Hi there! Welcome back to On Brand - your weekly dose of actionable strategies and insights to grow & monetize your personal brand.
Building a personal brand (or any brand, really) is so much more than just posting consistently, creating strong hooks, or showing up every day. You need substance. You need to understand what actually makes people perceive things as desirable.
The brands that blow up aren't necessarily the ones with the best products. There’s a reason why you’re willing to spend 10x more on Lululemon leggings than something that you’d get on Amazon, and it’s similar quality. They're the ones that make people think "wait, that's literally me" or "that's exactly who I want to be."
That's exactly what we're going to be exploring in this new series. We're breaking down the psychology behind branding - the triggers, the patterns, the frameworks that the biggest brands use to create obsession.
Today, we're starting with the Mirror Effect. I created a video breaking this down that you can watch here, but I wanted to give you the full framework in this newsletter so you can start applying it immediately.
Let's get into it.
In this issue:
Interesting things from last week
The best things we’ve read, watched and listened to + news from the internet.
Ordinary takes a stab at pseudoscience in skincare with their new campaign.
+ a quick hack from Friends That Invest on how to read things behind a paywall. Obvs, support your favorite publications if you have the means to, but this is a great little cheat code if you just want to quickly read an article.
Cool jobs for cool gals
Looking for a new gig?! We got you! Here are some coolest jobs in social media, creator economy & female-led brands.
There’s a reason why some creators, brands or businesses blow up. People like to interact with things that reflect their aspirational identity. When someone engages with your brand, their brain is subconsciously asking: "Does this make me the person I want to become?"
Marketing studies show that 80% of consumers are more likely to engage with brands that offers personalized, self-reflective experiences. Our brains are literally wired to respond more strongly to anything that relates to ourselves.
The Mirror Effect happens in the moment when someone sees your content and thinks: “This is so me” or “That’s who I’m trying to become”.
The best brands out there don't just reflect who you are right now. They reflect who you're becoming. They create an aspirational identity you want to step into and use their product (whether this is a physical product, service or media) as the vehicle.
When you buy Rhode, you’re buying into being that effortlessly glowy cool girl. When you listen to Emma Grede, you feel like you're out there building an empire. When you wear Lululemon to the grocery store, you feel like that wellness-focused, put-together person even if you're just grabbing a snack at a grocery store.
Your brand becomes an extension of their identity. And that's when the magic happens.
The Framework: How To Build Your Mirror
Ok, now let's make this actionable. Here's the exact framework I use to build brands that people become obsessed with.
Step 1: Define Your Audience’s Identity
Before you create another piece of content, answer this question: Who does someone become when they follow you?
Not what you teach them. Not what you sell them. WHO THEY BECOME. Finish these sentences…
When someone follows me, they're becoming more _______
My audience wants to be seen as _______
The version of themselves they're running toward is _______
Every piece of content you create should reflect this identity back to them.
Step 2: Audit Your Content
Go look at your last 10 posts and ask yourself:
Does this reflect WHO they want to be, or just WHAT they want to learn?
Would they share this because it makes them look good/smart/aligned with their values?
Does this content make them feel seen OR inspired about who they're becoming?
Step 3: Build Your Aspirational Brand
Now that you know who your audience is becoming, you need to build a brand that pulls them toward that identity.
What beliefs do you stand for? What skills are you teaching them to become that person? What topics do you talk about beyond just your niche? What do your visuals look like - do they match the identity your audience wants?
The Mirror Effect Checklist
Before you post anything, run it through these filters:
Does this reflect an identity my audience values?
Would they share this to signal something about who they are or want to be?
Does this make them feel seen in their current reality?
Does this inspire them toward their future self?
The 3 Types of Mirror Content That Work
1. Aspirational Identity Content
The life, mindset, or results they're working toward.
2. Educational Content
Help people gain the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to become the person they want to be.
3. Relatable Moments Content
The shared experiences that make them go "OMG SAME." The stuff that makes them feel seen.
The best brands are built on desire. Stop looking at your brand as just products or content. Start looking at it as building an entire world your ideal audience wants to step into - one that confirms their aspirational identity or helps them become the person they want to be.
Everything should be built around that. That's how you create something desirable.
Want to deep-dive into this and other psychological triggers you can use to make your brand irresistible? Join the workshop we're hosting where we'll break down exactly how to do this.
We’ve created free tools to help you level up your personal brand this year. Grab both of them below.
Obsession-Worthy Brand Guide
Your blueprint for a personal brand that connects and converts. Downloaded 3,000+ times and rated 5 stars, it helps you show up with clarity so your content actually lands.
On-Demand Personal Brand Strategist
Get a powerful ChatGPT prompt + five follow-ups to clarify your positioning, grow your audience, and create content that drives results.
That’s it for this week.
As always, thanks for being here!
The Girls Club Team
