Personal branding has been a hot topic for a while, and you can find more information about it than you’ll know what to do with…but it basically comes down to this…do people look at you as a resource?
Are you a go-to guy (or girl) in your industry?
I receive weekly emails or tweets of people asking me questions or my opinion regarding marketing, digital branding, and social media. It has been a long and calculated journey to create my online brand and persona as someone who knows there stuff regarding these topics.
Here are some steps you should be taking now, to separate yourself from your peers in your current job or one you want to dive into.
Select Your Niche
Yes you need to have a personality online, but there must be an overpowering theme to your online profiles. Whether for business or personal branding…you need to decide exactly what you want to be know as.
“I am a thought leader in (insert niche here)”
Develop A Content Strategy
The content you post online should match the niche you’ve selected. You should be locating high quality content everyday and posting it for your network. Retweeting good content is great, but you need to be locating new information that your network isn’t already reading. (That’s why you’ll never see me tweet a story from Mashable)
You don’t need a blog to become a valued resource for information. A blog certainly helps, but it’s not a requirement. I really dove into Twitter with little more than a plan. I had no blog, I was working for a very large corporation in a traditional marketing role, but I had a plan.
Anytime I came across a great blog post, or article, or book…I tweeted about it. I started LinkedIn groups, added discussions to blogs, dove into conversations, went to events, ect. Eventually more and more people began to see my name and “social media” or “marketing” attached to it.
Know Your Stuff
You do have to actually know what you’re talking about. Tools and tricks can get you an audience, but eventually you need to actually say something and provide some value. As more and more people associate your name with a topic or niche, the only way you’ll gain credibility is through your smarts.
Constantly stay up to date on trends and topics. Lead discussions with other thought leaders in your industry. Add original thoughts to topics.
Vast Industry Connections
I certainly don’t know everything about social media, and I definitely do not have all the answers people come to me for. But I usually know someone who does, and can connect those two when I can’t directly help. Understand what knowledge you have, and what you don’t. The more people you can help, the more those people will help you and spread the word about what you’re doing.
Speaking Engagements
Whether it’s warranted or not, people admire and look to those who present. If you want to be a thought leader in your industry, you’re going to need some presentations under your belt. You don’t need to lead a keynote address to the annual association gathering, but you need to consistently get in front of audiences.
Small groups and events are always looking for smart people to lead discussions. Keep your eyes open for speaking opportunities and volunteer. If you can’t seem to find any, locate groups of your interest and send in proposals.
If you still don’t get anywhere…host your own event or webinar. If you’re good at presenting value, the word will spread.
Showcase Your Thoughts
As I stated earlier, you don’t need a blog…but you do need a hub where your thoughts are showcased.
No one can read your mind, so you need someplace to show off what you got rattling around in your head. This can be a YouTube Channel, a Posterous Page, or just be really active in a social network specific to your industry.
Stand Out / Do Something Different
Most likely you’re niche isn’t original. So in order to become something other than just another talking head, you need to do something different. Perhaps, you’re unique due to your location, or the spin you have on the industry, or the way you deliver content. But whatever it is…make it yours.
The more people see your name pop up around a given topic, the more they’re going to associate you with being a thought leader for your niche or industry. Get focused, get active, and get out there.
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Scott S. Bishop is editor for Real Time Marketer and a marketing strategist with a specialty in social media. He is an avid blogger and active across the net. He is @thescottbishop on Twitter
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