It is an unwritten rule these days that people will search on Google to find out more about you. And if you are a professional, having a LinkedIn profile is not only expected but essential.
But one thing I have seen a lot of people do is hiding behind their social media profiles. You check them out and see they have a very good website or profile, then you meet them in person or speak with them on Zoom and discover they are a completely different person.
And that is what I call a misalignment in your personal brand.
It is a dangerous place to be because brands thrive on consistency with their touchpoints. That is, you must send a consistent message about who you are in all the areas people connect with you. In person, on the phone, by email, on your website or social media.
Consistent brands are trusted and trusted brands are successful. Think about Apple, you might love it or hate it, but they are great at creating trust within their followers. I personally would buy anything they put out there and pay more for it, just because I trust them completely.
Consistency is created by getting a greater understanding of the touchpoints and crafting a brand that is a true reflection of who you are as a business owner or professional.
There is no point in trying to update your profile or creating a website if you haven’t owned who you are, feel confident or have a great deal of self-awareness (think values, strengths, mindset, clarity of direction, the value you offer etc..)
As I mentioned, I often see people with great profiles or websites who hide behind them. They are not really visible to potential clients they could connect/work with. They think because they have already created a ‘brand’, they will become successful by some sort of magic.
This reminds me of my first website and brochure… to tell you the truth they did not feel like me at all. But I spent so much time and money on them that I just went with what I had created.
But because I didn’t feel they truly represented me, I hid and didn’t make the most out of them. In your case, you might feel proud and even aligned with your LinkedIn profile, but you might be just scrolling through people’s feed or articles without bringing any opinions or ideas to the table.
So the point here is to bring to your attention the fact that not only you need to create a brand that is in full alignment with who you are. It must be a congruent and confident representation of you. Then it will become easier to become visible and get your message out there.
I would love to know, from 1 to 10 how happy you feel with what you see when you google your name. Are you being fully visible to others and creating opportunities? And how consistent is the message you are putting out there about who you are and what you stand for?
If you are ready to explore more on how to amplify your visibility, I would love to talk to you. Let’s find out how I could support you. Book a time to chat here.
Make this a great week!
Alba Gomez is a presence and personal brand coach, keynote speaker, first impressions specialist and professional image consultant. Born in Colombia and based in Australia, she travels nationally and internationally for speaking, executive coaching, consulting and training.
Alba works with individuals and small groups right through to large corporations. She brings her client’s brand into line with their personal and professional roles, giving them the clarity and confidence to communicate and be their best. Alba uses a unique, results-orientated approach, drawing on her 14 years of experience with systems and processes as an engineer.
