Power up: How personal branding on LinkedIn can take you to the next level ‣ Pitch121

Power up: How personal branding on LinkedIn can take you to the next level

A solid personal brand isn’t a bonus; it’s a necessity. On LinkedIn, your brand can be the key to expanding professional networking, creating new opportunities, and establishing yourself as a thought leader.

What defines a personal brand? As branding expert Sapna Pieroux eloquently said when we went Live on LinkedIn, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

It’s your professional reputation, a blend of your expertise, values, and personality. It’s how others perceive you in the professional sphere. It takes a conscious effort to combine these aspects to create a personal brand strategy. Shape your professional image to align with your career goals.

3 strategies to Build an authentic personal brand

Pinpointing what you want to be known for is often the most challenging aspect of building a personal brand. Here are some tips from my Live with Sapna.

Examine Your Career Path

Reflect on your career journey and identify those moments of significant change. What were the reasons behind those shifts? What values were at play in those decisions? You can gain valuable insights into your core values and motivations by recognising recurring patterns and consistent themes.

Gather Outside Perspectives

Engage in conversations about your career development with a trusted friend, colleague, or mentor. They may offer fresh perspectives or observations you still need to consider, helping you see yourself in a new light.

Analyse Your Online Presence

Use a search engine like Google or an AI tool like Perplexity to see what appears when someone searches for you online. Do the results align with your desired brand image? If not, consider refining your online presence and ensuring it accurately reflects your professional identity.

And actually, if the content on your page isn’t 100% relevant to a specific audience, then they may not follow your company page in the first place.

LinkedIn is the perfect platform for personal branding

Of course, it is. LinkedIn is unmatched when it comes to your professional online presence. However, with over a billion users, standing out from the crowd is a challenging feat.

Sapna and I agreed two strategies are essential here;

1. Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile

Use this to make a powerful and memorable first impression:

Professional Headshot: Use a high-quality, current headshot that conveys professionalism and approachability.
Compelling Banner Image: Use the banner image space strategically to showcase your unique value proposition or highlight aspects of your work.
Value-Driven Headline and About Section: Instead of simply listing your job title, craft a headline that captures the essence of what you do and the value you offer to others. Use the ‘About’ section to tell a concise and engaging story about your professional journey, highlighting skills and accomplishments.
Showcase Testimonials and Recognition: Feature testimonials from satisfied clients or colleagues, as well as any awards, certifications, or publications, to enhance your credibility and build trust.

2. Create Content that Captures Attention

You know it already – content is king on LinkedIn! To make your mark:

Be Consistent: Regularly sharing valuable content keeps you top-of-mind with your network and demonstrates your commitment to your field.
Use Eye-Catching Visuals: Images and videos break through the text-heavy environment of LinkedIn and capture attention more effectively.
Embrace Video: Use LinkedIn Live for real-time interaction with your audience or create short-form videos to share bite-sized insights and tips.
Don’t Fear Experimentation: Test different content marketing formats (articles, polls, images, videos) to see what resonates best with your audience.
Showcase Authenticity: Share anecdotes and experiences that reveal your personality and values. People connect with authentic stories, making you more relatable and memorable.

Companies need to be personal too

Forward-thinking companies understand that strong personal brands among their employees contribute to the company’s overall success.

Colleagues active on LinkedIn are valuable because they;

Amplify the Company Voice: Employees who actively engage on LinkedIn become powerful advocates for their companies. Sharing their experiences and insights can humanise the company, build trust, and make it more appealing to potential clients and recruits.
Showcase Diversity and Inclusion: A company’s diverse array of personal brands signals a commitment to inclusion. It demonstrates the value placed on employees’ unique perspectives.
Align with Company Values: While individual expression is encouraged, employees should align their personal brand with the company’s core values and messaging to ensure a consistent and unified brand image.

The Imperfect Journey of Personal Brand Building

Remember, building a personal brand is a continuous process. As Sapna notes, “Personal brands aren’t built overnight”. It’s not about aiming for instant perfection; take a first step and keep developing. Aim to be authentic, consistent, and engaging, and watch your personal brand flourish on LinkedIn

Take Your LinkedIn Presence to the Next Level

Ready to elevate your LinkedIn game? Let’s help you build a standout profile and strategy Pitch121 can help you craft a LinkedIn approach that builds your future sales pipeline.

Make the first step, get in touch with us