A first impression is important. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. This saying without a doubt became a quick cliché because of its truth and far reaching relevance, it applies to both our business and personal lives.
Whether you like it or not, you’re a brand. Ask your social circle who is most likely to succeed? Fail? Cheat? Lie? Etc… You will most likely hear who fits into these categories in unison, by the simple fact that we are who are we are. However it is also how we portray ourselves, it is our personal brand.
Impression management is critical and although you may think posting your political views or your keg stand on Facebook is enlightening, it is most likely doing more harm than good.
You will not be buried in the corporate cemetery and employee loyalty ranks with the likes of the VHS VCR and SONY Walkman.
With that being said you need to be more cognizant of your personal brand, and manage it separately from the company or product you represent. Your job title may come and go, but yourself as a brand will always be with you.
Here are some helpful hints on building your brand vis-à-vis social media:
Facebook – You should have both a personal and professional page that covers different facets of your life. Have control over your content and have your personal page set to private. Leave the keg stands out just in case you befriend some co-workers, they could be the first to sandbag your brand.
Twitter – Not only sign up for twitter, hook up with likeminded people. Are you into film, art, or dressing up like Japanese anime characters (true story)… By following like minded people it will provide daily incite as well as provide a conduit for fresh ideas.
Personal Web Site – Everyone should have a personal site separate from Facebook. Don’t think you’re interesting enough, think again. I’m not very interesting, but I was still able to get you to read this! This should focus on your professional goals. Develop a personal mission statement and even some tidbits about who you are (again leave out the keg stands).
Linked In – This is probably the most underutilized tool, as we simply up load our information and confirm new contacts now and again. But what are you doing with those contacts? You should be posted across all mediums daily, as all your professional related posts should be sent to your entire network via linked in. This will supply you with excellent exposure and possibly land you your next job / assignment.
Instagam – Not just for college age kids to post silly photos, but relevant content that will fortify your personal brand. Although it’s limited, a picture still does mean a thousand words.
So how well are you doing with your influence over social media? I would recommend finding out your KLOUT score. This will compile all of your social media outlets and provide you with a score of influence. For sake of brevity, it assigns a number from 1-100. Justin Beiber is a 100, Renee Graziano from MOB Wives is 74 and mine is 63 (not bad). You’ll use this as a gauge to benchmark your influence relative to your network.
Now that you have the right social media tools, it is time to take your personal brand to the next level! Good luck and Facebook message, tweet, or send me a linked in invite anytime.
Also don’t forget to follow me on twitter @thesalesexpert Also feel free to share any thoughts on how to build your personal brand. All ideas are welcome.
An Article Written By Tom LaVecchia