Posted on: December 17, 2018
In the 9th episode of Nancy Marshall’s The PR Maven Podcast®, she recorded her podcast during her presentation at the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Expo where she shared some tips on how to build your personal brand. Your personal brand differs from that of the company you work for – and it is just as important for your career. Managing how the world sees you as a professional is now critical as people can Google you in just seconds. In honor of the 9th podcast, here are 9 tips to help you manage your personal brand:
- Google yourself. See what images, articles or videos of you are out there. You can change the privacy settings on social media posts that you don’t want to be public.
- When you meet someone, look them in the eye, smile and give a firm but not painful handshake. Nancy says to use the same force as needed to open a door and you can practice on a friend to see if it’s too weak or too strong.
- Be present. When you meet someone, whether for the first time or for a meeting, turn off your cell phone and put it away. Pay attention to what they say – if you value a person’s time, they will return the favor.
- Edit your social media to accurately reflect you as a professional. Does your Twitter profile picture represent you well? Incorporate something about your work into the little intro paragraph. The same goes for all the other social media platforms – your page may be private, but the profile photos are not.
- Use LinkedIn like a pro. You can read all about ways to make LinkedIn a true professional asset in this blog post but a quick tip is to make sure your profile summary is full of great SEO and well-written copy. This section is visible to everyone, not just your connections. Nancy says to use a good headshot and not a selfie.
- Have a perfect resume. Nancy loathes typos and says she throws away any resume that has one so have a detail-oriented friend proof it before you send it out or post it online.
- Be memorable. Add something to your online profiles about what makes you unique. Include a little bit about your personal life on your resume. It’s surprising how often these sections are what get you called in for an interview. They establish shared interests and give a potential employer something to talk to you about in an interview.
- Think about your brand before posting online. It’s so easy to just click share and be done with it but stop! Think about if what you’re posting falls in line with your brand – does it reflect how you want to be seen? For example, if you don’t want to be seen as political, refrain from posting divisive political articles on social media.
- Put your “stake in the ground.” As always, Nancy emphasized the importance of using both in-person meetings and social media to connect with new people, reconnect with people you already know, and strengthen existing relationships. She firmly believes that you cannot build your personal brand with online relationships only or in-person relationships only. In today’s world, it is vital to connect online after meeting someone in person, in order to stay top-of-mind, and so people can find you when they need what you have to offer. It’s also vital to find reasons to meet face-to-face, because that’s where two people can look each other in the eye and truly feel the strength of a relationship. You can’t build a personal brand without both types of connection. You must put your stake in the ground.
The PR Maven® Podcast is presented by Marshall Communications, creator of The Marshall Plan® strategic process. The Marshall Plan is a fully customized document using our 65 proprietary steps and leads to a playbook for your success. If you think your business or organization would be a candidate for a Marshall Plan, you can take our Marshall Plan quiz to find out. Visit Marshallpr.com/quiz.
