I’m not a narcissist, but I tend to get on my soapbox about personal branding because I think its so darn important. I run into a lot of folks that are literally “scared” to be themselves online and I think its a shame. I recently spoke to a woman that was surprised that I always write under my own name online. And I was surprised that she was surprised.
I understand the notion of the internet being a scary place. There are a lot of unscrupulous people out there doing unspeakable things. But, in terms of having an online presence, I think its important to get ahead of the game.
Just like in Talladega Nights – when the team branded Ricky Bobby’s car “ME” because he had no sponsors? He didn’t need sponsors because he (or at least the people around him) realized that HE was his brand. You are your brand whether you are a freelancer or work for someone else.
A few things to remember (and I apologize in advance if I’ve said this before…):
- Be yourself. It’s OK.
- Keep private information private. I probably put more information out there than I should, but I keep a careful eye on what’s being said about me.
- Set-up a Google alert on your own name or your user name. I have Google alerts for my name, my user name that I tend to use and my company names. Each day I get a little email from Google advising me of what’s being said about me. If I need to address something, I know where to look.
- Talk about your strengths, loves, dislikes – be a real person. At the end of the day, businesses want to do business with people. Show the world that you are a real person and engage in the online activity that you love. Don’t be afraid to talk about what you’re doing offline – online.
- Engage, engage, engage. Get a Twitter account and tweet about your interests. Get a Facebook page and talk about the things that are important to you. Check out NING communities that are pertinent to your interests. And remember, most social tools and communities have privacy controls, so if you want to limit who can see your info, use them.
Here are a few good resources to help you better understand personal branding.
- ChrisBrogan.com – Personal Branding eBook (just out today!)
- The Brand Called You – FastCompany.com
- Reach Branding Club – I used this service and really got a lot out of it.
- Personal Branding Blog
Twitter Tuesday tomorrow!!!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I think the biggest hurdle for most people is being comfortable being “brand you” online. A lot of people are insecure or not comfortable spilling their guts online. The truth is that sooner or later, everyone will be doing it. Everything now is built on trust. From reading a blog to being involved in a business transaction, if you don’t trust it/them, you won’t bother.
You are absolutely right, Dan. Trust is a huge factor in social media engagement. I hope that when it becomes “the norm” to have online profiles, folks will let their guards down a bit and feel better about participation. Thanks for the note!