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Introduction
*note: if you haven't read Part 1 of this article, start with that here.
As a creator, you’re trying to capture attention within an increasingly crowded space. One way to help you do this is by developing your personal brand. As we talked about in Part 1 of this article (see link above):
"A brand is more than just a logo, font, and colours. It's your story, content, community, and presence. A representation of who you are, your values, and what makes you unique."
No matter what platform you're using to engage your community, building relationships is how you build your brand. No matter where people engage with you, they should have a consistent experience. For these reasons, it's important your brand is authentically you.
Twitter posts and Twitter spaces
I've been on Twitter since May 2010. For 11 years, I averaged 1,000 total followers. Almost all I got because of my previous role with the Toronto Raptors. Aside from that, I used it one way---to get the most up-to-date world news. Nothing else.
After getting more serious about web3 + NFT Twitter in August 2021, I learned Twitter is about 3 things:
- Delivering Value
- Relationships
- Consistency
Here's an example of what that looks like on my account:
Delivering Value: everything I tweet/talk about on Twitter has one goal: "Make Web3 + NFTs More Diverse and Inclusive." That's the unique value I believed I could bring to the space after some self-reflection. See Keys to Building Your Personal Brand as a Creator in Web3 + NFTs (Part 1) for more on self-reflection.
Relationships: early in my career, working with foundations and charities, I learned two core principles. The #1 rule of fundraising is to build relationships, and the #1 rule of relationships is to give more than you ask. Twitter is an incredible way to build these connections with like-minded people. Get in the DMs!
Consistency: as the great @KinoAlyse taught me, it's all about training the algorithm. For close to a year, I tweet on average twice a day (weekdays only) all with similar formats and topics.
- my morning tweet (between 9-10 am): a gm tweet of something motivational, inspirational or that I need to hear that day
- my afternoon tweet (between 3:30-5 pm): INCLUSION IN NFTs 101 or MENTAL HEALTH IN NFTs 101 tweet
Show up to in-person and digital events
You can build strong relationships online, but there's nothing quite like the relationships that form by meeting IRL.
Thankfully, there's no shortage of events, meetups, or conferences—IRL or online—in web3. Each person you meet presents an opportunity for you as a creator. It could be learning something, receiving advice, and even growing your collector base—through them or others they know.
The best part? I've never connected with more like-minded and values-aligned people. If you're here this early, I believe this can be a space for you to find "your people".
Collector relations
Getting a new collector is so much harder than keeping an existing one. I can't stress this enough---make time for building relationships with your collectors.
Collectors have already seen potential in you and validated that by spending their hard-earned money on your work. It's natural that they'd want to tell other people about the artist they've discovered. Make sure YOU are top of their mind when they have these conversations.
Simple efforts to get to know them, their interests, and their expectations as a collector will have more ROI than any one marketing tactic.
Here are some examples of ways to focus on collector relations:
- musician and creator, @SassyBlack, has a 15-20 minute 1:1 video call with every single collector
- photographer, @joecardomon, sends every collector a "thank you" video within 24 hours of buying
- abstract artist, @jimenabuenavida, gives her collectors priority access to all her drops
When I collect from a 1:1 artist I have zero expectations of anything, especially "utility". This is even more reason to make these efforts. Giving a collector anything, when they expect nothing, will go a long way. Remember, all great relationships are mutually beneficial.
Conclusion
Most of the above costs you, the creator, nothing but time. But remember, time is also a finite resource, so spend it wisely, be strategic, and have a plan.
Building your brand is an ongoing process of "testing" and "iterating". What you start with will not be the same month-to-month, year-to-year. And that's a good thing.
So try to not get too overwhelmed. Pick one of the above to start, test and iterate, then move on to the next focus. This isn't easy—but it's worth it.
Keep an eye out for Part 3 of Keys to Building Your Personal Brand as a Creator in Web3 + NFTs. If there are certain areas of brand building you want to explore, tweet me your thoughts at @flynnkristina and include the hashtags #web3brandbuilding #web3inclusion.
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