5 Ways to Make Your Personal Brand Stand Out Online
Let me paint a picture for you.
You’re walking down the street in a nearby suburb.
As you walk by each house you get a sense of the person who lives inside each house.
Is the lawn manicured? Do they have garden gnomes on their porch? Maybe they have their favorite sport’s team flag waving outside their front door, or it’s clear their hedges haven’t been spruced up in some time.
Whatever the case may be, we’re able to get an idea of what the person inside that house is like and if we want to knock on the door or not.
Now, I want you to think of this in terms of your online presence. Your digital assets (social media profiles, website, graphics, etc) are a direct representation of you and your work. By taking the time to polish and care for these mediums, you create a warm and welcoming invitation for visitors to stop by.
This is why it is incredibly important to maximize your potential and put your best foot forward online.
Lucky for you, I’ve put together a handful of tips that will help you make your personal brand stand out online and hyper-attract your dream audience.
Get a Professional Headshot
This is the #1 way to make your personal brand stand out online. It’s a non-negotiable! Make sure to work with a brand photographer in your area who matches your desired aesthetic. Potential clients and customers are more likely to invest in you if you provide a visual representation of your brand. This gives them a better idea of what they can expect when working with you and also makes them feel as if they know you a bit more.
Photographers can be expensive, but this investment is worth it. Tight on cash? Use your negotiation skills and propose a trade/barter that leaves you both with a win-win.
2. Send audio/video recordings instead of text-based messages.
Reaching out to someone through DM or email? Don’t send them a message like everyone else, send them an audio/video recording instead. This allows you to get more creative with your message and let’s your personality shine through. Once a person hears your voice, they’re automatically more connected to you and are able to get a better sense of the person you are.
This is the foreground of each individual relationship. When you begin a new relationship in an authentic and personal way, the other person is likely to feel like they know you better. They’re able to feel comfortable and trust that you have their best interest at heart.
3. Speak directly to your audience.
Writing your next blog post or Instagram caption? Try writing the post you would’ve needed to read 3 years ago. What words would have drawn you in?
Practice empathic listening and speak to the deepest concerns your audience has. Start your posts with a question, “Do you feel X when Y happens?”
When you’re able to tap into someone’s emotions, you’re likely to make them feel something, thus forming a deeper connection and making them feel like they actually know you.
This allows you to hyper-attract your dream clients online just as you hyper-attract best friends offline. This approach creates healthier business relationships and ensures that you are working with clients who are a perfect fit for you.
When we know exactly who we’re talking to, we’re able to be clear on the result we want to achieve.
4. Keep it simple.
Don’t overcomplicate your personal brand statement with fluffy, filler words. Get straight to the point.
Use this formula: I {verb} {target audience} how to {desired result}. When someone finds you online, you want them to have a clear idea of what it is you actually do.
5. Write for publications.
Finally, pitch often. Pitch well. Every outlet you build a connection with increases your credibility. Take a look back at tip #3. When we know exactly who we’re talking to, we are able to deliver our message in a clear manner. Do your research and find out who the right person to speak with is. You can look for the editors on LinkedIn, Twitter or even Instagram. Don’t be afraid to reach out through a DM if you can’t find their email. Search for personal details that you can mention in an introduction and open the door for connection.
These are relationships that will help you to spread your message and are one of the most powerful ways to increase social proof and show that you know what you’re talking about. The more outlets you build relationships with, the more people you will reach.
So, there you have it. Those are 5 ways to make your personal brand stand out online.
Now is the time to take ownership of your digital assets and assess whether you’re maximizing your full potential. Are you inviting others into your space or are you making it easy to keep walking by?
I promise if you implement these 5 tips, you will see a noticeable improvement in online traction.
Finding yourself a little overwhelmed?
Not to worry, I’ve created something that’ll help. ;)
How to create content when you don’t know what to say
Do you find yourself wanting to create content but struggle with finding the right words to say?
Do you want to continue marketing your X while also being sensitive to the current environment?
Do you feel like you have so much you want to share but feel like you don’t have a strong enough system in place to produce content consistently?
Hard times.
We’re all facing them right now.
But, even though it’s tempting, this is not a time to be silent. It’s a time to EMBRACE social media as we practice social distancing.
Wherever you are on your personal branding journey, understand that NOW is an opportunity to foster connection with your online community at a time when it is desperately needed. Here’s what to keep in mind if you are struggling to create content:
Have an idea? Talk it out. Pick someone to discuss it with and jot down notes to help get the rest of your writing to flow. This shouldn’t take very long, aim for five minutes. This step alone will solve most cases of writer’s block.
Let’s go back to the basics. Write an outline. Include the main takeaway and a few sporting thoughts. Even if you’re just writing an Instagram caption, it’s important that you don’t skip this step because it will actually cut your writing time in half.
Don’t over-complicate it. The most important thing you can do right now is to create content and distribute it across your social media channels. Even though it feels like it, you don’t actually need the perfect system or calendar. Given the circumstances, those things can come later. Instead, just focus on posting *something* once a day.
Remember, you have an important message to share, and you actually do the world a disservice when you don’t contribute it to the world.
Everything you’ve learned, all of your personal experiences, and your unique perspective should be used to influence the message you’ll communicate.
Practice empathic writing, and ask yourself this important question every time you sit down to create content:
What do I know that my audience needs to hear right now?
This is an opportunity to speak up, join the conversation, and define yourself as a leader.
Don’t miss it.
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And, remember, I’m here to help! If you want to learn how to integrate content creation seamlessly into your lifestyle you should consider applying to PBA. This is one of the things we cover Link in bio!
Something About Being Bold
It’s not the smart who get ahead.
It's the bold.
When I was growing up I never thought of myself as smart.
I was a B- kind of student.
I would do the absolute bare minimum required for me to get into college and participate in extracurricular activities like Cheerleading and ASB.
Quantity = Quality
It’s not quality > quantity, it’s quantity = quality.
This rule doesn’t mean that you don’t take pride in your work, it just means that you don’t let your ego get in the way of posting valuable content for your audience.
a. There is no such thing as perfection.
b. Creating content every day will create a context in which you will discover your strengths
and talents.
c. You will never become an effective content marketer while waiting for inspiration to strike,
so create—and continue to create—for your audience.
The only way to get better at something is to keep doing it.
a. There is no substitute for experience.
b. Your content will continue getting better as you continue creating it.
To adopt this model, ask yourself which form of creation are you the best at.
a. Examples: Photo/video, written word, or Audio.
b. Choose one area to focus on heavily and let the others follow.
