It’s an interesting concept, and some of us have never really thought about it, but all of us have our own unique brand. Our brand is what makes us who we are and showcases what we have to offer to those around us. It’s comprised of our experiences, our likes and dislikes, our talents and hobbies, and even our ideas. Cultivating a desirable brand is something that is essential for those of us wishing to be competitive job and/or internship applicants, and can even foster the formation of invaluable connections. This week at our general PRSSA meeting, we were fortunate enough to have our professional advisor, Caitlyn Read, give us an up-close look at the six steps one should take to successfully “build your brand.” The first and second steps go hand-in-hand. First, protect your personal spaces, and secondly, check yourself. In this day and age, strangers, and sometimes potential employers, can have a lot of access to your personal information. One Google search, and I know what organizations you’ve been a part of, what you look like, sometimes even where you live (scary, right?). Do you really want a company that your interviewing at to be able to see pictures of you at your BFF’s 21st birthday party? Is it in your best interest to have your epic middle school rant about Ms. Williams’ unfair grading policy available for all to witness? Probably not. To this end, it’s important you take the necessary precautions to protect your privacy. Facebook, Instagram, and other such platforms give the option of controlling how private your profiles are. Be smart, and make sure you’re showing yourself in the best possible light. The third step is to lay out your strategy. Establish a main domain, whether it be a blog, website, or online portfolio, and use your other networks to direct traffic there. Maybe include a short line after each Facebook post saying, “for more information check out my site at….” Step four, establish new presences. A great way to keep your personal and professional spheres separate is to create a separate professional account for your social media; you’ll find that lots of important people do. If you’re personal twitter account is @soccer.lvr3, make a professional one, such as @sara.comm (a good side note, when you’re creating multiple professional accounts, make sure you use the same profile picture so that it’s easier for your followers to find you on your other platforms). Much like steps one and two, steps five and six go hand in hand. First you want to post frequently to keep your subscribers and then, do what you can to encourage new ones. You can do this by joining groups, posting on message boards, and in general, just “plugging in” to as many social spheres as possible. Building your brand is something that you’re probably already doing, but by making sure it gets done the right way, you can ensure you’re setting yourself up for long-term success. By John Long
0 Comments
|
ContributorsAll content on this blog is created by current JMU PRSSA members. Archives
November 2017
Categories |