Wait! Think before you post! Your personal brand is a powerful tool that increases your chances for success. However, it is based on the perceptions that others have about you and your value. Social media is an excellent way to showcase your leadership and executive presence by creating visibility for your brand-online. In order to effectively be perceived as the complete leader, who drives results that are remarkable, there are some things you must consider.
HR, corporate recruiters, hiring managers, managers, CEOs, and potential clients Google you 24/7. At the click of a button, they are logging onto your social networking sites, and checking out your profile using the online world as another way to evaluate who you are and your perceived value, without you ever knowing it. Take control by intentionally making it a priority to manage and maintain your executive and leadership presence on social networking sites, in email, on personal web sites, and blogs responsibly.
People who fail or are not completely successfully using social media to build their social networks, often only use it for general self-promotion without a clear strategy. While social media is great for self-promotion, you need to have a clear objective in how you are promoting and positioning your brand message. Here are a few questions to ask yourself: Why are you there? What are you trying to convey about your brand message? How does it translate to your brand? What three words do you want people to consider when they see your name?
When it comes to personal branding, authenticity is the name of the game. The goal is not to “fake it until you make it!” Consequently, social media is not meant to act as a cloak to hide behind and disguise yourself, like the Wizard from the land of Oz. Rather, when you communicate, it is meant to be used as a vehicle to authentically tell the story of the remarkable brand you – the complete leader! With this in mind, here’s how you can accomplish this:
- Make sure that you are the same person online and off. Consistency is key.
- Your personal brand statement is your guideline to determine your criteria in what you can or cannot post.
- Avoid posting pictures that will compromise your credibility, as a leader, thus attracting negative attention.
- Your purpose for being on social networks is to create two-sided engagements that add value.
- Share in a way that is transparent without becoming too personal about your life and job.
- Don’t try to boost your ego or sound bigger than you are. Unfortunately, this may work against you only giving the wrong impression to others.
Remember to seek ways to distinguish and set yourself apart by choosing your non-verbal communication, wisely, on social media. Because of this, the words you choose to use online hold the same meaning as if you had said them in person. Responsibly communicate to the world that your brand is bold, brilliant, and remarkable. So, now go ahead, hit that button!
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