How To Build A Leader's Personal Brand In An Overwhelming World

I’m standing on the back verandah of my good friend's house in the tiny country town of Imbil, which is in the middle of nowhere. It’s her 50th birthday and a group of friends have gathered on this midwinter moonless night. Because there are no street lights in this rural community, out on the wooden deck the clear night sky is full of stars above our heads.?

We’re gazing upwards at the Milky Way, pointing into the blackness with questioning discussions about which star is which. It's easy to identify the 4 stars of the Southern Cross and Orion, with his belt and sword, but what about that bright star closer to the horizon that seems to be changing colour, from green to red….??

The familiar voice of my husband pipes up…“That’s not a star... it’s Mars,” he says and everyone, including me, is impressed with his celestial knowledge. I had no idea he was so clever…until he turns to face the group and with his arm raised above his head, he exposes to us all that he’s holding his phone up to the sky, using an app to identify the heavens!?

Suddenly everyone pulls out their own phone and wants to know the app name so they can download it and share in the sky-scanning. Once downloaded, we are all pointing our phones heavenward and being amazed at the information we gather.?

People are saying “Oooh look, there’s the constellation Scorpio”, “that’s Venus up there!” and “Over there is Sirius, the dog-star!”?

The man next to me is holding his phone pointed at the ground and exclaims in surprise that he can see stars and planets beneath his feet! “But how can that be?” he asks…

“Yes,” I say, “you’re looking at the northern hemisphere constellations and the app can see right through the earth”. He’s amazed and awestruck until I say, “It’s incredible isn’t it...and if you bend over far enough you can see Uranus!”?

The entire party on the deck cracks up laughing, the phones are put back into pockets, and the party gets underway again with engaging conversations, storytelling, and friendships continuing to be made.?

Our world is dominated by digital innovation, it's no secret that our smartphones have become extensions of ourselves. We rely on them for communication, information, and connection.

Yet, the very devices designed to bring us together often lead us down the rabbit hole of endless distractions. Our beloved phones, coupled with the barrage of social media and content, have made it incredibly challenging for leaders to stay focused and it’s almost impossible to rise above the noise.

When I was growing up, back in the 1970s, before the internet and way before the idea of mobile phones was even a thing, our brains were exposed to about 500 branded messages a day. Today that number has skyrocketed to a staggering 5000. Yes, you read that right! The digital age has ushered in a barrage of content, making it increasingly difficult to filter through the noise and stay focused on what truly matters.?

Yes, our phones make it incredibly easy to create content and share it with others at little cost and time, but they are a double-edged sword when it comes to building your personal brand.

Undoubtedly, the digital realm offers unparalleled opportunities to showcase our skills, market our services, and expand our professional network, enabling us to reach a global audience. However, while online visibility is crucial, becoming ensnared in the web of endless notifications, or becoming addicted to gaining likes and followers, can detract us from meaningful interaction and sustainable brand building.

Creating a brand strategy and having a marketing action plan is an ideal way to keep on track and avoid getting lost online and wasting time and money on meaningless activities. But by putting away your phone and connecting to the actual world, you can build a personal brand that creates a much bigger impact.

Engaging in face-to-face conversations, attending networking events, and building genuine relationships fosters a sense of trust and authenticity. In a world saturated with digital noise, genuine connections cut through the clutter and leave a lasting impression as a leader.

Creating a personal brand goes far beyond the confines of your social media profile. While an online presence is undeniably essential, it should serve as a gateway to creating real interactions with real people. Not just building a fan base, but developing your leadership and making you a trusted professional, worthy of being followed. This is what I call an avalanche of influence.

A compelling brand is built on genuine interactions, consistent messaging, and the ability to convey your unique value, culture and story so that others can engage, connect, recall and relay it to others. These strong connections and relationships enable the word to spread about you and your leadership, attracting more of the perfect audience who become customers, clients and team members who want to be around you.

Only then do you create a magnetic brand, drawing the right people and opportunities in instead of having to chase them.

Here are some steps for navigating the digital maze:

Be Strategic.

Understand what your brand stands for, who your audience is and why they want what you have, how your brand needs to communicate and what your uniqueness is that makes you stand out. Only then can you develop a plan and allocate specific time and budget in the right places, at the right time, with the right message.

Find Your Way.

Understand where your audience hangs out, when they interact with the channel and what they do when they are there. Don't assume everyone sees your content and certainly never rely solely on digital marketing. When you realise that most people sitting on their phones scrolling social media are also on the couch watching Netflix, or meant to be working and are simply distracted themselves, you realise it's increasingly harder to get them to notice you. By sticking to the channels you know will give you the reach and ROI, you will be able to focus on meaningful marketing and useful interactions.

Invest in Face-to-Face Interaction.

Yes networking, it’s a robust way to build a brand as a leader in your space and you should be looking for industry events, conferences, and networking gatherings to attend. However, you can also network by doing things you enjoy. Playing sports, going to local restaurants, meeting up with others like you and connecting with other leaders in your industry and community…These are all networking experiences that can provide valuable insights into your ideal audience and allow you to establish meaningful connections and gain referrals.

Curate Quality Content.

Instead of being a passive consumer, contribute meaningfully to the digital landscape. Share valuable insights, engage in thoughtful discussions, and freely offer solutions to industry challenges. Quality over quantity always wins and when your audience sees you as the expert, they will trust you to deliver even more value when they work with you.

While our smartphones and the digital world offer incredible opportunities, they also pose a significant distraction and I’m sure I'm not the only one who regularly finds myself staring at the screen and scrolling with directionless abandon.

By prioritising meaningful marketing, we can elevate our professional presence and create a lasting impact as magnetic leaders. Let's leverage the digital realm to augment our personal brand, but never forget the unparalleled power of meaningful connections.

Here's to navigating the digital maze with purpose and direction!

Lauren Clemett is a Keynote speaker, International award-winning personal branding specialist and best selling author with over 25 years brand management experience. In an overwhelming world, Lauren shares how to turn distraction into attraction, so your teams can lead with direction, purpose and meaning. She makes magnetic leadership a walk in the park!

www.yourbrandtruenorth.com