In the world of marketing and personal branding, it’s easy to fall into the perfectionism trap. We all know the feeling – we want everything we put out into the world to be polished. We want our logo to look modern, our posts to have consistent graphics, and every piece of writing to sound like it’s straight out of Forbes magazine. The thing is… while we’re busy aiming for perfection, someone else with a less refined idea and maybe a worse design is already taking action, publishing, gaining reach, clients, and experience.
The “Done is better than perfect” principle becomes, in this context, not just a motto, but a specific strategy for action. Because in marketing and personal branding, it’s not the one who creates perfect things who wins, but the one who is present, consistent, and authentic.
Perfectionism Steals Time, Energy, and… Opportunities
Perfectionism can be like the handbrake – you keep your foot on the gas, but you’re still stuck in place. I know people who tweak a single post for weeks, and then don’t have the courage to publish it. Others don’t launch their newsletter because they feel their “lead magnet” isn’t quite good enough yet. And some – maybe this sounds familiar – spend years building websites for everyone around them, helping friends, clients, people they’ve been referred to… but their own website? Forever in the plans. Sounds like someone you know?
The truth is: when building a personal brand, it’s easy to hide behind work for others. It gives you a false sense of productivity but doesn’t build your own presence online. Only when you push yourself, when you release something “imperfect” into the world, does the real change begin.
People Don’t Look for Perfect Brands – They Look for Real People
What truly builds a personal brand isn’t just professionalism, but authenticity. Audiences don’t expect you to speak perfectly, write without typos, or always have perfect lighting for your videos. They’re looking for someone who can be honest, who speaks in a human way, who can make mistakes and own up to them. Because that builds trust – and trust is the currency we pay for attention and loyalty.
What’s more, the more authentic we are, the more we attract “our” people. A personal brand that isn’t filtered through the fear of judgment has the power to build a real community.
Marketing Is Not a Sprint – It’s Daily Training
It’s important to remember that marketing and personal branding is a long-term game. You don’t win with one brilliant post or a perfectly shot video. You win with consistency, regularity, and the willingness to learn as you go.
Social media algorithms favor those who are present. Audiences remember those they engage with regularly. And you – by publishing, testing, and making mistakes – learn faster and more effectively than if you sit over a single project for three months.
So instead of waiting for everything to be perfect, it’s better to start now – with what you have. Because only by taking action can you truly grow.
“Done is Better Than Perfect” in Practice:
- Publish a post, even if you think it’s “too simple.”
- Record stories, even if you’re not wearing makeup.
- Send that newsletter, even if you don’t have the “perfect” headline.
- Create a website with a simple template, instead of waiting for a “design revelation.”
- Start talking about your offer before every single detail is nailed down.
To Sum Up
Perfection paralyzes. Action frees.
Building a personal brand isn’t about a brilliant idea, the perfect logo, or a polished strategy at the start. It’s a process where moving forward is what matters most. If you do something – you can always improve it. If you’re just planning – there’s nothing to improve.
If you’re sitting over your next project thinking, “Not yet” – take a deep breath and do it. Publish. Show up. Take the risk. Because only then can your brand live and breathe.
Done really is better than perfect. Especially when it’s about you as a brand.
Everything written based on my own experiences. So, yeah…