Building your online personal brand

In our last post, we discussed personal branding – what it is and what it isn’t. We also discussed the importance of being consistent with everything you do.

Today we’re going to dig a little deeper into personal branding and look at some of the best ways to be noticed.

As women, we can face a struggle to be heard and that’s something we have to deal with. Establishing a personal brand will help you cut through the noise and be noticed.

This is how to do it.

Find influencers that inspire

In every business and in every industry sector, there are leaders and influencers people pay attention to. Ideally, you want them to know about you and share your ideas. The best place to start is to get to know them first. And remember, influencers aren’t necessarily the people with the highest number of followers; they are the people others are talking about or looking to for ideas and opinions.

Let’s start online.

There are a number of free tools available that can help you identify the influencers. Social Mention allows you to search by name or topic so you can see who is talking about the things you want to be known for. It also shows you where they shared it from, which tells you where you need to go to find them. Klout is another free tool which works in a similar way.

Find and follow these experts and share their content. That’s the easiest way to make yourself known.

Offline influencers will be found by scanning industry publications, local papers and through industry network events. It may take time to connect with these people but there is power in a face-to-face connection.

Develop a plan

In a way, you’re marketing yourself, so you will need a plan. A marketing plan has three major components:

• Identify your target market and where to find them
• Know what concerns they have
• Understand how you can solve their problem.

Your personal branding plan will work in a similar way. Identify the people you want to be noticed by, know what issues they are commenting on, and understand what relevance you can contribute to the conversation. Work out who you want to talk to, and then go out and do it in the language they understand.

Have an opinion and share it

If you don’t have a point of view on anything, why will you be noticed? Personal branding is based on your opinions, beliefs and values. If you have a firm conviction on a topic, share it. Don’t be afraid to speak up.

Remember, too, that it’s ok to be wrong or to change your mind. That’s part of your authenticity, and it shows you are prepared to listen and consider other points of view.

Think beyond work

Your personal brand is something that runs through you to the core. That means it doesn’t stop at work-related topics.

You have a view of the world so share that, too.

• What issues concern you?
• Homelessness?
• Climate change?
• Domestic violence?

Each of these has an impact on the way you approach your work and your life. For example, you may volunteer your time to a social cause, or campaign to reduce wastage in the workplace. When people know why you operate the way you do, they will respect it, and it is known as part of your brand.

Do you have tips to help other leaders become noticed for their personal brand? Share your ideas and stories below.