8 Easy Ways to Build Your Personal Brand Online

What would you do if you happen to lose your job or your business goes bust today?

Can you pick up the pieces and move on? Or will your self esteem be shattered beyond repair?

Losing our job or our businesses have always been one of the chief concerns of mankind. Most of us identify ourselves more closely with our daytime careers than our other occupations (eg husband/wife, father/mother, chaffeur, tutor, coach, etc).

A good occupation brings you money, prestige, meaning and purpose in life. It provides interesting learning opportunities, allows you to make good friends, and takes you to fascinating new places.

The danger however, is that job stability is becoming a figment of the imagination. With the global economy as it is, organisations need to be agile. Unfortunately, this sometimes mean sacrificing workers when things head south.

Similarly, more and more businesses are folding up each year, especially start-ups and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Time to Build Your Personal Brand?

To withstand these forces, it is critical for you to build your personal brand. Invest in your identity and strengthen your reputation in your desired field. Establish yourself as a thought leader and an expert vested with invaluable skills.

Start growing your personal brand by doing the following.

#1 Zoom in to Your Niche

Identify what you’re truly passionate about and good at. This could be a hobby or a profession. If you’re a polymath, consider focusing on the area that is most unique or prized.

#2 Showcase Your Talent using Digital Channels

Develop digital and social platforms to share your craft. Promote what you do through blogs, videos, photos, wikis, or other content platforms.

A good way to start is to strengthen your LinkedIn profile and presence.

#3 Teach and Train Others

While promoting your work is useful, do also invest time to teach others. Provide free lessons online. Share shortcuts, pro-tips, and useful facts as generously as you can.

In the age of social media, the best way to get your personal brand out there is to educate (and entertain).

#4 Learn from the Best

As you’re sharing and creating valuable about what you’re good at, do remember to also learn from others. Read good books about your craft, and follow the leading experts and influencers in your field. There are tonnes of free resources that you can get online, regardless of your areas of mastery.

This ensures that you are able to constantly sharpen your personal saw.

#5 Cultivate Your Social Networks

Once you’ve established a certain rhythm and got a nice bit of content flowing, network and promote yourself. Participate in online forums, LinkedIn groups, Facebook groups and other social communities.

Follow like-minded folks on Facebook and Twitter. Share what you do on these channels, while being mindful not to be too zealous and spammy.

#6 Embrace Reciprocity and Kindness

Embrace the principle of reciprocity. If in doubt, err on the side of generosity. Do unto others what you want others to do unto you (and maybe a little more).

Nobody likes a person who loves to boast about himself or herself continuously. Where possible, encourage others with a “like”, retweet, share, or comment. Post about the work of others if they’re noteworthy.

#7 Press the Flesh

When you are more confident over time, progress to sharing your craft offline. Organise get togethers, workshops and peer learning sessions.

From my experience, I find that face-to-face gatherings are usually more enriching and valuable than online ones.

#8 Participate in Competitions

As you “level up” in your craft, consider enrolling in competitions and contests that are widely recognised as successful benchmarks. Participate in ratings and rankings to see how well you fare.

Note that such an exercise can be a humbling one if you’re not up to the mark. However, they are also useful as a way of motivating you to do better in your personal domain.

Ready to Build Your Personal Brand?

The initial stages of building your personal brand will probably be the most difficult. After all, what I’m prescribing almost sounds like another job.

However, once you get into the habit, it becomes a more natural aspect of your daily life.

Of course, having a strong personal presence alone doesn’t guarantee you a job. There are forces out there which we have no control over. However, it certainly allows you to stand out relative to others in your field, and can play a positive role in influencing your eventual career.

Are there other things you can do to boost your personal brand? I’d love to hear your ideas.