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One of the most important things you need to do to successfully build your personal brand is to find the right audience for the type of information you’re publishing, as well as the products you’re selling. Too many people disregard the word “audience” and just take the plunge and end up scratching their heads because they have no blog subscribers, social network followers and revenue. The smartest companies these days, including Whole Foods and Zappos, build a community of customers that opt-in to learn more about upcoming products and events. You can personally copy the same success as they have by creating content around what you’re trying to sell and figure out who most needs that content.
In order to find out the best strategy to position your social media brand, I spoke to social media expert and politician, Aidan J. Cassidy. He said: “Social media can be such a powerful tool in building your brand as a leader. However, it’s important to plan your social media presence strategically. Who is your audience? What sort of attention are you looking to attract?” Just using social media for the sake of using it is not wise. A lot of people put all their energy into sending tweets and making Facebook updates that either don’t get read or don’t eventually turn into sales.
When I asked Aidan J. Cassidy about how to build the right type of social media community that can support your personal brand, he said: “It’s important to build a targeted community. Having a big general group you’re marketing to won’t create super engaged followers. Be specific.” As I always say, don’t be everything to everyone or you’ll be nothing to no one. No one wants to join a general groups with random people. People want to be connected to others who share similar interests, professions, agendas, etc.
Another important piece of advice is to be unique. Aidan J. Cassidy says: “It’s also important to figure out who you are as a business leader. What makes you unique? Whatever that is, tap into it and make that the special sauce of your online presence.” If you don’t understand what your unique qualifications are for serving your community, then it will be hard to capture the audience in the first place. You have to give people a reason to listen to you and take you seriously if you want to build a strong community.
Finally, the most important thing you can do to be successful building your personal brand online is to be authentic. Cassidy says: “Be authentic. People can spot content that is not genuine. Stay true to you and your personal brand.” If you aren’t being true to yourself, people won’t be able to connect with you. It’s all about having an emotional and authentic relationship with your followers. People connect with those who are vulnerable, willing to admit their mistakes and aren’t afraid to speak up about what they truly care about.
