These days it’s not about who you know online, but rather who gets to know your personal brand. In order to create opportunities for your business or new job it is important to recognize that making the right connections is a process of building a rapport.
How can your personal brand connect with influencers in a meaningful way? The main answer is through building sustainable relationships that will last. A simple follow or handshake is not enough any more, and with a little effort and focused approach you can attract the right people to your networks.
In today’s online world it’s all about meeting the needs of others, and taking the spotlight off of ourselves. There are several ways to attract followers to your personal brand and create a lasting good impression.
Steps to Building Great Relationships
Projecting a good image for your personal brand starts with a positive focus. Start these steps today to make great connections:
Step 1 – Attitude matters – How do you respond to others? Check your feedback and replies and see how people are reacting. A negative attitude is just as contagious as a positive one.
Step 2 – Compliment others – Social media makes it easy to reach out and send a positive reply to an influencer. What can you remark on? A great article? Or perhaps a new product or achievement? Find out what they are up to and respond in kind.
Step 3 – Know what questions to ask – Generic conversations can be a dead-end for cultivating relationships. Avoid ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or close-ended questions, and try starting a dialogue with ‘who,’ ‘what,’ ‘when,’ ‘where,’ or ‘why’ instead.
Step 4 – Remember your new connections – Pay attention to who your new audience is and bring up something about them that makes a human connection. This always begins with their name, and then focusing on their interests and activities next.
As online communication evolves it is important for your personal brand to build positive relationships. By projecting a good attitude and paying attention to your audience, you can attract more opportunities that will grow and last.
