You’ve heard it before: It’s critical that your company have a digital presence, including a well-designed, intuitive website and active social media accounts. But it’s also essential for company leaders and staff to have a personal presence as well, and that’s achievable through social media.

Prospects and clients appreciate and prefer when the company they’re considering working with (or already do) has a familiar face. The data bears it out. Social media management platform Sprout Social found that 70% of consumers feel more connected to brands with CEOs who are active on social. Additionally, it’s important that employees build their personal brand, demonstrate their expertise and engage with users. According to social media strategy site EveryoneSocial, employees of a company have five times the reach of corporate accounts, and employees’ followers are seven times more likely to convert than a business’ followers.

Social media isn’t meant to be a one-sided billboard; it works best when there’s intentional community-building and engagement. A well-honed personal brand on social invites people to the party and, eventually, can lead to business relationships.

Here are four ways to hone your personal brand.

1. Update your accounts.

Don’t undermine your digital presence – and personal brand – with outdated information, like a Twitter feed with an old bio and the last tweet dated 2018. Choose which platforms you’ll be using, and remember that you’ll be responsible for regular activity and engagement on each one. Update your profile information, keeping it consistent across each platform, (include personal fun facts as well) and have a plan to post regularly on each. Hint: You don’t have to be on every one, only those where your target audience spends the most time.

2. Determine your area of expertise.

Create targeted content for a specific niche of the marketplace. Perhaps it’s a particular product category in which you have extensive experience, or innovative imprinting techniques, or sales best practices. Whatever your skill, stick to that topic for your content and drill down deep. That way, you’ll stand out from your peers and become known for your expertise in a distinct area that resonates with your audience and leave them wanting more. This becomes your value proposition: what you offer that’s different from your peers. You can also enlist ASI Distributor Services for a helping hand (see sidebar).

70%
of consumers feel more connected to a brand whose CEO is active on social media.

(Sprout Social)

3. Share consistently.

The secret is quality over quantity – and consistency. You don’t have to post every hour, on the hour. Choose two or three weekdays and a time each day that would work best for your particular audience. An increasingly captive audience will expect new content, and you want to make sure you deliver quality information to keep their attention. Remember to stay on brand with a consistent and friendly tone that encourages people to engage with you. Take the time to plan out your content a few months in advance, so you’re not scrambling. And consider using a platform like Hootsuite, Zoho or SocialPilot to schedule posts.

4. Be positive & engaging.

Stay enthusiastic and upbeat about what you have to share. Don’t wade into political or otherwise divisive topics and engage in conversations with your audience. Provide helpful information and demonstrate your know-how without “buy today” messages or too many specials and discounts. Personal information (what you’re comfortable sharing) is fine too. It’s important that you come across as a real person with whom they can establish rapport and, ideally, a business relationship.