Personal branding has ballooned into a major topic this year on social media. Before we could only look up to the influencers in our industry, hoping to get noticed. But with so many sites to publish our own content on, such as LinkedIn Publisher, Medium and others, a whole new world has opened up for everyone with the ability to learn and put their thoughts down on paper.
Yet personal branding is much more than creating content. Content is only one part of the puzzle. Your presence and engagement on social sites take up even more pieces than content. Relationships and actions along with quality content will build your personal brand.
As you embark on the journey of growing your brand the how needs to be proceeded by the why. What are your motives for building your personal brand and why does it matter? Ask these questions first so you know what direction you should be moving in.
When I was considering my personal brand I had to think about my motivation and goals. I believe it’s all about passion. The questions I asked myself (and ones you should ask) were:
1. What am I passionate about?
Find what you are passionate about. It should be something you have knowledge and experience around. If you’re lacking in that area, then do the research and study. Learn. Practice. Improve. Share.
2. What do I want to accomplish with that passion?
This is about your purpose. You know what you’re passionate about, now where do you want to go with it? What’s your dream or goal for yourself? Don’t be afraid to dream big. Having something to reach for keeps you moving forward and striving to do your best.
3. Who do I want to ignite that passion in?
Now you need to decide who your audience is. Find people who are interested in what you’re passionate about and get involved with them. Don’t just blast your content at them. Build relationships, join communities, share their content, comment, question and learn from them.
4. What are the best methods for getting that passion across?
The channels for expressing and sharing your passion depend on your area of passion and your audience. There are so many options. I use LinkedIn Publisher, Medium, and share blog posts I write on Twitter, LinkedIn, G+ and Facebook. Another way is to be involved in communities. I’ve found that Twitter chats revolving around what I’m passionate about allow me to share what I love and what I learn from others at the same time as building strong relationships.
So, why does personal branding matter? The general answer is that it matters to the people that are in your circle of influence and to your own reputation. You have a responsibility to be true to yourself and to your followers. On a deeper level, each person has to answer that “why” question themselves.
I want to leave you with this quote from Brian Fanzo, Chief Digital Strategist and Partner at Broadsuite:
Why does personal branding matter to you?
