As the footprint of companies spreads geographically, today, more and more workers are working remotely, rather than in a corporate office. While telecommuting can bring benefits, like flexible work hours, it can also prove challenging when it comes to building your personal brand internally at your company.
So how can remote workers enhance their brand?
- Visit headquarters as much as possible. Take advantage of opportunities to travel to corporate for meetings or training. Encourage your boss to advocate for this type of travel. When it comes down to it – positive face-to-face interactions are your number one way to build your brand. When visiting headquarters – do your best to make connections. Grab lunch with the head of marketing, or drinks after work with a VP of some sort.
- Shine at company gatherings. Even for remote employees, there are typically some opportunities for in-person interactions. Whether it be a regional sales meeting or representing your company at a trade show with other employees. Use these opportunities to socialize and build connections.
- Pick up the phone. Don’t just send e-mails all the time. It can be difficult to build your network through e-mail alone. Instead of always sending e-mails, call people on the phone – and encourage people to call you.
- Video conference. Again, there’s nothing like looking someone in the eye when building solid connection. Better than a phone call – use tools like FaceTime or Skype to have video conferences instead.
- Be active in company-driven social media. If your company is using social media tools like LinkedIn groups or Twitter to build their brand, see how you can get involved by participating. If your company is using internal social media tools like wikis, blogs, or Yammer – put yourself out there by sharing market or trend information.
While being a remote worker makes it a bit more challenging to build your brand within your company, it’s not a possible endeavor.
