How To Keep Your Personal Brand Fresh

Have you ever come across a LinkedIn profile that looked like a monument to the past, seemingly not updated for years? The person has hair in the photo when you know he’s bald. His profile says he works at a well-known company, when he’s in fact doing his own thing.

It’s like stepping back into time.?

Remember your personal brand isn’t cast in stone. It’s not simply a recitation of your history but dynamic, and needs to evolve with you.?

Don’t make it a set it and forget it exercise.

Here’s a checklist to ensure your personal brand stays fresh:

Update Your LinkedIn Profile Regularly

LinkedIn is the professional networking platform where you showcase your experience, skills, goals and plans. If you recently started your own business for example, but not included that, you’re not telling the full story.

Example: Susan transitioned from corporate life to entrepreneurship. Her LinkedIn still showed her last position as 'Marketing Manager at X Corp.' It took her months to update it to 'Founder of Susan's Digital First Training.'

Stay Active on Social Media

Being active doesn’t mean you have to post daily, but a regular presence is important. Otherwise, people forget about you. Share articles relevant to your brand, comment thoughtfully, and celebrate others’ successes. Consistency matters.

Example: Mike, an experienced consultant, posts a weekly video series on LinkedIn called “Mike's Monday Musings" where he discusses trends in operations management. It has become a go-to source for many in his network.

Audit Your Skill Set

What new skills have you acquired recently? If you learned Python or became certified in cybersecurity,? add these to your profile. Your skills section should be a living document.

Example: Rita, an HR professional, recently took a course on data analytics for HR. She updated her skills section to include this, which led to new consulting opportunities.

Regularly Seek and Give Recommendations

Who doesn’t like positive feedback? Recommendations enhance your profile and add credibility. Ensure you recommendations are current. Nothing shouts dated as much as your latest recommendation being from five years ago.?

Example: Don, a leadership coach, had a positive, recent? review from a client that stated, “Don helped me redefine leadership in a way that has had an immediate and profound impact on my team. We were able to 2X our results thanks to him.”

Refresh Your Visuals

Profile picture, banner image and the presentation of your portfolio should evolve. These are the visual cues of your personal brand.

Example: Mary, a graphic designer, regularly updates her profile to include her latest design work.

Never Stop Learning

Show you’re learning and growing, whether it's through an article share, a course completion badge, or an update about a conference you’re speaking at.

Example: Rob, a finance professional, shared that he was attending an AI summit, signaling to his network his interest in emerging technologies.

Use AI Tools Wisely

While AI can help track brand engagement and suggest content, be sure to add your personal touch. Remember your style, opinions and thoughts are what makes you special.

Example:?

Barb uses an AI tool to identify trending topics in her industry. She creates custom content around these, making sure to include her perspective.

Now you have it — your list to ensure your personal brand never gets stale. In today’s ever-changing landscape, you can't afford to be all about yesterday. Keep your focus ahead. Stay up-to-date and stand out.

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