How to Build Your Professional Brand (Without Being Cringey)

If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at yet another "thought leader" post and thought to yourself, "Well, there's 4 minutes of my life I'll never get back" — you’re not alone. In this era of hustle culture, the algorithm-rewards-activity, and everyone-wants-to-be-an-influencer, the internet is just bursting with meh content.

Given this, if you've been thinking about how to build and socialize your own professional brand--with the hopes of staying top of mind with people in your network and/or attracting opportunities--it can feel rather daunting. And, frankly, icky.

But here’s the thing: you don’t have to go full content creator to build a strong and memorable professional brand. You can stand out without selling out. You can be visible without being everywhere, all of the time.

Almost every week, someone asks me, “How often do I need to post for it to make a difference?” They ask this question because they’ve heard or read (probably ad nauseum) that you won’t be relevant if you don’t post every day, or that the algorithm won't work in your favor if you’re not omnipresent online.

And, sure, if you’re working towards being a full-time influencer or all-in content creator, that might be something to consider. But for most professionals, who rarely have hours and hours of time to spend on this every day, it's not about volume; it’s about resonance.

So, what are some smart, realistic ways that you can establish or reinforce your brand (and, hopefully, enjoy the benefits of your efforts) without wasting your precious time or flooding the internet with empty blather?

? 1. Start with Clarity: What Do You Want to Be Known For?

Before you post a thing, ask yourself these questions:

• What do I want people to think of when they think of me?
• What topics do people come to me for advice on?
• What kinds of jobs, projects, or opportunities do I want to attract?

Perhaps you want to be—or are already—known for your:

?? Expertise in reviving at-risk technology implementations

?? Special talent for scaling startups

?? Commitment to strengthening communities through nature and movement

As you consider what your "secret sauce" is, just remember this -- your brand should be rooted in reality, not aspiration. Start with what you already do well and care about.

? 2. Curate vs. Create

You don’t have to write some big thought piece every week. I mean, I’m a freaking author and don’t have golden nuggets free-flowing from my fingertips 24/7. Not even close. Cut yourself some slack, already. Instead of feeling pressured to constantly churn out masterpieces, consider curating content rather than creating it. You might:

• Share great content with your take on it (a quote + your opinion goes a long way)
• Spotlight voices or resources you admire
• Recommend a book, tool, or trend that’s helped you in your work
• Alert your network when you hear of job openings they might be interested in

Curation builds credibility without the pressure or time commitment of sharing original prose and, importantly, without risking that you’ll annoy your network with a faucet of fluff.

? 3. Document, Don’t Preach

Skip the #inspo posts – you know, the ones that are often much more about looking inspiring than being real. Sure, there are some incredibly inspiring people online. But for every one, there are probably 100 coming off as disingenuous, tone deaf, or humblebraggy (I hereby declare that this is a word). Here's what you might do instead:

• Break down how you solved a recent challenge
• Share a “lesson learned” from a project or misstep (It’s amazing how much people appreciate someone who’s willing to share their bloopers vs. always looking "Insta-perfect")
• Show a behind-the-scenes look at your process, not just your wins

Your real experiences are going to resonate so much more with people—and help you affirm your brand—than performative or cliché posts

? 4. Be in the Conversation

A well-timed, thoughtful comment can do more for your visibility than a dozen space-wasting posts. (Repeat: well-timed and thoughtful.) Here are some ways to add your voice to (or start) the conversation:

• Engage with others’ work
• Be encouraging
• Answer questions people pose (when you have a decent answer)
• Start a discussion by asking a question
• Give a shout out to someone who inspired you or helped your growth
• Congratulate people (beyond the canned copy) when they share an achievement

People remember how you show up, not just what you say. Look for opportunities to show up.

? 5. Create (Occasional) Evergreen Content

When you do create content, consider making some of it evergreen, meaning, content that will stay useful and relevant indefinitely.

(Pro Tip: Creating a LinkedIn Newsletter is a terrific way to go about this.)

Here a few quick topic examples:

• "The 5 Questions I Ask Myself Before Taking on a New Role"
• “My Top Tips for Leading Better Meetings”
• "Landing My Dream Job Abroad - What Worked and What Didn't"

And remember this: You can turn a single idea into a post, a slide deck, a PDF, or, yes, a newsletter and repurpose it indefinitely.

? 6. Keep It Consistent, Not Constant

Going back to that original question—and I’m doing so because so many of my clients have stewed about this—you simply don’t need to post multiple times a day, or even daily. Weekly or even monthly, done well, can go a long way. A few strong posts over time will do more for your brand than a flurry of forgettable ones.

(And, don’t forget to mark your best LinkedIn posts as Featured content if you want to keep them in front of people’s eyeballs for a while.)

At the end of the day, people don’t remember who posted the most. They remember who made them think, feel, or act differently.

So take a breath, post with heart, and build a brand that feels like you.

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