Post written by Jacob Stoops, panelist for the 2010 Ohio Growth Summit’s “Personal Branding for Fun and Profit” panel.
When I have a lot to do, I like to make lists. This is my left-brain helping me to organize myself so that I can accomplish my tasks in a timely fashion. I am a naturally disorganized and right-brain type of person. List making is something that is very forced on my part, but it helps me organize my thoughts in a coherent fashion.
Now, (in a vacuum) the above paragraph may not seem like personal branding at all. However, I can promise you that certain parts of it (although not directly) hit on some important personal branding points, which I’ve detailed in a nifty little list below!
And now, here are my 10 random thoughts about personal branding:
1. Be personal and unique. Duh! The best way to develop a personal brand is by letting your personality come out and letting people see that you’re human. Each person’s unique quirks and personality traits are what make them truly interesting in my opinion. So let them show!
Letting people peel back the onion will allow them to see your flaws as well as your good points too. Keep in mind that not everyone will like your personal brand, and you must be prepared to accept that. However, it has been my experience that most people respect someone who works hard to develop a personal brand.
2. Become an expert. If you’re really good at something, then it is far more likely that people will want to listen to what you have to say. If you’re really good at something, then let it come out through your personal brand.
3. Project credibility. So-called “experts” (especially in my field of Search Engine Optimization) are a dime-a-dozen, with more than half of the people not really having any real expertise at all. If you’re going to claim expertise in a certain field, you’ll need to be actually be credible. This means that you’ll probably want to put your experience on display (online portfolio, etc), so that people can verify that you are indeed an “expert.”
4. Develop follower loyalty. In order to help your personal brand spread, you’ll need to foster a sense of loyalty among your followers. You can do this by…
5. Giving people something of value. Give people something that will make them want to come back for more. For example, the success of my own personal branding efforts has relied heavily on providing my site’s visitors with valuable SEO tips. My goal is to give them some piece of advice as a takeaway every time they visit my site, which fosters an atmosphere of trust and loyalty.
I’ve discovered that by giving little bits and pieces of myself and by offering help to others, the return for my efforts is usually far above simply asking for something from them.
6. Don’t expect things in return. This point is a bit of a piggy-back from my last point. Give advice and do things for people without expecting things in return. You’re trying to build relationships around your personal brand, which often means being selfless.
If you’re patient enough and believe in karma, then the good things that you do for others will come back around. Do this and people will be far more likely to support and promote your personal brand, whatever it may be.
7. Be consistent in how you present yourself. From your logo, to your messaging, all the way to your public persona, it’s very important to deliver a consistent theme and message. Establishing a brand is not always easy in the first place. If you’re brand and messaging is scattered, then your followers will get that too. Whatever your brand may be, it should not be inconsistent or lacking focus.
8. Use technology to your advantage. In today’s world, there are so many different mediums from which to develop your personal brand and connect with others. Whether it be Twitter, Facebook, etc. Pick the ones that work for you and use them to your advantage.
You don’t necessarily have to utilize them all, but make sure to review the pros and cons of different technologies and means of communication to see if they’re a fit for you or not.
9. Your reputation is all you have. This is especially true in my industry. Your reputation is the backbone on which your personal brand will be built. Protect it and avoid doing anything that might sully it!
10. Don’t be afraid to have fun. In other words, don’t be a square! Allow people to see your fun side, while still maintaining an air of professionalism. This helps people see that you are human, which will help them relate to you far more than if you just give them the old company line.
Anyhow, that’s a few of my thoughts on establishing a personal brand. There are certainly more ways to develop and maintain a personal brand than this, which I’d like to leave up to discussion…
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Website/Blog: http://www.agent-seo.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jacobstoops
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobstoops
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Agent-SEO/127633087314
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