to craft your unique personal brand
Not ready yet to take the plunge with the Bootcamp, but still want to boost your personal branding? We have another solution for you! The 1:1 consulting with Oliver is the perfect occasion for ultra-personalised support where you really need it.
It’s simple. Each project is unique. That’s why with this program, you’ll get a tailor-made strategy to refine and strengthen your personal branding. Oliver will guide you step by step to help you implement tangible actions and grow your project!
You’ll work on what you need the most. Whether it’s your core message, your vision, or, of course, your personal branding. And all that at your own pace, with regular feedback and follow-ups adapted to your needs.
It’s just you and Oli, hand in hand. 🤝
Why choose the 1:1 Consulting over the Bootcamp? Well, it depends on you. The Bootcamp is a group format where you can build meaningful relationships with other ecopreneurs like you and learn from them. The 1:1 consulting is a tailored engagement where we focus on your exact needs and work together to execute them.
So ready to step up with Oliver?
Now you know how to build your personal branding! But of course, if you still feel a bit in the dark about these personal branding strategies, Wildya is here to guide you!
🦁 Ready to be wild and roar? Let’s build your personal branding! Or if you still have some questions before getting your feet wet, book a free call with Oliver!
Sources:
1 What is Personal Branding? Why it’s Important, Forbes Books.
2 Sylvia Earle says urgent action is critical to save the oceans, The CEO Magazine.
3 35 Who Made a Difference: David Attenborough, Smithsonian Magazine.
4 Social Media Marketing 101 – Platforms & Strategies, Bespoke.
