Promotion is not about shouting louder

Promoting your personal brand is far from standing on a podium and shouting that you have something to sell. It is the art of establishing a conversation that shows your relevance to your audience, whether they are clients, colleagues in a company, readers of your publications, or the general public.

Conflict as the energy of attention

To find relevance, we have to tackle a problem that matters to our audience. But to foster engagement, we must go deeper and speak directly to their hearts. Conflict is the tool that opens this path. It creates tension, and tension generates attention.

In my theory of storytelling, a powerful narrative is built on four structural pillars: problem, solution, vision and conflict. The problem sets the tension, the solution shows a way forward, and the vision offers a reason to endure the journey. Conflict is what energises the whole structure, because it highlights what must be overcome for transformation to happen. It is not just an obstacle, but the living force of the story: the external difficulties that test the hero, and the internal doubts that test the heart.

Internal conflict is especially powerful because it touches the struggles that live inside our audience: the distance between who they are and who they aspire to be. But external conflict also plays its part, showing the tangible obstacles and risks that must be overcome. Both dimensions help us build conversations that feel meaningful, because they speak to what people truly care about.

My friend Albert Bosch is a master at using conflict in promoting his personal brand. An adventurer and entrepreneur, he kept us all in tension when he crossed the Antarctic from coast to South Pole in a solitary march without the help of dogs. The external conflict was enormous: the freezing winds, the harsh climate, the strain on his body. But the internal conflict was even greater: the challenge for his mind and heart, the doubts, the moments of weakness, and the courage needed to continue step after step. By sharing how he overcame these trials, Albert transformed his expedition into a story of resilience. He later used that story to build a prosperous business in conferences and advisory, grounded in our inner forces, the conscientious use of our strengths, and our responsibility toward ourselves and the planet. His audience became not just followers, but loyal partners in his journey.

Cutting through the noise

In a world flooded with shallow content, conflict used wisely allows us to cut through the noise and reach the limited attention zone of our audience. A meaningful message stays with us, whether in the conscious mind or in the subconscious. When we dare to confront our audience with deep questions, the message does not fade. It stays, and it earns us a place in their radar of consideration. Stakeholders begin to see us as someone to take seriously, not just as another voice seeking attention.

Promotion as meaningful conversation

Promotion is not about shouting louder that we have something to sell. It is about finding common ground with our audience, where we can establish a meaningful conversation that makes us relevant. Conflict, especially internal conflict, is one of the most effective tools for making that conversation intimate, human, and unforgettable.