Building Your Visibility on LinkedIn
Building a personal brand is essential for professionals, including assistants, in today’s fast-paced digital world. One platform that can significantly boost your visibility and career prospects is LinkedIn. In a recent Future Assistant Global Summit session, Mildred Talabi, Speaker, Trainer and coach, explored why building your personal brand on LinkedIn is crucial and discussed the PACE formula—a practical approach to leverage LinkedIn effectively.
Why Build Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn?
Having a solid personal brand on LinkedIn offers several benefits that can propel your career and professional growth:
- Unique Selling Point: Your personal brand becomes your unique selling point, setting you apart from the competition. Embrace your individuality and showcase your distinctive skills and qualities.
- Credibility: A well-crafted personal brand demonstrates your expertise and accomplishments, providing others with evidence of your capabilities.
- Opportunities: By being visible on LinkedIn, unexpected opportunities may come your way, such as speaking engagements, job offers, or collaborations.
- Positive Influence: Building your personal brand allows you to positively impact others’ lives, sharing valuable insights and experiences.
- Thought Leadership: Even as an Assistant, you can be a thought leader in your industry. Share your expertise and knowledge to position yourself as an authority in your space.
Why LinkedIn?
LinkedIn stands out as the ideal platform to build your personal brand for several reasons:
- Less Competition: With around 840 million users (likely more by now), LinkedIn has significantly fewer users compared to social media giants like Facebook and Instagram. This makes it less saturated and allows you to stand out more quickly.
- Professional Audience: LinkedIn caters to professionals, making it an ideal platform to connect with like-minded individuals and potential employers.
- Search Engine Visibility: Your LinkedIn profile often ranks high in Google search results, making it more likely for others to discover and connect with you.
The Seven Common Barriers to Visibility on LinkedIn
Many individuals, including Assistants, face similar barriers when it comes to being visible on LinkedIn:
- Fear of Being Exposed: Being in the spotlight can be intimidating, especially if you’re not used to it.
- Fear of Saying the Wrong Things: Concerns about making a mistake or saying something inappropriate can hold you back.
- Fear of Looking Bad: The desire to maintain a certain professional appearance may prevent you from taking risks.
- Fear of Showing Up Too Much: Worries that posting too often may annoy or alienate others.
- Fear of Being Too Salesy: Hesitation to promote your services or business due to fear of appearing pushy.
- Fear of Appearing Boastful: A tendency to downplay achievements to avoid seeming boastful.
- Fear of Putting People Off: Fears of repelling others with your content or opinions.
The PACE Formula
Practical Steps to Leverage LinkedIn The PACE formula is a proven approach to successfully building your personal brand on LinkedIn. It consists of four key components:
- Profile: Pay careful attention to your LinkedIn profile, including your picture, banner, headline, and about section. Aim for an all-star status by completing your profile fully.
- Audience: Identify and understand your target audience. Know who you are targeting, how to find them, and how to connect with them.
- Content: Create and share original content that aligns with your expertise and resonates with your audience. Post at least three times a week to maintain visibility.
- Engagement: Engage with other LinkedIn users by leaving meaningful comments and building relationships within your professional community.
Building your visibility on LinkedIn is crucial for personal and professional growth. By overcoming common barriers and following the PACE formula, you can establish yourself as a thought leader and attract valuable opportunities. Embrace your unique qualities, share valuable insights, and be consistent in your efforts to leverage LinkedIn effectively.