Did you know that 50% of the people who Google themselves aren’t happy with the results?
It’s true!
Why is that?
It’s because those people didn’t do a good job building a personal brand and managing their online reputation.
Today, I’m going to share a 7-step program you can use to build and establish a powerful personal brand. Some of these are included in my 53-page ebook titled The Unspoken Rules of Leadership. Check it out if you want more tips like those below.
In the meantime, let’s get started, shall we?
Step 1: Model Someone, but Don’t Lose Yourself
There are probably 3 or 4 people you think do a good job with their personal brand. This might be people online, or it might simply be people in your office.
Take those people and model what they do. That doesn’t mean copy them, it simply means follow in their footsteps – how do they carry themselves? How do they present themselves? How do they engage with others?
Model yourself after them, without losing a sense of who you are and what you’re about.
Step 2: Be Authentic, but not fully transparent
We all know the importance of being authentic. Ever since you were a kid, your parents have told you to “be yourself.”
Got it.
But there’s a twist to that. Being authentic doesn’t mean being fully transparent.
Nobody wants to know that you’re addicted to gambling or that you drink too much. What they want is to see the best side of you in its fully authentic, genuine form.
So be authentic, but not fully transparent.
Step 3: Know your audience as well as you know yourself
It’s one thing to understand what motivates you and what drives you, but it’s equally important to understand what motivates and drives your audience.
This is essential if you’re going to write a book, start a YouTube channel, or simply build your reputation in the office.
Get inside the mind of your target audience, understand them on a nuanced, psychographic level, and then work backwards from there.
By thinking backwards, you’ll know how to make your personal brand move forward.
Step 4: Pick one thing
I wish I’d done a better job with this over the course of my career, but my ADHD wouldn’t let me.
I was bouncing off too many different walls, but if I had to do it again, I’d probably zero-in on a single topic and try to stick to that topic.
So zero in on one thing. If you change your focus a year or two down the line, that’s fine. But don’t focus on too many things all at once.
As they say, “Get rich in a niche.”
Step 5: Add value
This is an idea I learned from Sunny Lenarduzzi who has a terrific YouTube channel for people who want to be their own bosses.
She says her #1 focus is to add value, value, value, value.
So remember, whether it’s in a book, a YouTube channel, or your e-newsletter, provide as much value as possible and – here’s the kicker – do it as quickly as possible.
Every time you add value by providing a statistic or sharing an insight, your audience grabs on to that for about 7 seconds before they start wanting to know what’s next.
And with that, let’s go on to our next step.
Step 6: Amplify what you do.
We live in a cluttered world. So, if you don’t find a way to stand out, then you’ll get lost in the shuffle.
My friend Erik Qualman based his personal brand on a simple thing he noticed when he created his Twitter handle, which is E … Qualman.
Or, Equalman.
And with that, his personal brand was born complete with his own logo, his own t-shirts, and his own stylized glasses.
Step 7: Follow the data
Because we live in the digital age, you’ll be able to track the results of your personal branding initiative. You might have data from your website, from your Instagram, from your Facebook page … it doesn’t matter.
Dig into that data and follow it. It will guide you on what you should be doing next.
Which is actually why I’m doing this article on personal branding.
I did a survey with my e-newsletter subscribers and social media followers around the globe and they said, “Do a series on Personal Branding.”
And here we are!
Want more tips?
Click the link download my free e-book titled The Unspoken Rules of Leadership. 53 pages to tools, tips, and techniques you can use to lead others and lead yourself.
Talk soon!
About the Author: Jamie Turner is an internationally recognized author, university professor, and speaker who has helped employees at The Coca-Cola Company, Holiday Inn, Microsoft, Verizon and others do a better job leading, managing, and mentoring others. You may have seen Jamie in Inc., Entrepreneur, Business Insider, or Forbes. He’s also a regular guest on CNN and HLN, where he delivers segments on marketing, persuasion, and leadership. Jamie is the co-author of several essential business books and his YouTube channel was designated one of the “Top 10 Business YouTube Channels” in the nation by Wishpond.com.