Digital PR: Personal Branding Framework! with Michelle B. Griffin

You can find Michelle B. Griffin at:
Website: https://michellebgriffin.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellebgriffin/

#KrisWard
#OwnYourLane
#DigitalPR

Michelle B. Griffin Podcast Transcription

[00:00:00] Kris Ward: Hey, everyone. Welcome to another episode Win The Hour Win The Day, and I am your host, Kris Ward.

[00:00:05] And today in the house, we have Michelle B. Griffin and she is a PR strategist and she is going to talk to us about how to own your own lane and why you need to do that. Welcome to the show, Michelle.

[00:00:19] Michelle B. Griffin: Thank you so much, Kris. It’s great to be here.

[00:00:21] Kris Ward: Okay, we’re pumped. Let’s just dive in. So what does that mean? Owning your own lane?

[00:00:27] Michelle B. Griffin: Owning your lane is the concept that I’ve been talking about for years, and the book will be out in a couple months, but it’s really owning that unique space that you are as an expert entrepreneur, business owner, that you need to be different to really set yourself apart. For the people you are here to serve and, within a world where we have endless feeds, anyone can get on social media.

[00:00:50] There may be literally thousands who do the same. We have to assert our difference. What makes us different, get visible and to share it, build that brand and that authority. So I have a whole lane framework to make that super easy.

[00:01:03] Kris Ward: Okay. Let’s start there. So I love the word assert. You want us to assert our difference and it is so easy.

[00:01:10] It is easy to get distracted and to dilute who you are and thinking, like I’m trying to be professional. I’m trying to fit in, like you do it for all the right reasons. And then you don’t realize you’re not standing out. Like in order to stand out, you can’t really fit in. So where do we start with this?

[00:01:25] Michelle B. Griffin: First of all, we start with L and it’s launching your vision is leaning to visibility. Why are you getting out there? Let’s just, for those that are established, we know, I work with established people too. And sometimes we get so caught up in the day, running that business.

[00:01:37] We forget what our big why is, why are we out there just asserting, let’s get out there. So we want to really lean into that and reexamine, refresh. So we’re getting out there, but then we get into the three prong approach of this whole lane. It’s personal positioning, personal branding, and personal PR.

[00:01:54] And asserting the difference is A, is yes, here’s how I’m different. We don’t want to blend in. We want to set yourself apart. To stand out, we have to set ourselves apart. Now, how do we do that? We have to know what makes us different. We can’t just be a business coach, right? Not in today’s day and age. We know you, Kris, we’re help, you’re helping people take back the day.

[00:02:16] You have that beautiful tagline. You asserted your difference to me when we were chatting in the green room and I’m like, yes. So know exactly what it is. And here’s where it starts. I have a whole clean framework, but I’m going to just share here today. Just know this. If you don’t know what you’re different, start at the top.

[00:02:31] What problem are you solving? One problem, For one area, one audience. I call this narrow laning. Some people call it niche. Let’s just narrow lane it. The faster you can narrow lane, the faster you’ll go. Now I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, Michele. Probably a lot of my listeners and my audience already established.

[00:02:53] How did they do that? If you’re finding that you’re not getting traction or kind of stuck, let’s reexamine. This is where I go in a diagnostic mode. How can we serve the market a little bit different based on all the things that our ideal audience needs? So asserting your difference is getting that position, premium positioning in the market.

[00:03:10] Okay. And that’s the foundational thing we all need. So guess what happens? We anchor in the mind. On that problem, and people choose us, they know us, they choose us, they go to us.

[00:03:22] Kris Ward: Okay. Okay. That makes sense. I know in the beginning, so I always say your business should support your life, not consume it. We help our clients with their team, their time and the toolkits.

[00:03:32] And they all say they get 25 hours back a week within the first month of working with us. But when my book first came out, it was like, It was under the category of productivity. And I did talk about that for a while, but then I realized, Oh, it’s so much deeper and so much more painful being productive.

[00:03:46] Isn’t about getting more done in an hour and going faster, which so many of myself and my clients thought it’s like the productivity is just go. It’s really about having less to do and enjoying what you have to do. So even understanding the nuances to your lane is really helpful. So you always have to be listening, I would say.

[00:04:05] Michelle B. Griffin: And have that emotional connection. You just told me why, we go with the problem like, Oh, that’s what people want, but it’s that voice of customer research, listening to the market, listening to your ideal customers, what are they telling you? But leave with emotion first. Because you just really got me an anchor to my mind.

[00:04:23] Oh, she’s helping me buy back my day, not just be productive. And so that it’s all about the quality of life. What is the end result? Kris, you’re helping people really enjoy their lives. They started their businesses for a reason to have fulfillment, to support their families, to spend time with their families and loved ones.

[00:04:39] So that’s exactly what angers in my mind. You’re not just a business coach, Kris, you’re someone who’s just helping me buy back my time. As far as coaching too. But I want to stick with that emotional connection. So asserting your difference is a many layered approach.

[00:04:53] Kris Ward: Okay. So let’s just keep going. So we’re going to start our difference and what. What are those layers? So being clear and confident and adjusting as you get more and more information, cause you’re going to evolve and change and the services evolve and change, but also I guess the marketplace too maybe productivity was a big word five years ago and now it’s just another, it’s associated in my mind too much with grinding it out and being busy.

[00:05:19] So we’re, how, how do we know when it’s time to take a look at these things?

[00:05:24] Michelle B. Griffin: You’re constantly serving your clients and listening and making it about them, and I think we get too far off track by thinking about this, but just go back to center. Why are we here? Business is to solve a problem for someone, right?

[00:05:37] Team someone. So just keep listening. We’re going to evolve on this journey and we’re going to, but I also want to caution, you’re going to probably really, say yes to this too. I work with clients and just because they can do something doesn’t mean that it’s right for them, even though there might be for their clients, it has to sustain you to keep going with it.

[00:05:57] So I’m a big proponent of making sure this lights you up as part of you, because this is all really at the end of the day, a personal branding framework. Now, in the context of business owners and founders, we can call it founder branding. But as you being out there as a face of your business to share your expertise, share how you’re helping solve problems in your business and your service.

[00:06:18] Kris Ward: Okay. All right. So we’re out there. We’re asserting a difference. What comes next?

[00:06:23] Michelle B. Griffin: Yeah, absolutely. So we know how we stand in the marketplace and we’re out there. People know us. Then we start building the personal brand. Now I have been doing personal branding PR for a long time, but a lot of times people say personal branding, let’s just get on social media.

[00:06:36] I’m personal branding. No. We’re building the foundation here with this whole thing. So we really want to have the foundation of a really strong message. We want to know exactly how your message is. We want to know exactly what your visual, verbal, and visceral feel is. So set that personal brand foundation.

[00:06:54] So you know, your values, exactly how you’re going to operate. And that way people come to you, they are, you’re relatable, right? The actual people you love to serve are going to come. So we’re going to develop that personal brand foundation of how you want it, the way you talk, the way you feel and the way you look.

[00:07:12] And so we’re going to have that extreme personal brand foundation, then we can get out in social media, get out on all those things. And I find a lot of times people will just start building all the things before they get the foundation built. And that’s where a lot of people struggle. So set that foundation first.

[00:07:29] And I have a simple one page roadmap in the whole book that explains all this and then, your content pillars. What am I talking about?

[00:07:36] Kris Ward: So hold on a second. So first of all, let’s tell people about your book that’s coming out. You’re own your lane. All right. So own your lane. And then we want to set that foundation.

[00:07:45] What are some of the things we need to look at in that foundation?

[00:07:48] Michelle B. Griffin: Absolutely. Now that you know your difference, we’re going to communicate that difference in the personal brand foundation. So some of the things we’re going to have you do is what is that key message you want to take to market that people are going to have that strong a personal brand is an intentional and strategic connection and promise point, right?

[00:08:05] That’s essentially what it is. And so you want to have that core message that you’re going to take a simple message. So that’s going to be your very much visceral and verbal and visual field. We’re going to have your message. That’ll be your verbal, your visual, what are the colors and the way that you identify?

[00:08:22] So people know that you, and then also, how do you want to make people feel? We know how you’re different. But knowing your values and your mission and why you’re here. Kris, we know you, why you’re here because you’re helping people take back their time and let them have a beautiful, productive, maybe the word productive is not so much the word anymore, but just a beautiful life where their business doesn’t run them.

[00:08:44] And that’s a strong connection point with your brand.

[00:08:47] Kris Ward: Okay. I think you bring up some really good points because I know my core message is always A, I think your business should support your life, not consume it, and the business should be fun. And then I will also say too, life has interruptions, and so when things happen, people get sick or there’s just stuff that happens in life.

[00:09:03] You have to be able to step away from that business for a moment. You can’t have that fall apart because somebody else needs you somewhere else. So that’s the foundation to me, the passion of my message, but it’s really interesting too, when you talked about the visual and I was very purposeful with my book, Win The Hour Win The Day and I really wanted it to be not about the intensity of productivity and it’s almost like a weight watchers for your calendar.

[00:09:25] I wanted it to feel light and free and hopeful. And so I was really purposeful about the yellow and like daybreak. And so I, I really wanted it to be energized. And then I do feel people compliment me all the time. I didn’t understand it was a compliment for a long time. They compliment me on my energy, but I thought that me being a high energy person came off less professional and that almost juvenile.

[00:09:51] So it was very interesting. That was one part that I had to struggle to do in the beginning. Cause I thought, I just got tired of trying to be more polished. And also I would meet with people and I thought once you get to know me after five dates or you’re working with me as a client for a while, then I get to relax and be me.

[00:10:09] And cause you think you’re supposed to be professional, but no. These people were like, Oh, you’re so fun to work with and they liked working with me. So then why was I not putting that out there? Cause I got it in my head that it was, gee serious, be professional. So I think some of this too, you can get lost in what you think is the grownup or the right way to do it, what you should. And it’s really easy to go down the wrong path.

[00:10:32] Michelle B. Griffin: Absolutely. That’s why we start with L just knowing your values and who you are and your personality perspectives and we know your difference. And then everything you just said, you’ve hit the mark. You’ve communicated. I know your backstory and why you feel the way you do.

[00:10:46] You’re communicating your tone, your visual, the yellow. That’s exactly right. So you’re communicating all the ways you want people to think how you say it and how they feel it. And so there are those are all the components of a brand to touch on all those points. Emotional and the logical are so important.

[00:11:04] So I, I talk about in the book having some kind of backstory on why you feel and do and think, and it’s usually some kind of thing that happened to you or an injustice that you see. By the end of the day, we want the Kris that’s real relatable and high energy, like that’ll help you be attracted to the right clients that light you up and that you love helping.

[00:11:24] Yeah. Two things here. One, you said the L we talked about that. So I just, I’m not sure we ever got the full acronym. We’re talking about lane L for the word. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Launch your vision. So it’s your vision. You’re leaning into why you’re getting out there too. Okay. Sometimes.

[00:11:39] Kris Ward: So is the acronym that we’re spelling out?

[00:11:40] L A is that launch

[00:11:41] Michelle B. Griffin: L A N E L A N E.

[00:11:43] Kris Ward: Okay. Oh, lane. It is lane. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Got you. Yeah. Yeah. And I remember one time too, somebody was talking about personal branding or whatever and I, whatever, long story short. I didn’t see it. And I said something, they made a comment. One of my posts Oh, Kris, your personal brand, you could trademark that smile.

[00:11:59] Cause I always have a huge smile or a laugh or like open mouth smile on, when I do my posts and they’re like, we know it’s you just by the smile. It’s so big, which is funny. Cause now it reminds me too, when I was launching my podcast and I had different covers and I was asking people their opinions, somebody said, Oh, your smile is really big.

[00:12:17] You got your mouth open. You should try closing it. And I was like, Oh no, you’re not my mother or whatever. But so the point is. They were even saying that was part of my brand. Now is the way I lean into the camera, make half a smile, goofy kind of face. So it does resonate with people. Okay. So back to lane. So we were launching it inner ‘Why” and then asserting our…

[00:12:37] Michelle B. Griffin: know your difference, know how you’re different to serve your clients based on the problem you solve. Cause that’s what we need in today’s day and age when there’s so much. So much noise out there. And then we, then now that we know, we’re going to really build that core brown foundation on how, the think, feel, say all the things, but you just gave given so many beautiful examples.

[00:12:57] I’m a big, like you give examples. So we want to, we’re going to hit on all that and make sure we have that. And then how are you going to get out there? We know your tone and personality, but what are you going to talk about? Cause that’s part of getting the brand and communicating how you see. We got to communicate our brand.

[00:13:13] So you’re going to, I’m going to make sure that you have a couple of different talking points. Exactly because you’re doing all the things. How are you communicating that brand? And I love your messaging. Your messaging is good. So all your pillar points will be around that core ideas. And another thing that I really are stressed that people should have is some kind of branded idea, framework, methodology, some way to codify your work. And that’s part of, being different because it helps people to container it. We all…

[00:13:45] Kris Ward: yeah, it does. I tell people that all the time. Sometimes somebody will want to be on my show and whatever we’ve connected through LinkedIn. I, okay.

[00:13:52] We’ve usually have a waiting list, but I’ll be like, I’ll meet with them. And yeah. And then they’re just telling me all the stuff they do and it’s almost like they’re convincing me or telling me about their work day. And I’m like, okay, but in order to be on the show, what separates you from all the other people say, whatever, talking about LinkedIn.

[00:14:06] And there’ll be like I think in, and it’s no, that’s really just advice. Like you don’t have any framework or any pillars or anything that separates you from anybody else. Yes, you could talk about your person, the profile of LinkedIn, but you don’t have anything that makes me realize, ah, he’s looking at it through a different lens.

[00:14:24] Michelle B. Griffin: That’s exactly it. And that’s from the art. I didn’t get into the nitty gritty cause we’re, a shorter show, but yeah, I really encourage you. And then in the lane, you’re going to have a point of view and a process. Yeah. Because also when it gets to the point I geek out on is a visibility and publicity and pr.

[00:14:40] That’s how you, that’s what’s different. That’s story angles. That’s how you get on all these shows. Because just like you said, I need a different angle. Yeah. I need, we’re not, look in the way of ChatGPT and AI. Now we’re, content is a commodity. That doesn’t help us. We don’t care about how to, we wanna know how you see it, how you do it, how you view it. And that’s what we need in today’s day and age.

[00:15:03] Kris Ward: Yeah, you’re right. Because even little things, like I always say, don’t delegate. Delegating is the lateral move because the work still has to come through you. And so that’s different because everybody else is saying delegating. So I guess understand that.

[00:15:14] And I think too, as you evolve, the business evolves, your personality evolves, the services you, like you, it’s a never ending thing, understanding the depth and the scope of your personal brand. It’s not definitely not a one and done.

[00:15:27] Michelle B. Griffin: Absolutely. And this lane thing is this lane format is meant for those to a for those just getting started.

[00:15:33] They’re experts in their field, but they don’t they maybe never put themselves out there. This will help them. This is also helpful for established business owners, which I work a lot with that helps them re examine. Okay, why am I here? And it is not stagnant. It is getting those guardrails out. You’re going to keep getting more clarity and definition and alignment the more you get out there.

[00:15:53] And that’s what we’re supposed to. Otherwise we might as well just close shop and not be in business because business like humans evolve, right? We got to stay. We’re always active. There’s energy and flow. It’s not a one and done.

[00:16:07] Kris Ward: Okay. So Lane, we got launch. We got assert your difference. What does the N stand for?

[00:16:11] Michelle B. Griffin: Navigate your presence. That’s your online and offline with that personal brand foundation, all the things we talked about. And then we’re going to get into elevating your authority. People need to trust you. And we look to specialists, authorities in their space. And how are we going to use a third party endorsement of publicity, PR, and that could be just, not just media mentions that get even podcasts.

[00:16:35] Speaking, doing partnerships, having your own media too. So we want to be continuously be seen as specialists and authorities in our space. Again, how do we do that? We get out there, we share expertise, but then we have others endorse and elevate us through their platforms that continually, and that can go up into being a speaker and author.

[00:16:58] Like you and I both are, right? So it continuously elevates you. The beautiful thing about Lane is. It’s a individual, it’s a framework, but it’s an individual thing. I have clients that just say, Michelle, down the road, maybe I’ll write my book, but I don’t need to know that now. So I give them a stair step PR approach and all the toolkits, the minimum I think you need to start elevating.

[00:17:20] Kris, you’re a podcast host with so many guests and episodes under your belt, and I do too. I have a two podcasts. So when people come to me and they pitch, or I want to know more about them. You’re constantly going, okay, tell me, I need a bio. I would love to see the things, other areas you’ve been on shows.

[00:17:38] I need to know your talking points. So I have a one page thing that I think is a bare minimum we need to have established so we can elevate that authority.

[00:17:47] Kris Ward: Okay. So I’m all about systems. I’m going to give you a tip. Let’s see if it’s exciting to you. You may have it or not. One of the things that I do when I’m on somebody else’s podcast is I will have a folder.

[00:17:58] I will have a Google Docs folder and it will have my one page or whatever I need in there, questions, testimony, whatever, the whole thing. Now, what I do when I’m being on a show is I will share the link to that folder because A, let’s say we record the show today, but it might not air for four months or whatever.

[00:18:16] And you may have a different story, special or a different chain. So you can go in and change anything in that folder on a dime because they’re not going to open it until they need to air and promote the show. So that’s one of the things I do is I put it all in Google Docs folder. I can change it anytime.

[00:18:30] And so I don’t have to worry about it being updated. Oh my gosh, it didn’t air that show for six months. And we don’t even have that thing anymore. So that’s something that we’re all about systems. I don’t know if that would be helpful.

[00:18:38] Michelle B. Griffin: I love that. That’s the bare minimum, so either that, or if some of my people already, can update their own websites and stuff.

[00:18:45] So it’s the same thing. It can’t be stagnant. You’re right. It has to be very fluid. But having an expert, you would not believe, I believe, especially for women who I want to interview in my show and other guests, they don’t even, and maybe they’re starting their PR journeys. They don’t have at the minimum, have a hundred page, excuse me, a hundred word bio that helps the podcast host.

[00:19:04] And your team when they’re writing, have at least a bio, but again, all the things that make your PR kit, it’s a misnomer to think just because maybe I’m a solo or a small team or whatever you can and should be going for PR because here’s the thing. Digital PR is there’s so many channels, the media need experts like us hourly to have quotes and different takes and fill, podcasts and seats and all the things. So this is where we can really grow faster with this extra endorsement of third party.

[00:19:35] Kris Ward: And that’s the things too often. I know for years, I thought that PR was something you did when you reach a certain plateau of success.

[00:19:42] Like you think of movie stars need PR or it managed, but the reality is there’s so many different levels of entry and touchpoints of PR that you do have to have it together. And for the love of God, have a proper headshot. Oh my gosh. We used to have, we used to have on the cover of my podcast, I would have a picture of me and then the guests, cause I wanted to highlight the guests as much as I could.

[00:20:03] And we just had to stop because people would send us pictures that would frankly bring down my brand. And I would be shocked that they were successful people. And now I’ve got a headshot that they, we took in their backyard with a tree coming out of their head. Oh my heavens.

[00:20:17] Michelle B. Griffin: I know. And listen, that’s a beautiful thing about today’s technology.

[00:20:21] You can, use some of these new AI things. If the bare minimum, you haven’t gotten a photographer to take your picture yet, it’ll look professional.

[00:20:27] Kris Ward: Yes.

[00:20:28] Michelle B. Griffin: Another thing you and I are active on and I haven’t even touched on, I’m not here is having your LinkedIn presence set. Other thing when I go to interview people or look up people, they don’t have a proper LinkedIn presence.

[00:20:39] I don’t care if you’re not active on LinkedIn. Guess what? Others are actively looking. Yeah. And it’s a brand first impression or final impression. So yeah, brand alignment’s huge, but getting back to PR, you can start today. If you’ve got an expertise at a different take and stuff, and I show the way in the book, but you want to start that stair step approach to PR and just start building up.

[00:21:03] And can I say this? I know people who are on podcasts and get media mentions, but we don’t know it. They don’t have it on their website. We want to know. Having a media page? Yeah, show your credibility and authority. So when clients are checking you out, Oh wow, too many people say, and here’s another thing, Kris, it gets me to people say I was on X, I don’t know.

[00:21:23] Sometimes they slap those logos on. I do a Google search to see backing it up. I can’t find it. So you want to definitely be honest about all the stuff and work hard and PR again is a long game, but it’s one of the best ways to grow yourself and your brand and your credibility.

[00:21:40] Kris Ward: A hundred percent. Okay. So we got lane, we got launch, assert your difference.

[00:21:44] Sorry. I just forgot. What does N stand for?

[00:21:46] Michelle B. Griffin: Oh yeah. So it’s Launch your vision, assert your difference, navigate your presence. You’re all navigate your presence. Okay. And what’s in elevating your authority. So you hear navigate, navigating. We’re always navigating inside and outside online off, and we’re always elevating our authority.

[00:21:59] These are the long games here. Like you said, this is not a one off destination. This is a beautiful journey and it’s personal and professional evolution, because let’s face it, if you’re personal branding, founder branding, it’s you and your business together. They’re a beautiful, what I call on the LinkedIn branding book.

[00:22:15] I co wrote two years ago. It’s the power of two. Okay. You want the power of two to really elevate everything.

[00:22:23] Kris Ward: Yeah, and also to when we talk about personal brand, it’s something you and I were chatting about. This is that I at the very least send an audio message in LinkedIn and DM. I don’t type it out.

[00:22:35] First of all, it’s so much quicker. Secondly, you get so much more context and information and, but you hear somebody’s voice and, you, you type effectively, okay, I’ve said the sentence is correct and say the next one. And suddenly show you read text in the framework of what you’re feeling.

[00:22:51] So if you’re frustrated or driving in traffic or you just get out and you read it, you’re reading it annoyed. What do you mean that time won’t work? And I sent you an audio message. I would say it’s 50 50. Most of the time. I just couldn’t that day. Most of the time I’ll send a video first.

[00:23:05] But I took a shortcut for me and I sent an audio message and you sent one back and I never get that. People are always like, Oh, that was so great. You sent an audio message. And I’m like, and it was really amazing to me. So we started having a conversation. We’re going back and forth, asking questions and it feels first of all, a lot more engaging, a lot more connection, but secondly, when you’re typing messages out, you almost feel like a nuisance sending back another type. Okay. They got to read this again. Whereas when you’re doing audio messages, we were at the end of it, just chatting away. Okay.

[00:23:33] We’ll talk about this and this show. Like it was just a whole different feel. So it really is about putting the person and the personal bull back in the personal branding.

[00:23:43] Michelle B. Griffin: I’m all for that. And I love how you said personable. It’s not personal for those that don’t want to be too personal. It’s personal.

[00:23:50] And I, you know, Kris, to your point, I love audio. Give me audio any day. I feel like I knew you before we, we got on this call today. So more ways that you can personalize and find the way that you like it, but also your audience eats it up. That’s different. I say, go for it. So absolutely lean into what that is for you.

[00:24:09] Kris Ward: Okay, so we’ve got, what’s your final thought as we wrap this up? What’s the last thing we should just make sure we don’t miss?

[00:24:15] Michelle B. Griffin: Just always stay, don’t get complacent. Don’t get complacent on why you’re here, the problem you solve, who you’re here for, right? And just constantly be attentive to all that and just keep being, stay curious, right?

[00:24:30] Keep your eye and ears open. The world changes constantly and we’re meant to change, which is good. We don’t want to be left behind. And so constantly owning your lane, this four step framework will help you with all the tools so that at the end of the day, you’re out there with contribution and you feel fulfilled getting back to why you do your business, Kris.

[00:24:50] At the end of the day, we’re having our businesses because we want personal fulfillment, but fulfillment knowing that we’re helping others in transformation. So that’s why I say stay out there, keep putting yourself out there and just keep your ears to the ground. That’s why you’re here. So it’s a beautiful.

[00:25:04] Kris Ward: Awesome. Michelle, where can people find more of your brilliance?

[00:25:07] Michelle B. Griffin: Everything filters to michellebgriffin.com and if you hear me on the show, reach out to me on LinkedIn. If you wanna connect, tell me. You heard me here. I would love to connect. That’s where I, that’s my one place that I hang out socially. I don’t know about you. Yeah. Are you’re on LinkedIn too? Is that it for you?

[00:25:23] Kris Ward: Very much. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Love it. That’s how we connected. Yeah. Okay. Everyone. Share this with a business buddy. Don’t let them bang around by themselves, share this valuable content here and we will see you in the next episode. And again, thank you, Michelle.

[00:25:37] Michelle B. Griffin: Thank you. Kris. It’s been a pleasure.