(Version Française: Les 5 manières les plus efficaces de communiquer sur votre personal branding)
Now that you have answered the 4 questions to define your personal brand, you should be more clear on who you are, what you want, and what personal brand you want to grow 🤗.
The next step is how to communicate about it !
The excellent news is that there are many easy and efficient ways to share who you are.
Here are the 5 main ones you should focus on.
➡️ OFFLINE
YOUR BODY LANGUAGE
The way you stand, the way you shake someone's hand, the way you seat at a meeting, the way you use your voice when you give a presentation, the word you use, etc. : All those elements will contribute to growing your personal brand around you.
Look also at the words in the answer to the 4 former questions and implement them in your vocabulary. Embody them.
If you want an EXCELLENT & science backed-up source of information for that, I advise you to head to The Science of People. Another great source of inspiration is the best seller How to win friends and influence people.
THE WAY YOU DRESS
Every single morning we make a choice to wear certain clothes, a certain color, accessories, etc. That you want it or not, that choice means something.
Even if you are super casual, it contributes to the way people perceive you. If that's in line with how you want to be remembered, it's totally cool. However if by answering those questions you are heading another direction, get the help of an image consultant to help you get there! It doesn't mean you will have to change your entire wardrobe, it will simply be maybe to change your way to combine some clothes together, or about wearing colors that enhance your skin tone or clothes that match your body type, etc.
Here is a list of different ways to grow your personal brand offline:
- Speaking engagement
- Professional conventions, events, fairs
- Networking events: alumni associations, professional associations, entrepreneurs,etc.
- One to one lunch meetings
...
➡️ ONLINE
STEP 1: GOOGLE & GOOGLE IMAGES
Have you ever type your name in Google? Do it now and come back once you have done it.
Look at the words that come up, the website you are referred on.
Now click on the tab 'Google Images'. Same, look at what you see.
3 scenarios:
There is nothing to be found about you. You are invisible. That... in itself... says something about you. Again, no right or wrong, but it has to be in line with the message you want to convey.
There is a looooot of things that you might have preferred to keep private or which are not in line with the personal brand you want to grow. No panic, you will now take control. Change your privacy on the content you share on Facebook, Linkedin and Instagram. Contact some websites for them to take down some images or content. After that cleaning, head to the next steps below.
There is exactly what you want to find there in terms of content and images. It is all in line with how you want to be referred to so : GOOD JOB !!
STEP 2: SHARE CONTENT THAT YOU CAN CONTROL
Before creating any content or start sharing about who you are, what you do and everything about your personal brand, you MUST ask yourself who is your target audience.
I will give you 2 examples for you to see the big picture and do the exercise on your own.
Example 1:
If your 'why' is about getting a promotion and you want to use a subtle way to make your boss understand that you ARE THE ABSOLUTE best one for it, your target audience will pretty much be your boss & people above, the Human Ressources Manager of your company and your colleagues. How can you reach those people ?? Do you think it will be through Facebook or Instagram? Most probably not. The content on those will have to be 'clean' and in line, but that will NOT be your focus to build your case. However, Linkedin, a personal website and a blog would definitely be great online tools to work your way towards that promotion. Sharing articles, maybe writing articles. Updating your profile picture with a compelling professional headshot wearing a certain outfit and colors. Using specific words when your share posts, etc.
Example 2:
If you are an ex-lawyer, now flower shop owner and you want to attract local clients who value the beauty of fresh flowers on a weekly basis and your shop is located in an area with 30-40 yrs couple having their first kids ... Then you might want to share your beautiful brand with those first time mum through : a beautiful fresh website with modern headshots & an updated professional portrait ', not lawyer type'.
An Instagram & Facebook showing images of you preparing stunning bouquets. And mastering your craft, and why not be a guest on some blogs about self-care for young mums and the positive aspect of keeping a link with nature & beauty in your home to go through hectic times.
You get the point. Don't lose your precious time and energy using a media that your target audience will NOT use.
SOCIAL MEDIAS
You have the main ones like Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin .. but depending on your targets there is also Tik Tok, SnapChat etc. On any of those, when you share something, take a step back just before sharing and ask yourself :
Am I using the words that define my brand and that are in line with the message I want to convey?
Are the images or my portraits depicting correctly the energy I want to convey?
Am I using the right medium to reach my target?
WEBSITE
If you have a business, I guess you already have thought about that medium.
Just make sure every detail on it is in line with your message and target audience. And remember, your website might be the absolute first (and maybe only) thing that your target will see first. They will build the perception they have on you and the quality of your products and services by the quality of your website, your copy and your images and portraits. And remember, people look at images before reading. Please do not underestimate that.
Step up your professional image game if you have to, it is crucial for the growth of your revenue and business.
PERSONAL WEBSITE (Yes ! Even if you are employed😉!)
Nowadays, with platforms like Wix or Squarespace, building a website is getting very intuitive, easy, and inexpensive.
A growing trend is to have, even if you are in the middle of a corporate career, your own website at your name. First of all, the big advantage is that you will be able to fully control what people see about you. Second, it gives you more visibility when someone types your name on Google. Here are 6 Things You Should Put on Your Personal Website—and 6 Things to Avoid at All Costs. Again remember: everything on that website (the font, your words, the colors, your business headshot) has to be cohesive with the personal brand you are building every day offline.
BLOG & GUEST BLOGGING
By creating written content on a topic that you are passionate about, or to set yourself as knowledgeable and expert in one field is very efficient.
It will set yourself apart from your colleagues or competitors and it will give you a solid visibility in terms of SEO and Google Search when someone type your name.
SO, READY TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD WHO YOU ARE ?
All the women business headshots and women executive portraits shared in that article have been created by Alice Prenat, headshot photographer in Paris & New York for the studio Portrait Executive.