When I started to look at the people around me who have built successful personal brands, one thing is apparent. They are great at building personal relationships.
Online personal branding is a bit more tricky. It’s harder to build a personal relationship online. Relationships online take more repetition, more pinging, and cultivating. Joining Twitter was a good start for me as it gives those on the web a way to get to know me as a person rather than some distant blogger.
I’m looking for ideas that help build those connections. Videos might be a good start as they give you a visual and audio representation of who I am. Done right, and they can help build a brand and connection. Anyone else have ideas?
7 responses so far ↓
Michael Henreckson // April 18, 2008 at 7:43 am |
I think Twitter is a great tool for expressing interest in someone, since unlike an RSS subscription, the twitterer gets a notification of exactly who is following them.
I use Facebook in a similar way, because it gives people a window into your life. It works for me because my offline persona doesn’t consist of a lot of wild stuff that I’d rather non-friends didn’t know about.
Andre Blackman // April 29, 2008 at 8:19 pm |
Twitter has been an absolutely wonderful tool for me. I have met and connected with so many great people, it’s mind blowing.
I would definitely say Twitter would be my suggestion. That along with commenting on blogs that you like to read that are outside of the personal branding/communication world.
Andy Drish // June 17, 2008 at 9:57 pm |
My advice is to actually get away from technology…
There is nothing more personal than a face to face meeting (I met with Ryan Healy and Ryan Paugh of the Brazen Careerist last weekend when I happened to be in their city…)
If a face to face meeting won’t work, pick up the phone and chat with someone for 20 minutes. People become much more real when you see them or hear their voice… Otherwise they’re just an avatar picture and some text on a computer screen… Like now.
Ricardo Bueno // July 16, 2008 at 4:49 pm |
I think it’s harder to build a personal relationship online because it’s more challenging in eliciting a response (as of course you mentioned and very well know). Then, that’s why tools such as twitter are such great companions to the social marketing arsenal. Twitter has a unique ability to cultivate new relationships and get to know your audience/readers.
If you can be interesting enough in your day-to-day blogging, that is powerful enough to elicit a response. Then, it’s all about how you react to that response.
Max Bottaro // October 24, 2008 at 12:31 pm |
I agree twitter is good… fb and linkedin are great as well…
I think what really helps though is just actually taking the time to read what someone has to say and give honest feedback. It shows that you actually care about what they have to say, are interested, and maybe have some insight to share as well. It makes you seem like a real person, not just a personal salesmen.
I agree though, networking is the most powerful promotion tool. If you know the right people and you aren’t retarded, there’s no limit to what you can accomplish.
2.0 2.shmow… business is still based on relationships.
Kristi // December 9, 2008 at 8:43 pm |
This may be a huge no-brainer but commenting on other people’s sites/blogs that you admire or want to connect with is a great way to start to grow your connections. If they also have a large following, even better! Start commenting more and see the results. You’ll definitely increase traffic to your site.
Hah – I just read Andre’s post more thoroughly so there you go.
Hayli @ Rise Smart // December 15, 2008 at 6:12 am |
LOL – does anybody say that anymore? Loved your skepticism at Twitter, because I said the exact same thing! But I’m warming to the concept – I’ll follow you!