Your personal brand is your most valuable asset, but what does it really mean? A strong personal brand goes well beyond the number of followers you have on Instagram. Rather, it embodies how you present your talents, skills, and attractiveness to the world, as well as the reach of your public profile. Having a strong personal brand is essential in order to attract the right opportunities in the modern world, both personally and professionally. If you’re wondering how best to leverage yourself in the digital sphere, follow these tried-and-tested tips to boost your personal brand.
Fine-tune your social media presence
This is the first and arguably the most important step. Your social media presence is the main vehicle through which your audience will connect with you, so you need to make sure it’s absolutely perfect. Start by running an audit of all of your profiles, unfollowing and untagging yourself from any questionable posts or people. Get some new headshots for your LinkedIn and Twitter profiles and learn how to write the perfect Instagram bio. Follow the people you want to be following you. Once this is done, you’re ready to go.
Put yourself out there
Unfortunately, being an introvert won’t get you anywhere with your brand reputation. You need to put yourself out there as much as possible, not least because of the networking opportunities this will bring your way. There are always opportunities to put yourself out into the world and let people know what you’re about. Start by checking out any public speaking engagements you can part in, as well as writing your blog. Religiously attend networking events and always be on the lookout for new connections.
Monetise your digital platforms
An instant indicator of a strong personal brand is someone who gets paid just for existing online. This means that audiences are drawn to you and that companies want to work with you. Don’t be afraid to reach out for these opportunities of your own accord, as it’s unlikely that Nike is going to be paying you for Instagram posts anytime soon. Web affiliate programs are a good starting point, such as the Mr Green Affiliate, which pays bloggers and website owners close to £1 million a month in commissions. No matter the size of your platform, an affiliate program could be the boost you need.
Automate
Maintaining a strong personal brand means putting out a lot of content, more than most people really have time for. This is why you’ll need to start automating your online posts – queue up blog posts to spread throughout the week if you have time, use tools like Active Campaign to automate your email marketing and newsletters, and use a platform management tool like Hootsuite to keep track of it all.
Define who you are
Last but not least, you need to have a clear identity and angle that people can be drawn to. A vague personal brand is not one that will ever succeed, so think about who you are, what you want, and what makes you unique in the world. Honesty is key, as people are drawn to frankness and openness, so really think about the things you care about and spend time learning how to convey them to your audience.
A strong personal brand is essential if you’re trying to build abusiness or move up in the world. Get started with these steps today to ensure 2019 is your best year yet.