13-week program to kick-start your digital presence

This post was originally posted on "Tweeter Linder, your digital mentor" with mentoring ideas in digital form for a digital business world. Since the original post it has now been updated with links to the 13 modules designed to allow you to develop your digital influencing skills.

You are a digital immigrant. You aspire to establish a professional digital presence. You want to start now. You need coaching to get started and get basics in place. And you want to see material progress in 13 weeks.

The basic idea for this program

Enable executives and senior leaders to develop digital influencing skills. With an effort leaders at senior levels can squeeze into a crowded calendar.

3 micro steps/skills introduced each week to bring you up to speed. Each step represents a valuable micro skill. The sequence between weeks represent a logical flow. Where you can engage for the whole program. Or opt in for the weeks complementing your existing skills.

After the 13-week program, you will have:

• A good digital profile
• Be familiar with the main tools.
• Have a decent digital network in place.
• Understand what type of content your audience find attractive.

Resulting in a digital platform from which you can grow your influence going forward.

Starting with 6 weeks of preparations

The first 6 weeks is of preparatory nature. Finding your digital purpose. Set-up your accounts with your digital profile. Finding your digital audience and start connecting. Selecting the platform, you will start influencing from. Selecting your initial topic focus. And finally become familiar with the tools. On phone or PC depending on what you like best.

After the first 6 weeks covering these topics you can move into execution. But skipping these first step will make you look unprofessional. If you start executing, without an appropriate digital wardrobe in place.

First 7 weeks of execution

Here you will post your first contributions. Refine your netiquette to meet spoken and unspoken standards. Leveraging peers to boost audience traction. Start exploring access to novel content. Make your first asset creation contributions. Expand to the second most relevant platform. And finally adopting metrics to guide your efforts after the program.

These 7 steps will make you comfortable in managing your future influencing. With the basic execution skills in place.

Good questions to ask yourself before you start

1. How much time can I invest weekly – aim for 30-60 minutes per week.
2. What do I need most support with – starting from an honest self-assessment.
3. How do I want to leverage this program – whole flow or bits and pieces.
4. How do I define success – simple metrics you can strive for.
5. How will I reward myself upon completion – consider this a great and important commitment.

Additional Reading suggestions 

• Why today’s leaders need a personal and digital brand [BLOGPOST] – by Sports Media Challenge
• 10 reasons your professional brand needs a digital presence [BLOGPOST] – by Joanne Tombrakos
• Create an unstoppable personal on-line brand [BLOGPOST] – by Digital Marketing Institute
• 9 ways to use social media to build your brand [ARTICLE] – by Forbes