There’s no two ways about it: if you want to start making an impact with your business online, you need to build your personal brand. All sales start with relationships, and at the core of all your customer relationships likes one thing: you.
If you want to make a real income online, then you need to think of yourself not just as a person, but also as a brand.
This can be a little hard for some people to do, especially newbies who are just starting out, so here is a guide to help you not just get started, but also to understand how it all works and do so effectively. The good news is that following this guide can help you to make a significant dent into building your business the smart way.
First off, research. Most things in business will start with research – and when it comes to your personal brand, that means knowing what people are saying about you, or what traces of your past are already online. Any embarrassing posts lurking in a Google search cache? Got some horrific photos that you wish had never been taken?
It’s all there, and when you’re a business, they turn into ticking time bombs. The best way to combat this is to set up Google Alerts and clean up all the negative press or posts. If it’s really bad, a slight change to your name could be your best bet (use your middle initial, or your nickname, for example). Whatever you do, make sure that you’re squeaky clean, even if your past wasn’t. We all make mistakes, but that shouldn’t stop us from building a successful business.
Secondly, you’ll want to get a website for you – and your personal brand – if at all possible. Consider this as more than just an online resume or portfolio, but a place where people can get to know a little more about you.
It’s also worth investing in some professional headshots to show people that you’re the real deal. Not only will your photographer help you to look your best, it’s a clear message to visitors that you’re serious not just about your business, but also your personal brand.
So, now that you’ve sorted out your personal items, it’s time to look at your audience. Who are they? The more you can narrow this down to your ideal customer, the better. The key here is to have a targeted message that talks to them directly. They want to know what you have to offer and how it fixes their issue, after all, and it also helps them to find you – and start up tht all-important conversation.
One way to start growing your online audience is to make friends with the influential in your niche. Social media influencers are a bit of a meme these days, but that doesn’t mean you should underestimate their importance in the world of marketing.
Ideally, you’re looking for a share or a retweet from these people, as it will give your business a significant boost, while also giving them something to say. Either way, this is a proven method to jack up traffic to your website, boost engagement on your social media, and make those all-important sales.
It really can’t be stressed enough that the more people you meet, the better your brand will be. That means that while the online sphere is important, don’t neglect offline acivities. You can go to networking events, local events, and many other kinds to network, and it’s this spider’s web of connections that leads to truly valuable business: sometimes called “the old boy’s network” when referring to the rich and already powerful, this is a tool nobody with ambition should forget.
While you’re doing all of this, don’t neglect yourself. Business is about trust and relationships, and you need to be yourself. Don’t present a fake version of yourself that you think should be you: just be who you are and make sure you’re putting your best face forward. Trust is hard to gain and incredibly easy to lose, and being dishonest is a super-fast, lightning speed route to misfortune and downfall. Hey – you’re not that bad, so just let your best characteristics shine through!
As you build your relationships and network with more people, you’ll find yourself getting ever more connecting and building new relationships. This is a great moment, as it means that your personal brand is expanding.
The best thing to do is to capture all of this with an email list – or capitalize by getting information about your network. You want to understand exactly who likes you, and how you can help them. There are many ways to get this information: incentivization through giveaways or contests is a classic route: just make it fun.
Building your own personal brand can feel a bit like climbing up a mountain at times, especially when you’re faced with so many other luminaries in your niche. Just remember that those same people were once in your shoes.
You can do this with determination and the resolve to put some elbow grease into this. All of the above tips can be accomplished in just a week: why not give it one week to see the difference? You may just find you extend it for a year when you see how amazingly successful it is!