In a previous article, we discussed social currency and how it can be used to build your personal brand. Social media – and the internet in general – provides plenty of opportunities to build and strengthen your personal brand. Whether you are an entrepreneur who is starting a new business or a professional with years of experience, having a strong personal brand is highly beneficial.
Of course, social media is not the only way to boost your personal brand. While the tips and tricks covered in this previous article are great for gaining exposure and recognition, there are additional steps to take if you want to boost your value as a professional while strengthening your personal brand in the process – read on to find out more.
Gain Credibility Through Experience and Expertise
You can only go so far with a branding or marketing campaign. At the end of the day, your personal brand must be backed by experience and expertise. That is how you gain credibility in the eyes of your audience. Here’s another important note to keep in mind: there is no shortcut.
A lot of professionals return to school and pursue a higher degree for this very reason. You too can consider earning a master’s degree and building your experience in the process. Read more about how you can do just that on the University of Exeter’s website.
Speaking of pursuing a higher degree, going back to school is something you can now do online. You don’t have to quit your fulltime job or attend offline classes to earn a master’s degree in fields like education and business management.
Leverage Your Network
Posting valuable content on your social media pages will help capture the attention of your audience. However, there is more to be done when it comes to expanding your reach and gaining exposure, and one of those things is having discussions with fellow industry players and experts.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to the people in your network. Plan a collaboration and tap into each other’s audience segments. Instead of posting a single article, write two or three pieces together; make sure the articles are connected to each other.
You can also host live streams, join a podcast, or be guests in other industry players’ online content. The more you leverage your network, the wider your reach will be. The idea is to get your key messages across to more people.
Show Results
You must do more than talk the talk; you have to walk the walk. The strongest personal brands are always based on tangible results. For example, having your website topping the search results for certain keywords is how you solidify your brand as an SEO expert.
Walking the walk makes you more credible as a source of information. The audience will be more likely to consume your content – and expect more of it – when you are seen as a credible figure. Don’t hesitate to share small milestones and involve the audience in the process.
The whole objective is to make you more relatable in the eyes of the audience. You are not just sharing theories; you actually believe in the skills and expertise you share, and you are using them in your day-to-day activities.
Show Vulnerability
That brings us to our last tip: show vulnerability. Your personal brand doesn’t have to be flawless; in fact, it shouldn’t. When you try to appear perfect all the time, you become less relatable. You are also facing more risks with your personality than you should.
Being flawless or perfect is not the goal. What you want is to be as relatable as you can be, and that often means showing vulnerabilities at certain times. It is okay to talk about your past failures or the challenges you are facing. It is even better if you also listen to your audience.
Getting feedback and opening channels for discussions is very effective. You can use newer technologies like live-streaming or video conferencing to communicate and get feedback from the audience directly. You’ll be surprised by how easy it is to start a live streaming session today.
With these tips and tricks implemented, you have what it takes to take your personal brand to a whole new level. It goes beyond developing your personal brand too. You are boosting your value as a professional or an industry player, and that amplifies your personal brand even further. It will not be long before you have a strong audience base and colleagues that really respect what you are doing.
