This week in the world’s #1 newsletter on leadership communication:
- The Two Steps to Reach Millions Without Spending Millions
- November is Personal Branding Month
- Stop Drowning in Work & Get Your Hours Back
-
Community Is Your Currency
The Two Steps to Reach Millions Without Spending Millions
In a TV interview in 2007, American actor and comedian Steve Martin was asked about how he became successful.
His response: “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”
It’s a great answer, and it rings true. But there is a crucial part missing.
We all know plenty of people who are good – even great – at what they do, but never get the recognition they deserve.
They never seem to find enough clients or get that promotion.
Upon closer inspection, being good at what you do is only part of the equation.
A generation ago, letting the work speak for itself was sound advice.
Today, millions of talented and hardworking individuals are being ignored. And AI only makes it worse.
That’s why your personal brand is so crucial. The more AI takes over, the more your unique voice matters.
Last week, we tackled the ickiness around personal branding and how it transformed my journey from the corporate world to building a business I love.
If you missed my 4 M’s, don’t worry; you can catch up here.
Once you have clarity on your Motivation, Mindset, Method, and Message, you are only 2 steps away from building a personal brand.
One that is not icky, but sticky.
It is the same process I use to reach millions of people via newsletter, social and podcast.
It is simple, but not easy: grow your reputation and your reach.
Reputation
Your reputation is what people say about you when you are not in the room.
Reputation precedes revenue. And to build your reputation, you have to stand for something.
The mistake I see all the time is that people make it too complicated. They can’t explain in one word or a simple sentence what they stand for.
Ask yourself: What would you write on the t-shirt? In other words, what is the short, bold slogan or the one word that describes what you stand for?
Reach
To reach a lot of people and scale your brand, you need to create content.
Social media is too crowded?
Well, there are 1 billion people on LinkedIn. If you post just once a week, you are already in the top 1% of users.
Just once a week - that’s all it takes!
To make sure your post gain traction, understand the following:
Content is a meritocracy – consisting of credibility, interestingness and value.
Why?
People tend to apply three filters to establish whether someone is worthy of their attention.
The first is credibility: Why should I listen to you? You may post fantastic content, but if you lack the social capital or it is unclear why someone should pay attention, it won’t work.
Explain why people should listen to you first. That’s the #1 reason why good content fails.
The second filter is whether the content piques their interest. So before you
hit the “post” button, ask yourself: will anyone speak about this?
If the answer is ‘yes’, go ahead. If the answer is ‘unlikely’, you may want to go back to the drawing board.
Start with a killer hook, use stories and emotions and dare to be unconventional. Most importantly, interrupt patterns so that your content stands out.
The third filter is whether the content adds value to people’s lives or businesses. If you consistently post credible, interesting and value-adding content, people will take note.
Oh, and don’t niche down on social. Cast a wide net to work with the algorithm, not against it.
If you are building a funnel, content is your top-of-funnel. You can niche down at the later stages.
How to get started
The simplest test to get you started on growing your reputation and reach: What does the top section of your LinkedIn profile say?
Is it crystal clear what you stand for and why people should follow you (Mine says: Follow to become a Top 1% communicator.)
Yes? Great - now get into your dream customers’ or employers’ heads with content.
Your personal brand can’t be a vanity project though. It needs to be authentic and in the service of others.
If you would like to work with me on elevating your personal brand, send me an emal to inquire about coaching or check out the Speak Like a CEO Academy (more below ↓).
SPEAK LIKE A CEO ACADEMY
November is Personal Branding Month
A personal brand is a safety net that gives you independence from any client or employer – because with a strong brand, you can always get more clients or another employer.
Even CEOs are now hired based on their audience size and recognition. Why? Because people trust people, and social media has made it possible for leaders to build trust at scale.
That’s why November is Personal Branding Month in the Speak Like a CEO Academy. It features my brand-new course, a Mastermind, and a session on boosting your LinkedIn - all provided by me.
Join the Academy today and unlock the tools to take your personal brand to the next level.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PODCAST
Stop Drowning in Work & Get Your Hours Back
I do a podcast to help you become a top 1% communicator. Please subscribe on Apple or Spotify.
Do you ever feel like you're drowning in work? Constantly battling a never-ending swarm of emails, Slack messages, and meeting invites? Wondering how you can use automation and new tools to make your life easier?
We all know the feeling all too well.
In this week’s podcast episode, my workplace efficiency guru Nick Sonnenberg shares his proven strategies for overcoming overwhelm and radically improving efficiency in the workplace.
As the founder of Leverage and author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller "Come Up for Air," Nick has helped countless companies and individuals break free from the constant distractions, meetings, and never-ending tasks that can sap our time and energy.
You'll discover:
- Nick's "CPR" framework for transforming your workflows and communications
- Tactics for achieving "inbox zero" and taming email overload
- Tips for using collaboration tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams more effectively
- The role of AI and automation in streamlining content creation and other repetitive tasks
- Why change management is critical when adopting new productivity solutions.
The upshot? You could potentially gain an extra full day of productivity per week – just by using the right tools and systems the right way.
Listen on Spotify and Apple:
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
Community Is Your Currency
What’s the difference between an audience and a community? What do businesses get wrong about communities? And how can you build an engaged community?
Daisy Morris has the answers. In “Community Is Your Currency. 10 Steps to Creating A Thriving Online Community & Growing Your Business” she shows why the key to a booming business is your community.
Daisy will be a guest on the Speak Like a CEO podcast soon to share more jargon-free insights on community building with us.
Wishing you an inspired weekend!
Oliver
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