A Genuine Approach to Building Your Personal Brand Online
Personal brand communications strategist, Ewa Pietreniuk, says, like it or not, you already have a brand, the question is, who is controlling it?
You’ve heard it before. You really should get working on developing your personal brand online. Maybe you created a social media account or two, posted some pics from your last vacation, and like a few posts here and there. The problem is, it’s just another thing to do and you already have too much on your plate. Things that seem to matter more. So, you can’t help but wonder, “Is all this social media stuff really worth it?”
The good news is, you’re not alone. While some people live for showing off their lives online, plenty of others embrace the, “Let’s just ignore it and hope it goes away” mindset when it comes to having an online presence, or even worse, a “brand.”
Sadly though, according to my most recent guest on Czar, personal brand communications strategist, Ewa Pietreniuk, the question is not “WHETHER” you should have a personal brand online, but “WHAT” is your personal brand online? “The real question,” Ewa suggests, “is who controls your brand?” Because if you don’t, somebody else will.
“If you’re not controlling your brand online, you’re falling behind,” Ewa warns. She’s been there, so she knows. Obsessed by her online presence, Ewa even had to conquer a mindset block of her own, which she did it. Indeed, she started a blog and paved the way. She forged ahead and learned the hard way. Eventually, she successfully developed an online brand that attracts her ideal clients and opportunities that align with her values. And now, she is willing to use her personal experience to show you the way.
Ewa generously shared her approach, which you can listen to in its entirety on the Communications Czar Podcast. But, for the sake of your immediate gratification and because I am obsessed with providing actionable information, I have distilled Ewa’s approach down to the G.E.N.U.I.N.E. method of building your personal brand online.
Google: Start by Googling yourself. You might be surprised by what comes up. “Ask yourself, ‘Is this the person I want to be seen as?’” Ewa suggests. If all that pops up are old pictures of you from the MySpace account you held when you were 16, or of your triumphant keg-stand victory in college, maybe it’s time to do some digital housecleaning. “With every comment, with every post, you write a history — make sure it’s a good one!” Ewa opines.
Engage in a visioning exercise: Decide how you want to appear online. “Ask yourself, ‘Where do I want to be in 3 years? What can I achieve in a year? What products and services am I promoting?’” Ewa suggests. To answer these questions, she advocates seeking both internal and external clarity. How do you want to feel when you are working with people? What work showcases your true genius? Clarify your ideal types of clients, and the projects and working conditions that you are most interested in pursuing. “How can you evaluate opportunities versus distractions if you haven’t clarified what you want?” Ewa asks.
Nurture your existing clients: Celebrate their wins. As a business owner, your content doesn’t always have to be about yourself. Instead, showcase the transformations that other people and businesses achieve by using your products or services. After all, who doesn’t love before and after pictures? Your clients may not be dropping physical weight, but a testimonial about the time/money/hassle that you helped them save can be just as dramatic and engaging. So, share the spotlight. “Create raving fans,” Ewa encourages. “They will be your biggest supporters and the best possible advertising.”
Utilize systems to prevent online overwhelm: Ewa advocates a systematic approach to your online brand building and forming habits that make your system sustainable. First, she suggests focusing on a few platforms. “One of my clients was trying to maintain a presence on 11 different platforms! It gives me a headache just thinking about it,” she relates. To be consistent, pick your few favorite platforms and plan some time each week to create content on each of them. Then, automate it to share with your community on a scheduled basis. The frequency and amount of content may vary depending on the particular focus of your business at any given time. For example, if you are rolling out online training, you may want to ramp up your content and frequency prior to the launch.
Incorporate multiple platforms for different types of engagement: One size does not fit all when it comes to content. Do your homework and figure out what type of content works best on specific platforms. “Choose tactics and channels based on your purpose,” Ewa says. Instagram content, for example, should be “quick, top-level, using the client’s language, talking about things that are important to them, showing behind the scenes, letting people know a little bit by exchanging with them. Use Instagram to drive clients to your e-mail newsletter. Once they are in your database, provide them with content that addresses their pain points.”
“No Boundaries” is not the only approach to your online presence. “Being authentic online doesn’t mean ‘no boundaries’ — but if you don’t know what your boundaries are, how can you protect them?” Ewa warns. Set those limits by doing your homework first. Don’t just jump in and start posting for the sake of sharing content. Think about your ideal clients instead. Who are they? What are their pain points? What are you uniquely suited to help them with? Create a plan that has you showing up on social media, talking, and providing content about things that really matter to your ideal clients, in a valuable manner. If you do not control your online brand, “You’re falling victim to others branding you. And if you’re not controlling it, how can your customers know what values you brand, and how you are different from the competition? Why should they do business with you? What value do you bring that others don’t?” asks Ewa. Show potential clients what sets you apart and what you can do for them. Highlight the products or services that you provide to help them achieve their end goals.
Engage before you sell: Now that you’re finally controlling your online narrative, you might be tempted to dive straight into sales mode. Resist that temptation. On LinkedIn, for example, Ewa recommends to not just say, ‘Hi, nice to meet you,’ and then move on to an 8-paragraph sales pitch without even asking if your interlocutor is facing the problem you’re talking about. Instead, build a bit of a relationship first. Deeply listen to your customer and see what they need help with. Then, you can pitch them how you can help. “Sometimes, it can take a year to convert a client! They are getting to know you and they need to know how you can help them,” Ewa assures.
Building your online brand requires some effort and forethought, but it will enable you to show who you are and what you have to offer the world. “’You don’t have to be perfect to start, but you have to start to be perfect,’ I am not the first to say that, but I wish I was!” Ewa relays. So, get started, dive in today, and take advantage of the opportunities that may arise.
Roseann Galvan helps business people stick out in a distracted world. Listen to her complete interview with Ewa Pietreniuk on the Communications Czar Podcast, available on Apple, Spotify, and Audible, or at www.communicationsczar.com.
