Smooth Networking - The Complete Guide with 5 Easy Steps!

There are many elements that matter for fantastic Personal Branding, but it is certainly more than just knowing your market and your abilities. Personal Branding is impactful when your brand clicks to the people you want to be noticed by. When your brand makes a group of people from the same field feel seen and heard, they get attached to the brand because, for them, the brand is approachable.

One of the easiest ways to make that happen is to do some great networking. Fostering relationships that are interpersonal, and allow for mutual growth seals the permanency of your personal brand in the market. Here is how you can do it:

Step 1: Prepare Your Personal Brand

You do not need anything more than what you have to keep your brand assets ready to be discovered. You can create your own networking tools for your personal brand from scratch. They should capture what is your personal brand about and what it stands for. The quintessential networking tools you need are presences on social media, a resume and a business card, and a website to refer to. These tools are thoroughly based on your experience, expertise, and contribution so they should be regularly updated as you go on working.

Your resume should summarize all your work experiences, accomplishments, and skills. It is a direct tool to display your qualifications, brand assets, awards, and the values you believe in, to anyone asking. Writing a resume is a process that takes creativity and strategy and should reflect your brand in it. You do not have to represent any firm when it comes to creating a business card. Your own vital information such as name, contact number, website, email address, and brand information should be present. If your personal brand has a logo, the card should have it, along with the LinkedIn profile. You don't need to be an expert in designing for it; there are many free templates available everywhere. Your website will be an archive of all the things on your resume and social media.

Step 2: Invest in a Strong Personal Profile

Your personal brand is going to make an impression on anyone and everyone who comes across your profile. Your content needs to be original, authentic, and mindful. Your brand should describe its story, journey, experiences, and the promises it has delivered with its abilities for ease of understanding. A well-branded profile stands out in its niche, making it easy for professionals to contact you over every other similar brand. Everything on your profile, no matter how relatable, should be professional and interactive. The people you want to cater to must feel interested in scanning your profile more deeply and contacting you, especially people who represent potential employment opportunities.

Most social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and even Pinterest are easy foundations to build a profile on. Every single connection you make on those platforms could be a useful contact you might need in the future, so you should be careful of what you post and be consistent with your brand and its values.

Step 3: Mix with The Like-Minded

Your personal brand reflects your own goals and interests as a person, and the easiest formula to network right is to join communities or befriend individuals who also share the same passions. There is an abundance of both on these social media platforms, making it easy for you to choose. With a common interest, you should actively participate in events and activities that these people curate and promote your own personal brand creatively. Sometimes connections are made merely by interacting or sending emails. Certain groups allow sharing information about your personal brand and contribution to the field, which gives you a chance to shine and improve based on feedback. This enables you to become influential on your own, by acknowledging and being acknowledged by others.

Step 4: A Little Bit of Corporate Branding on The Side

The niche you work in will naturally have many corporate brands who have made their mark, and continue to do so by staying relevant. These brands are always on the lookout for newer fresher talent, and you could help your personal brand by placing it in the limelight of these brands. Follow their pages online and attend certain events to make an overall impression. Avail to the job openings and upgrade your own skillset by understanding what these brands need. It is a direct representation of what the market needs, and you can also connect with more people along the way.

Step 5: Professional Connections for Personal Branding

The main purpose of any social media is to connect with others. Use these readily available platforms to connect with professionals from your niche and line of work, even the ones who have similar personal brands. Promote collaboration over the competition to elevate your perception of your personal brand. Follow their pages individually and facilitate a connection with them with a purposeful message, which explains why you find them important, why you want to connect with them, and how you would want to contribute to that connection. Be active on these platforms and show your support by appreciating their content, as they appreciate yours as well.

Networking has always been a two-way street, that has been immensely instrumental in increasing the reliability and credibility of any outstanding personal brand. Connections are always based on reciprocity and if you are willing to do good, you will beget good in the market as well, especially with trusted traction and connections!