If there is one experience that brings me joy, it is hearing that I made a positive difference in someone’s life. It doesn’t get any better than this.
I often meet people in person that I am connected with online, and they let me know that I have impacted them in some positive way. It happened to me again recently: “Great to meet you, Mark. I follow you on LinkedIn – love your content. You are always so positive!” This is guaranteed to put a spring in my step!
There is also a professional benefit to this circle of influence – my personal brand grows and improves as I influence others in a positive and helpful way. Win-win.
How can you build your brand and increase your impact? There are many great blogs and videos out there on this subject, so I am going to simply give you one idea that has worked well for me:
One sure way to build your brand and increase your impact is to constantly give back.
What do I mean? Discover, create, and share content that is inspiring, educational, and helpful. Focus on delivering content across your social channels that edifies others. Be that person that isn’t simply clogging up people’s feeds with “humble brags” about their latest promotion, achievement, or certification. 😊
There are three key words that I used in my definition above that I want to expound upon:
1. Discover
There is a plethora of content creators out there that delivers a broad spectrum of helpful, educational, and inspirational content [grammar?]. Your job is to find them! Use Google, ChatGPT or another research tool to identify content authors whose assets (blogs, videos, quotes, etc.) you can share with your audience. You don’t have to be the smartest person in your network – you do need to find who those smart people are and disseminate their material.
For example, if you work in the technology space, find out who has the most helpful, well-received content on technology, and follow them. You could sign up to their blog, follow them on LinkedIn, read their Substack, etc. Then, identify which assets they have that would be most helpful to your network and align with your values, and share that content. Bonus points if you can add some intelligent, insightful commentary of your own as you do so.
Note: Be sure to give credit when sharing content that you did not create!
2. Create
“Anyone can cook” – Chef Gusteau, Ratatouille
Anyone can create content. Armed with modern technology tools for research and composition, you can be a content creator. You know things that other people do not know, so go ahead and get busy creating!
I began creating my own content in the arena of technology and data while still a novice Salesforce admin and business analyst. I began a blog site, started blasting out technology-related tweets, and got busy on LinkedIn when I probably had not earned the right to do so. Guess what? People that were much more experienced and capable than me did not cut me down – they encouraged me and lifted me up! Why? I tried. I did my best in writing and creating because I sincerely wanted to inspire others, and that resonated with my community.
What could you write or vlog about?
- Something new and exciting in your field.
- A valuable life experience or lesson that you have learned from.
- A new tool, platform, or technology that might help your network.
- Inspiring stories of persistence, courage, and victory.
- Worthy causes that others can support.
- “How to” content.
Your content won’t be perfect at first – or ever! It doesn’t need to be flawless to provide value, so step up and create.
3. Share
We live in a unique time in history for content creators. Never have there been so many ways in which you can share content across the street and around the world, and many are free. Examples include:
- Blog sites (free or paid). I use WordPress and pay a small fee for my own domain name.
- YouTube. Create your own customised channel and publish videos for free.
- Substack. A popular platform for writers and newsletter creators; offers free and paid options.
- Twitter (Now “X”). Suitable for short, punchy headlines with links to longer content.
- LinkedIn. Business networking platform where you can publish articles, newsletters, videos, images, and PDF’s, or link to content in the comments.
- Instagram. Great for visual content, and it’s free.
- Medium. Free, and offers a partner program where you can earn revenue for your written content.
- Podcasting platforms. Platforms like Anchor or Podbean offer free hosting options for audio content.
- Patreon. A subscription-based platform that connects content creators with a tailored community.
- Personal website. Building your own custom website gives you complete control, but the costs and time commitment vary widely.
I suggest that you research the available alternatives and choose several that match your creativity, brand, and budget. I personally focus on LinkedIn, YouTube, and WordPress.
So, what are you waiting for? Get busy!
- Discover
- Create
- Share
A Most Unlikely Trailblazer 