You’re a superhero and you know it. The thing is, sometimes other people are busy doing other things and don’t immediately notice it. This is fine if they’re not in need of your super powers, but what happens when someone has need of the exact thing you do or represent, but they don’t know enough about you?
Here are five tips to building your personal brand, and representing yourself such that the people who need your special talents will know better about what you represent.
Use Business Cards. Simple Ones.
First, in person, have a way for people to continue a conversation with you after you leave their presence. Create a very simple business card with your name, your email, your cell phone number, your blog URL, and perhaps a simple, brief phrase about what problem you solve in the world. Sure logos are great. Sure, colorful cards are remarkable. Yes, cruddy cards seem to fall to the bottom of the pile. But first and foremost, the point of the card is communication and virtual pointers to you.
Use Your Blog
Blogs can be many things. Use yours to be a virtual shingle of what you do for the world. Make sure your contact information is prominent. Make it VERY clear and easy for people to reach you through your blog. Put a PICTURE on your blog, if you want to represent your personal brand in and around your business, people want to connect with YOU and not just a logo.
Post about things that matter to you and that represent some of what you help others with. Remember, if someone wants to interact with your brand, they’re thinking from THEIR point of view. They see you as someone who they want to associate with, and likely, someone to help them with something they’re working on, as well. Write with other people in mind.
Attend Conferences and Networking Events
No amount of virtual connectivity can beat a good old fashioned handshake and a conversation over a cup of coffee or a few cocktails. Meet with like-minded people at events. If you’re at a conference and you’re really digging the speaker, look around the audience for other vigorously nodding heads. Everyone else is going to try and talk with the speaker. You should go seek out the other audience member who seemed to get it. See if there’s a connection there.
It’s hard to express who you are by hanging out at home.
Tighten Up Your Message
Imagine you’re Coke. Coke makes HUNDREDS of products. Talking to Coke at a party about all that they do would be horrible. But they know that. So if I were Coke, I’d talk about Coke Plus, the new vitamin-enhanced soda. And that’s all I’d talk about. Sure, if someone asked me how Coke Zero was going, I’d tell them it was moving along, but I’d only lead with my new Coke Plus.
Do the same. You’re working on a dozen things. Pimp ONE thing. Tell people whatever it is you’re passionate about. When you see a movie actor on Jimmy Kimmel’s couch, they’re only talking about their recent flick. There’s a purpose. You want your “audience” to think of whatever it is you want to promote. In this case, whatever project of yours matters most is what should be your conversation piece at events, meetups, and on your blog.
Brands Are Conversations
It’s not about a marketing department. Brands are about the people who use them. Do the same with YOU as a brand. Make the brand of you reflect the people you’re interested in connecting with. Find ways to work with others. Share. Build their projects. And every time you do this, you’re doing something to communicate what you represent. It’s even cooler if you can do this without thinking about it. Trumpeting your own horn all the time gets annoying to others around you. Instead, just be helpful and let others do the talking.
In the end, the trick of branding yourself is simply being sure that others understand who you are, what you can do for and with them, and how to reach you should they need that service. Taking a little bit of effort in the representation of all that goes a long way towards developing yourself for future opportunities.
Did I miss any tricks? Was there something YOU do consistently to build your personal brand that’s not in my five? Share. I’d love your thoughts.
