Personal Branding – Using The Internet To Build A Powerful Brand
When building a Personal Brand, the easiest, fastest and most impactful way to do so is online. But be fore-warned, it’s just as easy (and even faster) to destroy your brand if your social media campaign doesn’t have a strategy behind it. Whether it’s blogging, article marketing, tweeting, or posting to Facebook and YouTube, having an effective internet presence is the number one way to boost your brand.
Developing a solid personal brand can have a tremendous impact on your bottom-line if done correctly. Here are some tips to building a stand-out Internet Brand.
1. Know Your Goal
Begin with the end. First determine, what is the goal of being on the internet? Is it to get clients? Is it just for socializing? Do you even have a goal? For purposes of this article, let’s assume your goal for being on the internet is to generate business and get clients.
However, before diving into all forms of social media head-first, you must indentify some objectives to reach your goal. Consider this:
Do you know where your clients are?
On which social media platforms do they engage/ participate?
What is the message you want to convey to them?
Will your objectives boost your brand awareness?
The true test of your social media campaigns’ effectiveness will come from your ability to create an online community who will become cheerleaders for your brand.
2. Identify Your Target Audience
Knowing where your customer is will save you lot’s of time and energy. It will also help define your marketing message.
In addition to knowing where your clients are, you need to identify who they are. You may think you know your target audience, but when it comes to building an online community, ask yourself this:
What benefits do my products or services provide?
What do I want to say to that audience? (Your communications shouldn’t always be a sale or a “call to action”; in other words, a one-way conversation. Start by building a relationship and creating 2-way conversations.)
What type of person needs my product or service?
What is the best way to reach them on the internet that will showcase my company’s culture and generate sales?
Once you have answered these questions, then you can begin to create a strategic social media campaign to reach your ideal audience. (More on that later)
3. Personality + Passion = Purpose
Put passion and personality into all of your online profiles and be consistent across the board.
The most important reason for businesses to have an internet presence is to build a powerful, compelling brand. The only way to make that brand stand out amongst the crowd is to filter through all of the fluff for your target audience. Take advantage of the opportunity to showcase your personality and passion in all of your communications. By doing so, your audience will see your authenticity and get a clear understanding of your purpose.
You also have the opportunity to make an emotional connection with your audience. The majority of sales are made based on emotional connections. Why wouldn’t you use this platform as a vehicle to build a fierce Brand reputation?!
Your brand should communicate the following:
Who you are (Personality)
What makes you unique; The only one who can deliver (Personality & Passion)
Your expertise in your niche (Passion)
What service/ product you provide (Purpose)
What motivates you to do what you do (Purpose)
All of these components is what makes you you! If you are truly passionate about what you do, your audience will identify with that passion and understand your purpose for doing what you do. It not only adds value and credibility; it makes you the go-to-guy (or girl) in your industry.
Imagine reading a blog or Facebook post about a single mother’s struggle to raise her autistic child. Because of her experiences, she is now coaching other parents who are facing the same trials and tribulations. Not only would her story resonate with thousands of people, it would most certainly add value to her offering? This is not a manufactured brand. This Brand clearly and authentically communicates her passion, personality and purpose!
4. Develop a Strategy
Now that you have your goal, your audience and know where to reach them, you can develop an effective branding strategy. Each interaction you make with your audience should be strategic and accomplish at least one of the “5 E’s”
Engage
Educate
Evoke (an emotion)
Entertain
Establish (your Expertise)
You can use all social media platforms the same way or use different platforms to convey different messages. But decide early how and when you will use each. If your audience has come to rely on your blog posts as humorous anecdotes, you can’t suddenly decide to be an advocate for abused children using the same platform. You will not only lose your audience, but you will lose credibility.
The purpose of strategic online engagement is to define your Personal Branding. In order to increase your Brand awareness, you will also want to be strategic with:
Timing – How often will you engage? Will your communications correlate with current events? Have your customers come to expect information from you at specific times? Be consistent!
Content – If your objective is to stir up controversy, that’s perfectly fine, that is the value you provide for your audience. However, please don’t mix in touchy subjects with your content if that is not your intention for your brand. Nothing will dilute your message faster and turn off your base!
Placement – This goes back to knowing where your customers are. How are you going to communicate with them? Knowing that will boost your online presence for your community and create value for your clients. Make sure your brand is easily understood on each of your online platforms. If you do decide to switch tracks with your marketing messages, use a different social media marketing approach and explain to your audience why you’ve done. (Remember, make the emotional connection!)
All in all, you get the biggest bang for your buck using social media and the internet to build your brand. When you are clear on your message, the customers will come!
Kelly Green (Brand Coach Kelly) empowers new entrepreneurs and career transitioners to build a powerful Personal Brand, clarify their marketing message, identify their target audience and attract more money, clients and success! For your FREE Personal Branding strategy session, contact Brand Coach Kelly at: http://ThePersonalBrandBlueprint.com
*Special thanks to Philip for requesting this article topic for today’s article marketing spotlight.
Lisa Angelettie
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One of the most important points was right on top.
While it can take months or even yeas to build a proper brand with credibility, it takes mere minutes to destroy it all.