Thanks to the targeted reach of the social network, LinkedIn can be a powerful tool to help professionals elevate their personal brand
Many professionals recognize that a strong personal brand is essential to their success in the marketplace. As I have discussed in previous posts, an effective personal brand is authentically related to your skills, interests, and areas of expertise. But many in the professional services ranks still struggle to promote themselves and their brand in a way that will be welcomed by current and potential clients.
LinkedIn is one of the best tools I have found for someone at a professional services firm to grow their personal brand. Many professionals already use LinkedIn to stay connected with colleagues, network, and search potential job opportunities. But thanks to the targeted reach of the social network, LinkedIn can also be a powerful tool to help professionals elevate their personal brand.
Most professionals wouldn’t think of putting an ad in a magazine to promote themselves or cold-calling potential clients to ask for a meeting. Similarly, they should also follow some simple and established techniques for using social media to get their name in front of prospective clients, as well as other influencers, and promote their expertise in acceptable ways.
(One note: This article is not meant as a guide for how to use LinkedIn. I’m assuming that you already have a complete and up-to-date personal profile and a substantial number of personal connections. If not, there are a number of great resources online to help you get started.)
Here are four strategies to using LinkedIn to build and promote your personal brand:
Once you have graduated to publishing your own original content on a particular subject, you will be on your way to establishing your brand reputation around a topic. It will take time and persistence, but soon you may find others commenting on your articles or posting responses in which they may agree or disagree with your perspectives.
Having a well-written profile and making strategic connections are necessary in order to get value out of LinkedIn. If you want to use it to elevate your personal brand and promote your subject matter expertise, learn to be an active contributor and conversation starter. Of course, this is just one way to use the platform to elevate your personal brand. In my next post, I’ll share some tips for effective online networking.