Nowadays, it’s just not enough for your skills and professional experiences to exist solely on your resume.
Whether you’re a recent grad on the hunt for your first job, seasoned employee climbing the corporate ladder, or an entrepreneur looking to take your business to the next level, there are a few tasks you should do daily and weekly to promote your personal brand.
Check out a few tips below:
[Related: 6 Tried and True Marketing Tips for Your Small Business]
Daily Habits
1. Stay up to date with relevant industry news. Google alerts are a quick and easy way to keep up to date with the industry news and track trends. You can also set alerts for companies, influencers, or people you may want to network with, and results are delivered right to your inbox. Additionally, you can subscribe to online trade and consumer journals and listen to your favorite podcast.
2. Promote your marketable skills and experiences via social networks. Have you recently attended an industry conference, delivered a presentation or wrote a great article? If so, spread the news by posting an image, video or status update to your preferred social network. Each social network is different, so make sure you have an understanding of each channel. For instance, while its common for people to Tweet several times a day, generally people provide professional updates to their LinkedIn account every couple of days. Try sharing a variety of content on different platforms to see which is best for you.
If constantly being plugged into social networks becomes overwhelming for you, consider social media scheduling tools such as Buffer and Hootsuite. And if you’re a little social media shy, check out this great article, Social Media Plan for Shy People.
3. Engage on social media. Answering questions, congratulating followers or sending helpful links are all small, yet powerful ways to build relationships. Again, understanding the context of each social network is essential. CEO of VaynerMedia and Social Media expert, Gary Vaynerchuk said it best, Twitter is similar to a cocktail party–”it gives people an opportunity to jump into any conversation and provide value.†While Instagram is a great way for your followers to experience your brand in a visually appealing way. You can post quotes, take followers behind the scenes or produce short videos to bring moments to life. Using relevant hashtags to grow your brand and monitor trends is also a great way to find and engage with your followers. Check out How to Master the 4 Big Social-Media Platforms.
4. Maintain your personal brand online and offline.
Building a brand is about embracing and promoting what makes you unique both online and offline. But keep in mind, regardless if you’re engaging with friends on Facebook, attending a company event, or hanging out with friends, maintain your reputation at all times. Stay true to who you are, be respectful, keep your word and create value for others.
Weekly Habits
5. Create Content. One of the best ways to grow your brand and establish yourself as a thought leader is to create your own content. Build your own platform.  Then produce weekly content types, such as eBooks, how-to’s, tutorials, videos, lists, podcasts, and even controversial posts, are all great ways to take your brand to the next level. Guest blogging on another online outlet is another way to grow your personal brand. Consistency is key here, so you may want to use an editorial calendar to plan ahead and keep organized.
6. Meet in person. Schedule a coffee date with a new professional contact or invite them to an industry event. Sure, social media makes it incredibly easy to meet people within your industry, but face-to-face meetings are still important. Arranging an in-person meeting may be the key to building trust and sealing the deal on a new career opportunity.