9 Ways to Brand YOU

Photo credit Deniz Ongar

In #editorchat, Lydia (moderator) asked, “authors: have your editors and publishing companies ask that you ‘brand yourself’ by blogging, twittering, or using other SM #editorchat”
It doesn’t matter if you work for a corporation, nonprofit, government or small business. Don’t wait for someone to tell you to “brand yourself.”
You must develop and promote brand YOU. Whether you work with a company for five years or ten, it will never look out for you. Only you can look out for you.
So how do you build brand YOU?
1. Establish yourself in social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs and so on) prepares you for the time you need to tap into it whether it’s to promote a client, your brand, your platform or your product.
2. Build relationships. Don’t wait until you have something you want to promote — then you’ll lose credibility because you won’t have built your relationships first.
3. Participate. Signing up and creating a page in Facebook and LinkedIn isn’t enough. Respond to people’s questions and comments. Visit blogs and leave thoughtful responses.
4. Set up alerts. Receive an email every time someone mentions your name, your blog, your site, anything you. Yes, this is ego surfing. Alerts: Google Alerts, Twilerts, Tweetbeep.
5. Respond when someone mentions you. A link, an @you in Twitter, whatever. Respond. People love it when you notice. I don’t thank everyone who #followfriday and links to me. I use my best judgment or return the favor by commenting in their own blogs.
6. Create a web site. Even if you don’t sell anything or offer services, a basic web site with your background is always wise. It’s your calling card. Sometimes people don’t respect those who only list a Facebook, Myspace or LinkedIn URL in a Twitter profile. You don’t need tech knowledge to build a web site. If you can use a word processor, you can handle a web site.
7. Respond in different ways. Link to them, quote them, retweet (RT) them, reply to them. Do share your own thoughts with no link, RT or names. People who do nothing, but post links in Twitter lower their chances of getting followers. People who RT every time give the impression they can’t think for themselves.
8. Think variety. It’s good to participate in the same group of blogs, but it’s better if you visit a new blog a couple of times a week and leave a comment. Stretch yourself and your presence.
9. Post carefully. If you don’t want kids or a future client or boss to read something you write, don’t post it.
Hillel’s pre-techie days quote still applies:
“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”
How do you brand YOU?