Whether you are the CEO of a company or a small business owner, if the right people don’t know about you -- and hear from you regularly -- you are missing out on opportunities to build your brand and business.
Building your profile is more than just appearing in the media.
These days you have many more options and no longer have to rely on the media outlets to ‘choose’ your story.
Stage one: Build your profile with what you have
1. Social Media. Have all your relevant accounts up to date and reflecting your brand. This includes Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook. Social media is a great way to stay connected with the masses without leaving your office in some cases.
2. Email. Do you have an email list, sharing what you know to your following, prospects and clients? This will also bring people to your website/blog which should be displaying examples of your knowledge and savvy advice --plus a list of your services.
3. LinkedIn publishing tool. This is brilliant. You can publish content via LinkedIn (it doesn’t even have to be original content) and it will reach a targeted audience of people that follow you or are connected with you.
4. Networking. This is actually a way of profile building that not many people realize, or give proper weight to. You are meeting people one by one, which means it has the power to be a deeper and stronger connection than following someone on social media only.
5. Speaking. This is a great way to have 50 – 5,000 people find out who you are and what you know in one go. It saves having to work the room one by one and can be a very powerful profile building technique.
Stage two: Build your profile using media outlets
1. Industry publications. Are you aware of the publications (online and offline) that your association or industry is producing? They are always looking for good stories and content. Note: you don’t just send media releases these days -- they need to have something worthwhile featuring. Pitch an idea to them instead.
2. SME outlets. Places such as Inc.com and SmartCompany.com.au are always looking for original and interesting pieces and stories. Have a look at what is being published there first before approaching them.
3. Traditional media. Radio, TV and the top newspapers are all very willing to hear what you have to say. Be polite and build relationships with the journalists and editors. If they call you, make sure you respond ASAP. A journalist kept waiting for a response is a journalist unlikely to contact you again.
4. Community media. Your local community radio station and newspaper is always a great way to build a profile, especially if you are a small business owner and rely on the local community for business.
This article was originally published on Amanda Rose.
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