As PR pros, we’re invariably asked by clients to help them establish, protect and/or enhance their brands, but how often do we pause to ensure our personal brands receive the same treatment? Personal brands can help garner new business, pique the interest of new talent for recruiting purposes and even land you a new job.
I recently read an article, “Three Tips to Take Your Personal Brand to the Next Level,” and while it’s helpful, I think it’s more of a Personal Branding 201 level course. If you need the Personal Branding 101 level course, you’ve come to the right place.
Below are three guidelines to help you establish your personal brand:
- Determine messaging. Once you figure out what you want to say, it will be easier to craft content for your profile(s) and create your elevator speech. Ideally, your messaging will tell people who you are, the skills you have and what separates you from others in your field. To develop your messaging, consider your objectives for doing so. Looking for a new job will require significantly different messaging than acquiring new business. Regardless of objectives, your messaging needs to be authentic – you must be honest and believe in what you are saying – and be able to convey both. Having proof points available will help you with this. Once you develop your messaging and supporting points, practice what you will say with your friends, family and mentors. Listen to their feedback and make adjustments as necessary.
- Digital presence. One of the easiest and cheapest ways to build awareness of your personal brand is to develop your digital presence. Outlets such as Twitter and LinkedIn are perfect for this since both are well-suited for professional discussions and networking. A previous Communiqué PR blog post covered the values of social media channels, including LinkedIn. Additionally, this Beginner’s Guide from Mashable is a good resource to get started. Once your social media profiles are established, begin following people (on Twitter) and making connections (on LinkedIn). Participate in conversations, share interesting and relevant articles and make sure to respond to outreach directed at you.
- Network, network, network. In addition to networking online via Twitter and LinkedIn, as noted above, there are additional opportunities offline as well. If you’re a PR pro, the Public Relations Society of America is a good place to start, especially the Puget Sound chapter if you’re in the Seattle area. There are other groups for various industries, including: International Association of Business Communicators, Society of Professional Journalists, Social Media Club, Washington Technology Industry Association, MIT Enterprise Forum of the Northwest and many others!
By following the above guidelines, you’ll be able to speak consistently about your personal brand, increase awareness and make new connections. Ultimately, this will help you generate new business or partnerships, recruit when your company is looking to hire, or find a new job when it’s time for the next step in your career. What else have you found effective?