Let me share a personal story with you. It’s about the biggest personal branding mistake I made in my journey to building my brand, and it’s something I see many others doing as well. Chances are, you’ve fallen into this trap too, but I’m here to help you avoid it.
Like many people on LinkedIn, I fell into the habit of copying what I saw others doing. You know the type of posts I’m talking about:
– “Here’s exactly how I achieved X.”
– “Follow my steps to reach Y in just 3 months!”
It seemed simple: Just follow their formula, and you’ll get the same results. But here’s the problem – it didn’t work. And when it didn’t, I was left confused, thinking:
“Why isn’t this working for me like it did for them? Why aren’t I seeing the same level of success, especially when they have 45,237+ followers?”
Imitating Others: The Big Personal Branding Mistake on LinkedIn
The biggest mistake I made, and the mistake many people make, is trying to copy someone else’s strategy, assuming it will work the same for me. But here’s the harsh reality: it doesn’t.
Following someone else’s path, especially someone who is far ahead in their journey, is like putting on Michael Jordan’s shoes and expecting to play like him. Just because you have his shoes doesn’t mean you’ll have his talent, his skills, or his years of experience.
This might sound harsh, but it’s true: Imitation rarely leads to success.
Why Copying Others Doesn’t Work for Your Personal Brand
Let’s break down exactly why copying someone else’s strategy, especially someone who has built a massive following, isn’t going to work for you.
1. Different Skills
The first reason copying doesn’t work is that you and the person you’re imitating probably have completely different skill sets. If they’ve been working in their industry for years, they’ve honed their skills in a way that you might not have yet. Their expertise, experience, and unique strengths are the result of years of work, learning, and trial and error.
When you try to imitate someone who has different skills than you, you’re setting yourself up for frustration. The strategy they use works because it leverages their skills, not necessarily yours.
2. Different Authority
Another reason why copying doesn’t work is that the person you’re imitating likely has more authority in your shared niche. They’ve built relationships, established credibility, and earned the trust of their audience over time. This kind of authority can take years to cultivate, and it’s one of the reasons their strategy works for them.
When someone has tens of thousands of followers and years of credibility, they can post something that goes viral because their audience is already primed to engage with their content. If you have a much smaller following, you won’t see the same results because you haven’t built that authority yet.
3. Different Experience
The person you’re imitating likely has a much deeper well of experience than you do. Maybe they’ve spent a decade mastering their craft, or maybe they’ve failed countless times before they found the strategy that works for them. Their journey is unique, and their success is the result of trial and error that you may not have gone through yet.
You’re seeing the highlight reel of their journey, not the countless setbacks and failures that helped them refine their approach.
How to Break Free from the Copycat Trap
If copying someone else’s strategy doesn’t work, what should you do instead? The answer is to focus on finding your own path. Your personal brand is just that – yours. It needs to reflect your unique skills, experiences, and strengths.
Here’s how you can start thinking critically about the strategies you see online and how to develop your own.
Be Critical of Every Strategy
The first step to overcoming the urge to copy others is to become more critical of the strategies you see. Just because something worked for someone else doesn’t mean it’s the best option for you.
Before adopting someone else’s strategy, always ask yourself:
“Does this strategy require certain conditions I don’t have?”
For example, does the person you’re imitating have a bigger budget? A larger team? More industry contacts? More experience? If the answer is yes, then their strategy might not work for you in the same way.
Key Questions to Ask Yourself:
– Does this strategy rely on skills I haven’t developed yet?
– Does it require resources I don’t currently have?
– Is their audience similar to mine in terms of size or engagement?
– Do I have the same authority in my niche that they do?
By critically evaluating the strategies you come across, you’ll start to see that what works for one person won’t necessarily work for you. Their secret sauce may not be your answer.
Focus on Your Unique Strengths
One of the biggest reasons you can’t copy someone else’s strategy is because your unique strengths are different from theirs. What makes you valuable and memorable isn’t the same thing that makes someone else valuable.
Instead of trying to imitate others, focus on identifying and amplifying your own strengths. What do you bring to the table that others don’t? What skills, experiences, or perspectives can you offer that are uniquely yours?
Here’s How to Find Your Strengths:
1. Self-Reflection: Think about the skills and experiences that set you apart from others in your industry.
2. Feedback: Ask your network or colleagues for feedback on what they see as your strengths. Sometimes others can see things in you that you overlook.
3. Experimentation: Try different approaches to see what resonates most with your audience. This will help you discover what works best for you.
By focusing on your strengths, you’ll start to build a personal brand that feels authentic and genuine – one that resonates with your audience in a way that imitation never will.
Question Everything
Another important step in breaking free from the copycat trap is to question everything. When you see someone else’s success, it’s easy to assume that they’ve found the “magic formula.” But the reality is, no one has a one-size-fits-all formula for success.
Every successful person has their own journey, their own challenges, and their own unique path to where they are today. Instead of trying to copy someone else’s path, start questioning what makes you different and how you can forge your own way.
Find Your Own Way
Ultimately, building a personal brand is about finding your own way. It’s about discovering what works for you, not what works for someone else. It’s about using your unique voice, leveraging your own experiences, and crafting a strategy that feels authentic to you.
When you stop trying to imitate others and start focusing on your own strengths, you’ll begin to see real growth in your personal brand. You’ll attract the right audience – people who resonate with your message, not someone else’s.
Final Thoughts: Stop Wearing Michael Jordan’s Shoes
Here’s the takeaway: Just because you put on Michael Jordan’s shoes doesn’t mean you’ll play like him. The same is true for personal branding. You can’t expect to get the same results as someone else just by copying their strategy.
Instead of trying to replicate someone else’s success, focus on building your own. Be critical of the strategies you see, play to your strengths, and question everything. Find the approach that works for you and stay true to your unique journey.
Your personal brand is yours to create. So stop imitating others and start building a brand that reflects your true potential.
FAQ: Personal Branding Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Q: Why doesn’t copying others’ personal branding strategies work?
A: Everyone has different skills, authority, and experience. What works for someone with a large following and years of expertise won’t necessarily work for someone just starting out.
Q: How can I create a personal brand that stands out?
A: Focus on your unique strengths, skills, and experiences. Be authentic in your approach and don’t be afraid to experiment with different strategies to find what works best for you.
Q: How do I stop comparing myself to others on LinkedIn?
A: Remember that everyone’s journey is different. Instead of comparing yourself to someone with more followers or success, focus on your own growth and progress.
By focusing on your own path and critically evaluating every strategy, you’ll be able to build a strong personal brand that stands out in your industry.