Duck Alumni Career Blog

March 24, 2016

 

The Importance of Personal Branding - Developing Your Voice & Making Your Mark

Personal branding is a term that gets thrown around a lot in today’s social media driven world, but what does it mean and does it really make a difference? Personal branding is about developing an authentic and transparent storyline for your expertise, or for younger ducks, the type of professional you strive to be. And, yes it absolutely can make a difference -- it just takes a little bit of strategy. 

Dream of working for Nike? Show others you understand the industry. Want to open your own consulting firm down the road? Start building a strong and engaged following today. Think of it as a little dose of personal public relations to help you accomplish your goals. Before you begin your strategy it is also very important to know that the most successful personal brands are those that are authentic. While you may focus on highlighting specific aspects of your experience or skills, personal branding is all about YOU so make sure your personality shines through!

Telling Your Story
“Your personal brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” This is the perfect quote to consider when you are deciding the purpose of your personal branding. What are you trying to accomplish with your efforts? Are you trying to land your first job out of college and are looking for an outlet to express your skillset beyond your resume? How about networking with professionals working at an agency you’d love to work at? Or, how about becoming an authoritative resource in your career field? The first step to personal branding is stating your purpose.

Once you have decided your purpose it’s time to evaluate which skills or experiences in your background support that purpose. Where is your common ground? If you are trying to become an influencer in your industry what topics can you provide insight on? Use those topics as guidelines for the content you share online. Even if you aren’t an expert in those fields yet, you can share links to sources from professionals to show you are engaged and interested in those industries. 

Providing Value and Building Authority
Now that you have a clear idea of what you want to be known for and the value you can provide, it is time to decide where you will share this knowledge. Here are some suggestions to get started:

 

  • Blog or Website: Creating a simple website, cover page or blog is a great idea while developing your personal brand. There are several DIY options out there (personally I love Squarespace, Wix, and About.me) that can provide a professional hub to provide additional information on your background, highlight portfolio pieces, and link back to your social media accounts. I also suggest securing a custom domain name. It’s a small investment and adds a professional touch when you are including it on your resume or reaching out for future guest blogging or publicity opportunities.

     
  • Social Media Accounts: The terms personal branding and social media tend to go hand-in-hand in today’s world. Social media has opened the door for so many opportunities to have your voice heard and connect with people around the world. You have the opportunity to showcase your skills beyond the two-dimensional resume, so get out there and share your voice! Create a digital paper trail for others to find you for the right reasons (note I said right reasons.. skip the party pictures from college you probably shouldn’t have posted to begin with..)

    While we have mostly discussed crafting your story and topics you will be sharing with others, it is also very important to note that when you are starting out it’s also important to connect with others. The concept is the same, focus on your chosen topics but seek out related conversations and get involved! You can add your opinion and retweet on Twitter, comment on blog posts, or engage a popular LinkedIn group with a timely industry question. Equally as important as the content you are producing is the people and conversations you are engaging with online. To build a community of followers, you need to connect with others because without followers chances are you won’t receive the results you are looking for. So split up your efforts between providing quality content while also engaging with others.

     
  • Twitter Chats and Facebook Groups: Take your social media accounts to the next level by getting involved with Twitter chats or industry specific Facebook groups. Both offer a number of different opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals and increase your reach. Do some research for those in your interests and start connecting!

     
  • Guest Blogging & HARO: Once you have started to build a community you may want to consider guest blogging opportunities or Help a Reporter Out (HARO). Guest blogging can be a great way to connect with other audiences as well as building your portfolio of published work, which can add to your credibility. Another great option is a service called Help a Reporter Out. The service provides alerts for different media outlets searching for resources or quotes for stories they are working on – often with top publications.
     

Be Consistent
In conclusion, once you’ve nailed your strategy and the tactics you are using be consistent! No brand is built overnight and it’s important to stay consistent if you want to feel the real value of personal branding. You can’t tweet 3 times in a month or post 1 blog post and hope to have recruiters or editors of publications beating on your door. Be consistent – both through the voice you use and regularity of your efforts. I recommend focusing on a few clear channels at a time to measure the value of each and see which are the most effective. Twitter chats may be great for some, but Facebook groups might be better for others. Find out what works for you and keep at it!

Go Ducks!
 

Anna Osgoodby
BS Journalism Class of '09
anna@boldandpop.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaosgoodby
Connect with Anna on Twitter @AnnaOsgoodby