“Clients are almost inherently not in the same field...so you have to interpret what you do and the importance of what you do to people that inherently don't understand what you do.”

- Pete

Resources from (or based on!) the episode

E3. Building your
personal brand

Feat. Pete Baker

We welcome Pete Baker, photographer, graphic designer, creative director, product design leader, and new bar proprietor. We discuss how his personal brand (or more so how he doesn't have a personal brand) has evolved, and how it's meandered to serve a myriad of markets and clients over the years. Pete talks about why it's so important to demonstrate your usefulness and push away the desire to be transactional in the beginning. He shares the period of his career he was doing his worst work and why Daft Punk was a no-brainer.

Tactics From this Episode

Tactics are takeaways that a listener can do based on what we’ve discussed in an episode.

Tactic #1 - Think about what kind of work you want to be associated with. Try to approach this tactic from the perspective of a potential client who is seeking work. When they visit your website, what will they see from you that will determine whether or not they approach you for a project? Does the work you showcase reflect the work you actually want to do.

Homework

Homework is a way to help you apply what you’ve learned in each episode to your real world practice.

Homework #1 - Actively notice the brand identities you encounter online and in the world. What do you like? What don't you like—examine that? Why does the menu design of your favorite restaurant trigger you—does that affect your perception of the restaurant in any way? Think about brands that are maybe less glossy than some and how that works or doesn't work for the establishment. Explore rebrands and investigate the choices that were made and why—UnderConsideration is one of many websites that are great resources for that kind of research. Remember branding isn't just aesthetic, it's tactile and emotional.

Homework #2 - What one or two things can you take action on to improve your brand? Would you update your contact page so you're easier to reach? Could you improve your response time to clients? Are you delivering on time? Do you send thank you notes/emails? Making a small shift in the way that people receive you can yield huge results.

Homework #3 - Do a trade. Reach out to an artist or writer or content creator that you know—or want to know better—and find a way to collaborate! Exchange a skillset for another and see what you can build together with the best of both your talents.