1. Build Your Digital Footprint Share your knowledge and points of view online. Look past your professional expertise and offer views on topics that speak to your values and interests. Publish on LinkedIn, Facebook or a personal blog. Engage in social arenas. Comment on stories that interest you. All of these efforts leave a digital footprint that offers evidence of who you are and what you represent. - Carm Lyman, Lyman Agency 2. Be Yourself Done right, a personal brand will stick for the long haul, so get real with yourself first! Ask some hard questions and be true to not only who you are today, but who you are committed to being down the road. Your personal brand must be authentic in order to truly resonate with others, so don't skip the process of knowing who you really are first. - Ketie Harris, Spot on Solutions 3. Consistency is crucial It's easy to get excited about your ideas and where you want to be, but it's easier to get discouraged once you hit your first roadblock. Consistency is crucial, so study your audience and understand what sets you apart, then come up with your personal brand message. Once you have your message, engage with your audience while monitoring their engagement and use the results to guide your strategy. - Ahmad Kareh, Twistlab Marketing 4. Don't Compare Yourself To Established Execs If you’re just starting out, there’s some bad news – not a lot of people are listening. That’s also the good news. This means just get started and learn as you go — don’t be intimidated by execs who have fully polished personal brands. Just put time on your calendar and work on it religiously. - Dan Golden, Be Found Online 5. Grow Your Instagram Having a large and engaged following on Instagram comes with multiple benefits. It grows your brand awareness, builds your credibility as an expert in your field, and can track the attention and desire of other businesses and brands looking for beneficial partnerships. - Leila Lewis, Be inspired PR 6. Keep Building Your Credibility It is of utmost importance to have consistent, insightful and original input on social media channels. Double- and triple-check what you write prior to hitting "submit." Once you lose credibility, it will be hard to regain the momentum and voice you had previously created. Strive to be a pioneer in your respective field. Learning and thinking is a fluid process. Stay one step ahead of everyone! - Jonathan Snow, Social Cadre 7. Focus On Delivering Your Best Work Stop trying to be a celebrity and just do the best work. When you consistently deliver work that is unparalleled, creative, inspirational and unique in the marketplace, the delivery of that work becomes your brand. But no matter how innovative your thought leadership or how good your Instagram, if you don't have real, honest credibility in your work, your "brand" is a hollow shell. - Craig Greiwe, Rogers & Cowan 8. Find The Right Content Mix And Frequency Building a personal brand is even more important now. The most effective executives, like Richard Branson, are approachable and true to themselves. Blending personal perspective, industry thought leadership and company highlights can be effective in building your personal brand. Publish consistently with a regular frequency with this mix and you are well on your way. - Gina Michonowicz, Union + Webster 9. Be Interested In Your Target Audience Building a personal brand requires a different approach than for a company. First and foremost, you need to prove to your target audience why you are valuable to them. Why should they follow you? Show potential followers you are interested in them, and show how you can benefit their life with your insights, knowledge and personality. - Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS Excited? You should be! Feel free to reach out if you have further questions: Mail: inquiries@edvondra.com