These are fascinating times where personal branding is concerned. On the one hand, we have tools like Twitter, Blogger, LinkedIn, and Facebook that allow anyone with a keyboard to build an online brand and grow it, fast.
One friend told me about her son's band, a group of kids who haven't written a song yet or even performed together. No problem -- they launched their band on Facebook, and between their cool logo and the band's edgy name, they've already cultivated a fan base. There's a new-millennium concept for you: a popular rock band with a global following and no songs. Why not?
On the other hand, an unwelcome online presence can be nerve-rattling. Lots of people are alarmed by the idea that their info is out there at all. Not long ago I met a woman and said to her, "When we spoke on the phone, you didn't say you'd lived in Chicago -- we may know people in common there." "Oh dear!" she replied. "How did you learn that about me?"
"I read it on ZoomInfo.com," I told her. "That's a site that aggregates the info that's already posted online about each of us." It's unsettling to a lot of people to learn how much of their bio is already online. The flip side is that if you're trying to build a brand online, it's easier to do than it's ever been before.
If you're job-hunting or if you're an entrepreneur, it's important to build your personal brand online. But even if you're happily employed, you'll help yourself by creating a little online cred. For businesspeople, that usually starts with a LinkedIn profile. It's free and relatively quick to set up a LinkedIn profile that shares your background and interests. If you're a subject-matter expert, you can use a blog to share your thoughts and start building an audience. If you prefer to dispense your wisdom in short bursts, Twitter lets you dribble out your observations in 140-character "tweets" as often as you choose to.
Yahoo! Groups are another way to let people know who you are and what you know. Join a lively Yahoo! Group discussion on your favorite topic. If you're a maverick, you can start your own Yahoo! Group on a subject you're passionate about. Facebook Groups allow more ways to find and engage with people who think the way you do. I joined a Facebook group recently whose purpose is just to become the biggest Facebook group ever and thereby break a Guinness world record. Have they done it? Got me, but over 2 million people signed on in a few weeks. If you have any doubts about the Internet's power for community-building, that story should put them to rest.
Plaxo is another tool that reminds us who we know and helps us keep them close at hand. When you join up, you'll be able to update your friends on your whereabouts and stay abreast of their moves and changes. Tools like Tokbox let you send video email messages to your pals or disciples. And call-me-now tools like Jaxtr make it easy for people you don't already know, to call you -- via your blog or your Facebook profile -- without ever getting your phone number.
If you're looking to build your brand online -- as a job-seeker, business-developer, entrepreneur or simply a person in search of like-minded others -- it's getting easier every day.
Liz Ryan is a 25-year HR veteran, former Fortune 500 VP and an internationally recognized expert on careers and the new millennium workplace. She is the author of "Happy About Online Networking," a popular speaker on workplace and work/life topics, and the leader of the global Ask Liz Ryan online community. Contact Liz at liz@asklizryan.com.
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