How can you create a personal brand that attracts professionals across all industries?

Having a niche is an important and strategic decision that contributes to the effectiveness of your personal brand. It helps you define your identity, connect with the right audience, and build a reputation as an expert in your chosen field. In today's competitive job market, having a niche may help differentiate you from other candidates and make you more memorable. It also allows for greater credibility and trust when you are an 'expert' in a chosen field. Having a niche allows you to become a part of a specific community or group of other experts in the same field. This opens up networking opportunities with like-minded individuals and industry professionals who can contribute to your personal and professional growth.

Consistency is key. To create a brand, you need to constantly post articles, photos, comments within the same field. Do not involve yourself in anything and everything. You can only be a subject matter expert in a specific domain and that's what LinkedIn is expecting from you. Do not jump into politics, medical care, law... if you are not an expert. Your contribution should stop at your expertise. That way you will build a consistent image among your audience.

creating a brand is critical to anyone in a job search but it is virtually impossible to create a brand that cuts across all industries. One of your greatest strengths is the industry knowledge that you bring to a job and therefore, your branding statement should be a close match with those industries where you bring experience. Take a look at job descriptions and identify the five or six most important requirements of the jobs and use those requirements as a way to build your branding statement. Remember, keyword matching is a key component of getting found in your branding statement should contain some of the keywords that aligned to the positions you are trying to pursue.

Make sure you've done for yourself what you claim you can do for your potential client/employer.... For example, I'm a brand designer. Hence my online and/or offline presence must have good consistent branding. Otherwise, how will anyone believe that I can develop good branding for them...? ??

Here are succinct tips: 1. Authenticity First: - Be genuine to build trust and connection universally. 2. Storytelling Impact: - Craft a compelling narrative for emotional resonance. 3. Highlight Transferable Skills: - Showcase adaptability to attract diverse sectors. 4. Commit to Continuous Learning: - Demonstrate ongoing growth and relevance. 5. Network Broadly: - Engage in cross-industry events for diverse connections. 6. Thought Leadership Everywhere: - Share insights across industries, showcasing innovation. 7. Global Mindset: - Emphasize international understanding and collaboration.

Content is KING ... period. Every asset you produce has to focus on the ABCs of job search marketing: A = Accomplishments - What have you achieved? B = Benefits - What have you added as a benefit to your organization? C = Contributions - What have you contributed to the overall success of your current employer? If you answer these questions, you have built the core of your asset narrative. You have defined precisely what organizations will get if they choose you. No rain down these ABCs everywhere you engage in the job search process.

Once you've identified your niche, it's time to create assets that showcase your expertise. These assets can include a blog, podcast, YouTube channel, or a strong presence on professional social media platforms like LinkedIn. Consistent content creation is essential to building your brand. Real-life example: Marie Forleo, an entrepreneur and author, established her personal brand through her YouTube channel and the "MarieTV" show. By sharing advice on entrepreneurship, personal development, and life optimization, she has attracted professionals across industries who are inspired by her message.

I think it's important to put this into context: For most people the term "personal brand" could be a bit abstract as most are not in the field of content creation and similar and won't have the need to continuously showcase their "brand" to the public. You still have one though. If you are on professional networks like Linkedin, be sure to keep it updated, use the network to engage in your field and industry and leverage your public profile as much as you can.

This is where you add in your “known statement”. What is it that you want to be known for if someone is talking about your area of genius at a conference reception? Be very specific and drill down to just a few key words that are memorable and repeatable.

A well optimised profile is like a good solid resume and cover letter. As soon as one sees it, there is an immediate inclination to connect and speak. A combination of good content and optimised profile will work in tandem. Content will bring relevant traffic to you and good profile will retain that traffic.

Your personal brand is definitely not just about 'what you do'. It's more about 'who you are', your authentic you and 'what you have to offer' an employer or as a business owner. The acid test is what people say about you when you're not there with them. One of the most important aspects of your personal brand is 'how you make people feel' because this speaks volumes about you. Your brand is not what you do, as your job or job title does NOT define you!

Your personal brand is not just about what you do but also about how you can help others. Share your knowledge, insights, and experiences to provide value to your audience. Whether it's through articles, videos, or speaking engagements, your content should offer solutions to common problems or challenges in your niche. Simon Sinek, an author and motivational speaker, built his brand around the idea of "Start with Why." His TED Talk and subsequent books explored the concept of purpose and leadership, attracting professionals from various fields who were eager to understand the power of purpose-driven work.

The most important part of any brand is its unique value proposition. What makes YOU special and different from the rest of the competition? This is true for everyone from major conglomerates, such as McDonald's or Nike, to individual job seekers. Conduct both self-reflection and informational interviews with your network to determine what your unique value proposition is and center the rest of your brand around that discovery.

Eliminate jargon. People in your industry get it. People outside your industry don’t. Readers of your resume have to understand what you are talking about. Otherwise, they can’t hire you.

Value is key because leaders always lead. What new thoughts or insight can you contribute to the industry? Now is the time to be relentlessly helpful!

The professional landscape is constantly evolving. To remain relevant, you need to adapt to changing trends, technologies, and audience preferences. Be flexible and willing to pivot your brand as needed, while staying true to your core values and expertise. Elon Musk, known for his work with companies like Tesla and SpaceX, is an example of adaptability. He started as a tech entrepreneur and has evolved his personal brand to encompass sustainability, innovation, and even space exploration, consistently attracting professionals with a shared interest in groundbreaking technology.

Always stay true to your personal brand purpose when looking across digital channels. Your different channel messaging should complement each other and build towards an actualized personal brand. Staying true to your core and way of being allows your audience to build trust with how you present yourself.

Play for the field. Long form content for the appropriate platform. Short form for the micro blogging platform and similarly video content and visual approach where it works. Contextual focus will be delivering results much faster. Ace one platform and then act on another.

Tailor the message to the audience. Every audience may need to hear your message a different way, we come from different parts of the world and our words and actions could be perceived in different ways. An example of that is found in marketing, products are marketed differently around the world, using a variety of images and phrases, the product doesn’t change but the message does. That being the case, we too must be fluid when we our relaying our brand, understanding that it may be perceived differently in different areas, by those interpreting it. Through a little research, we can ensure it is well received by others and found appealing to a variety of people.

Personal branding is not just about being 'interesting', its also about being 'interested'. Show others you care about their points of views. Engage with them, collaborate. Share feedback, get feedback. Make improvements alongside. Its a partnership and a long term game. Dont play like a sprint. Run like a mararthon.

Building a personal brand is an ongoing journey. Don't be afraid to seek feedback from peers, mentors, or your audience. Constructive criticism can help you refine your brand and make it more appealing to a broader audience. Tim Ferriss, an author and podcast host, has developed a strong personal brand centred around self-improvement and lifehacking. He actively seeks feedback from his audience through surveys and continuously improves his content and approach based on their input.

Once you think you have defined your value and clarified the problems you solve, you need to refine that message. Being a long ranger can complicate things and make your messaging ring hollow. Use your network to both present what your best value is but also to ask for honest feedback and ideas for improvement. We often see ourselves much differently than others and can miss some vital clarity that others can offer. Our personal mirrors are usually cloudy and slightly out of focus, whereas others you trust can see through the best you have to offer and gently point out blind spots that need to be worked on. Don't go it alone. Use your network to improve your career narrative and maximize your responses.

I always say that digital marketing is like a climb with no summit. Wherever you are, you still have 100 percent to go. And if you don’t share your personal brand story, someone may write it for you.

When it comes to developing a brand it is important to remember that it is in a constant state of evolution. As you receive feedback from your colleagues, vendors, clients, or those either internal or external of your network you need to be receptive of what is being relayed to you and adjust accordingly. Whether it is performance, product, marketing, or relationship related to your brand be prepared to listen, digest the information without being defensive should you find it negative, and then seek out an agreeable path forward that reflects how you want your brand perceived moving forward, as well as how you want it reflected on with its past reputation and values.

There seems to be a disagreement on whether we should be attracting people outside our industry with our brand. I believe we should, or we will find ourselves living in an echo chamber with no fresh ideas or perspective. Just because a person isn’t in our line of business or industry, doesn’t mean they don’t have a passion for it. They may spend all their free time consuming books, and courses in that very subject and may be very insightful in that industry. A great example is Actress Hedy Lamar during WWII with out any formal training solved a problem with Naval torpedo guidance systems over a discussion at a cocktail party, long before LinkedIn networking. So, lets not be so hasty and dismissive of those outside our industry.

Do we really need to be attracting people from ‘across all industries’, with the power of our personal brand? I’m not convinced that’s the right idea to be exploring here. Creating (or more accurately, curating and building) your personal brand is, of course, a useful exercise to conduct. Demonstrating to audiences that you have both an opinion, and expertise to offer, will always be valuable in a professional context. Ensure you don’t become a jack of all trades, catering to the lowest common denominator and most general possible audience will help you to stand out. Building authentic, engaged relationships and conversations with people and communities where you can add real value, comes from not trying to be everything to everyone.

I agree with Alex Luff below – creating an effective personal brand is about being your authentic self, and knowing your audience – so that means you won't necessarily be attracting people from 'across all industries' – but that's OK. We don't have to be everything to everyone; otherwise, you end up with a very muddy, bland brand. Know that not everyone will like what you're doing - there's absolutely nothing wrong with that because those people were never going to work with you anyway as they are not the right people for you.

In my experience, knowing your strengths is a great way to navigate various industries. Your brand should be just as unique as you are. I like using something like the Clifton Strengths Finder Assessment to identify those descriptors that resonate with how I show up. I can use those across sectors. An example is Activator. I’m good at turning ideas into action. I can brand myself with that attribute. There are many tools or assessments to help build your brand language, just remember, it’s YOUR language.

BE SPECIFIC! You don't want technical recruiters viewing your profile if you're a medical sales professional and they don't have a position to fit your goals. You need to make sure the people who are viewing your profile, resume, or LinkedIn are the ones who see all the hard work and results that you can generate given the resources. Try to aim for that and the rest will follow. Your content that you post online, your interests and your profile should all be aligned with this mindset that you need to be visible where the right hiring managers hang out. Industry-relevant blogs, posts, and carousels. Make sure to leave a good comment that showcases your empathy and passion as well. Give'em a peak to hook'em up!