Just like those giant corporations out there such as Apple, KFC and Marks & Spencer, you too have an image you project to the world. It’s how others judge where you fit in to their scheme of things and in fact, whether you actually fit in at all.
We all do it when we put ourselves forward for an interview project a particular image that is. In a world where employees research you just as much as you research them online, how do you get across the image you want? How can we make sure that image is good enough to get us the job, the partner, the favours etc that we need?
Tips to help you brush up on your own personal brand
Focus on your uniqueness
It’s hard to stand out from the crowd these days but one way to do is to accentuate what makes you different from anyone else. Maybe it’s your specialist knowledge on a certain subject, all those sporting trophies you’ve won, your sense of humour even.
Get your voice right
Not only will you probably have your own blog and social media pages, you’ll likely be leaving comments on other online media within your industry. Just like a brand or organisation will create a presence to attract customers, you should create a presence suitable for attracting job offers. Consider how unique content, authorship and your social channels help to do this. Just make sure that you project the attitude you’re looking for and that you’re consistent with it. For instance, are you the serious type, a bit of a joker, someone known for their wit? Your opinions, of course, should also be consistent.
Befriend authority figures
Get to know the experts in your sector and make sure you’re following them. Better still; get them to follow you back. Join the groups relevant to your industry in channels such as LinkedIn and Twitter then make comments on what others post, maybe even share their posts on your own blog if you think they’re well written and it’s the type of article your own followers would like to read. Better still; upload your own blog post or online article onto those groups.
Check what’s being said about you
All the big corporations have PR agencies that check what’s being written about their client and apply ‘fire-fighting’ techniques if it’s something negative. To employ a PR agency costs a lot of cash though. One effective way to monitor your own online brand is to set up Google Alerts. Then, when you find something mentioning you always comment on it whether it’s to say thanks for the post/comment or to clarify your argument if you believe someone has picked you up wrongly.
Use the best tools
What’s the best way to get your personality out there? If you’re good at presentations maybe you could do a video. If writing’s more your thing stick to blogging. Maybe you’re arty, good at photography? Whatever medium you excel at use it.
Don’t make obvious mistakes
When it comes to tools, your website or blog is, of course, the biggie. That’s where people learn all about you and what you’re offering the world. Don’t embarrass yourself by spelling words wrongly or using poor grammar. You could have the best ideas or opinions in the business but if you can’t get them across without readers shaking their head at your poor English then they’re not going to be quite as impressive.
Think about and implement – all of the above and you can’t fail to improve your personal brand while at the same time, extending it even further.