Do I have to be the face of my local brand to build a personal brand?
Short answer
No. A personal brand means showing up, at chamber meetings and in the community, more than being in every Instagram video. Online, don't talk about your business at first; share your personal life, then mention your company rarely once you've crossed the chasm. In person you can be upfront. You can also hire a local creator for video.
I spent years as an insurance agent. At networking events, people avoid the insurance guy. A roofer faces something similar. A personal brand fixes that, but probably not the way you'd expect.
What does personal brand actually mean?
"It doesn't necessarily mean you have to be the face of the newsletter, you have to be in the Instagram videos all the time. Although I think that's probably a good idea, but it's not necessarily required. What I mean more is go to the chamber meetings."
Show up. Be the person in the room who has thousands of local people reading what you put out. That's your in.
Should I talk about my business online?
Not at first.
- Start personal. Your life, your family, all the fun stuff you do in town.
- Cross the chasm. Wait until people know you.
- Then mention the business, rarely. Here and there. Not in your face.
In person is different. At the chamber you can be upfront about what you do.
Why does this work for insurance, real estate and finance?
Because people need to know, like and trust you before they buy. If they see you all the time as a nice, normal person in the community, you become top of mind. Nobody googles for a realtor when the one they keep seeing seems great.
What if I don't want to be on camera?
Your face doesn't need to be in the videos. Find a local person who already likes being out and doing fun things. A stay-at-home mom whose kids are old enough is a great fit. They make the content, you show up in person.
Should my brand be my name or something bigger?
For agents especially, build a brand that outlives any one employer. Captive insurance agents are in a lot of upheaval right now, and many are trying to figure out how to brand themselves instead of their carrier. My read is they can have their own site and content as long as they don't mention the carrier. I'm not a lawyer, so check your own contract.
A local media brand is another way to do it. The brand is neutral, you're the human behind it. See how a local business can use a media brand.
What's the mistake to avoid?
Doing it for the wrong reason. If you're building a personal brand to win clients, focus on being known and trusted. If you expect the brand itself to make a bunch of money, focus on the money side and less on the design and the events.
Answered by TJ Larkin. From Local Media HQ podcast episodes, client calls and TJ's own notes in 2025 and 2026. Last updated .