Nihon Hustle

Personal Branding Merch That Doesn’t Cost a Fortune

(Don’t fall into the trap of paying for more gear than you need.)

(originally posted on LinkedIn)

Personal Branding Merch That Doesn’t Cost a Fortune

If you’ve got $80 in Christmas gift money burning a hole in your pocket, you too can grab all the recording gear you need to look and sound great. If you’ve got $23 bucks a month more, you can really kick things up a notch.

So, please don’t buy a camera. Don’t buy a mic with a boom stand… don’t drop money on a compressor, or a sound board. Simply use your phone, these add-ons, and create killer video for your website, email outreach, anything… in no time flat.

A friendly suggestion: Don’t get lost in Wirecutter product dissertations, and don’t fall for the ‘best of the best” lists that are everywhere. Keep your budget small. Others will try to convince you to spend more than you need… because… affiliate marketing and channel partnerships.

I talked a little bit about channel partnerships this week, and I highly recommend leveraging them as you grow your consultancy.

But know when you’re shopping on line, or reading a magazine, that what you read (and what people will recommend to you) is based on the commissions the publication gets in return for the recommendation.

There’s nothin’ wrong with that, but know that is the game. It’s a business.

For example, Amazon affiliates typically only review products that are priced above $25 because the average Amazon affiliate commission is set at around 4%. The dollar or so the affiliate might earn for that recommendation isn’t a fortune, but, it is a bit more quantifiable.

So, if you’re writing about lavaliere mic covers and could recommend one for $40.00, or one for $2.00 like I do below, which do you think most affiliate marketers will recommend?

The tools I use below work.

And, the only thing I’ll likely upgrade in a few years will be the ring light because it’s plastic and as a photographer I want more, but I don’t need more. Especially now. And, if you’re just kicking off your consultancy and personal branding effort, I’d argue you don’t need much more as well.

Three tips that will help you get even more out of this affordable gear.

1. With your mic, hold it close to your mouth. The windscreeen will reduce “pops,” and you’ll sound like you’re on the radio. When I was in radio, most jocks hugged the mic (nearly touching the screen with their lips)… it makes a difference.

2. With your ring light, hang a dark drape behind you, and keep the room lights low. In portrait photography, we spend a lot of money on backdrops, but a simple drape works. Add depth, by letting it hang like a curtain (e.g. not flat).

3. Frame yourself to the right, or left, not center. This will allow for better integration with YouTube, etc. And will frame you nicely as well.

That’s it. Enjoy!

1. UBeesize 10″ Selfie Ring Light w/ 50″ Extendable Tripod Stand
2. Finch Pixel Lavalier Microphone
3. Lavalier Wind Muff
4. Canva Pro Subscription ($12.99 p/m)
5. Scribd Subscription ($9.99 p/m)

#1000Entreprenuers #personalbranding

If you’d like more practical tips like this, as well as access to stories I only release in my “Head Down, Beard Out” email, you can get in on that goodness below. Cheers, D