When people talk about you, how do they describe you?

If you have a company, what do people think about when your company comes to mind? How do they describe your company to others?

These questions revolve around the concept of “brand”, meaning how we (or our companies) come across to others.

Even though you may not have a company and have no plans to start one, you still have a brand, which is essentially your reputation.

 

Concepts of Personal Branding from The Start-Up of You

One of my favorite books on this topic is The Start-up of You by Reid Hoffman (co-founder of the LinkedIn) and Ben Casnocha, which stresses that all of us, even if we don’t have our own companies, are actually entrepreneurs. They say: “You need to think of yourself as an entrepreneur at the helm of at least one living, growing, start-up venture – your career.”

In order to accomplish this task, they advise their readers to learn to develop a competitive advantage, adapt to the unexpected, develop and sustain a network, pursue break-out opportunities, and take intelligent risks.

So, where does social media fit into this picture? Everywhere!

 

Tips for Using Social Media to Develop and Enhance Your Brand

Carefully review your LinkedIn headline, your Twitter bio, your Google+ description, and even the about section of your personal Facebook page. Take these steps:

• Make sure the words you select to describe yourself fit not only who you are now, but also the person you aspire to become.
• For the summary section on LinkedIn – be visionary as you depict your professional goals and how you want to serve the world. Don’t just rehash your resume. (Hint – you have 2,000 characters in this section, so don’t skimp on making yourself shine.)
• Scroll through your posts on all the social media sites you have used over the past week or two and ask yourself: Were they uplifting, helpful, and informative? Or were they filled with negative comments? It’s OK to occasionally “whine” on social sites, but a steady dose of negativity can be a turn-off for many people.
• Take a look at the photos you have posted on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, etc., in the same time period. Are they all in good taste? Do they all reflect your most professional self? Take down or make private any that don’t.
• Use the search box on all the social media sites you use to find professional groups, hobby groups, or other specialty groups you can join. These groups reflect you and your personal brand. Become a valued member by posting useful, astute comments that are not all sales or otherwise self-serving.
• Reflect on the business pages you follow on Facebook, the company pages you follow on LinkedIn, and the entities you follow on Twitter. They also reflect you and your personal brand.
• Your preferences tell those who see your pages about what you’re interested in, who you support, and your personal interests. They use this information to color their opinion of you and your brand. Make sure it’s painting the picture you want to portray.

 

How About You?

What ideas do you have about your personal brand and social media? What changes, if any, have you made in your posting style to put a better foot forward? What kinds of reactions do you have when people share inappropriate and/or negative comments on social media sites?

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 50 and up, to become more comfortable using social media, especially Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter.

She works with business owners, nonprofit organizations, retired people, consultants, and many others. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.