Personal Branding Part 2: Art of Marketing Yourself
by Bill Nolan
I have written extensively in the past about how important your personal brand is and how it affects your business. By now you should have a good idea of what “not to do” in order to prevent your personal life from negatively affecting your business. The question is… how do you create positive and productive personal branding that helps boost your business brand as well?
Stick with what you know.
You’re not an expert on everything so don’t try and act like you are. Whatever your industry may be, ensure that you stay well educated and convey your knowledge to the public. In this case of personal branding, that means sharing informative and educational content to your social media platforms and website. I know it’s may be boring stuff for a socialite, but it is not about your local trollers anymore. It is about building your own personal brand.
Identify your weaknesses and correct them!
Continuing further education, experience and some volunteering never hurts. Strengthening within your own self is key. Be confident, not arrogant and feel comfortable in the field you work and your reputation will shine on. But if your competition sees an Achilles Heel, they will pounce. Just know your self confidence will help you volley back.
Be social on social media.
Find, reach, and interact with your target audience and build #Klout. If most of the people you reach aren’t interested in what you have to say then you are wasting your time. Make an effort to connect with the other movers and shakers within your industry and potential clients. And, for the love of God, when you do reach those people do not ignore them. I’ve got one word for you… interact. Don’t be afraid to do something crazy such as like, comment, and share posts from other people and companies. Who knows, maybe they will reciprocate. Stranger things have happened.
Be part of your business’s integrated marketing plan.
Remember that your business as well as your personal social accounts and website should compliment each other, and keep them active! If not, potential clients are going to ask themselves, “if you can’t manage your own accounts then how will you help their business?” The “I’m too busy for my own accounts” excuse doesn’t fly.
Get involved.
Get noticed within your community and the surrounding social communities. Find something that interests you, even if it doesn’t directly pertain to your business, and get involved. Interacting personally with people, groups and communities online is a great way for them to get to know you, your company, and most importantly… your character. You never know who you might bump into.
Now you have some starting insight on what it takes to build a strong personal brand for yourself. It’s not going to happen overnight and it’s not going to be easy. It just takes time and effort and avoiding the pitfalls of what not to do as posted in our previous blogs. So, do you think you have what it takes?
PS: Remember personal branding is not all about your online presence. 🙂