Your Reputation

This week I’m answering this excellent question from Emily Fedewa, who asks:

The first thing to know is building a personal brand takes time. It took me about six months before I started seeing any consistent engagement on LinkedIn or got anyone reaching out to me about services of any kind.

So before you revamp anything, make sure you give yourself time to really test what you have.

Also, know that personal brands evolve as you do. 

We’re all works in progress. Our businesses, audiences, and goals will likely change as we go, so it’s important to stay open, flexible, and willing to adapt as it makes sense.

All that said, here are some indicators that you’re going in the wrong direction and it’s time for a revamp:

• You’re attracting the wrong crowd: You don’t align with your audience.
• You’re not attracting clients: You get likes, but no buyers.
• You don’t align with your brand: You feel like you’re putting on an act.

There are so many aspects to a personal brand, so make sure to isolate what’s working and not working before you do a refresh. It may be that you need to:

• Update your visuals and color palette - For instance, if you want high-ticket clients, you’ll need to create a look that signals luxury. 
• Rethink your voice and strategy - Are you speaking the language of your ideal client? Are you focusing on the topics they care about? 
• Focus on what excites you - You can have the best visuals and content in the world, but if you don’t feel connected to what you’re doing and excited about showing up, it won’t work. 

As for the second part of the question, “When should you start earnestly creating one?” The answer is yesterday!

And yes, I know “personal brand” is a newer phrase that makes some people want to throw up or roll their eyes or both, so if you’re having this reaction, think about it instead as “reputation building,” something people have been doing for ages.

You can’t argue that being more visible, known for something, and having a bigger network isn’t helpful. 

And let’s face it, we live in a society where people with more influence, followers, and connections have more opportunities. 

A personal brand is helpful for literally anyone looking to do anything at any point in their lives: 

• If you’re looking for a new job, having a strong personal brand will give you an edge
• If you’re looking to grow your business, a strong personal brand will help you do that.
• If you’re looking to publish a book, a strong personal brand will make it easier.
• If you’re a founder looking to attract talent, a strong personal brand will do that.
• If you’re looking to expand your network, a strong personal brand will do that.

Your brand is your ticket to more opportunities. The more you can expand your network, boost your visibility, and develop your reputation, the more your world will open up.

I’ve experienced this firsthand. I’ve met some incredible people (many of whom are reading this email right now) just by writing online.

And no, I’m not making millions or writing to you from a beach in Bali, but I am getting consistent inbound work just from having an online presence.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten on a call with someone and they’ve said, “I feel like I already know you.”

That’s the power of writing online.

All of that is worth a lot and well worth the time and effort I’ve put into it all. So if you’re on the fence, it’s time to jump.

Why not try it for six months and see how it goes? Identify a goal, platform, and audience you want to speak to and experiment. See what you learn and who you meet.