“It’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business.”
-Michael Corleone (The Godfather, 1972)
Tip #1: Don’t be Lame
The soon-to-be head of the Corleone family knew how to drive a strong message across. Think of creative initiative as a cannoli, and lame content as a gun (stay with me here) – Leave the gun, take the cannoli. In today’s digital world when you’re trying to build a brand, it’s the exact opposite: you want it to be personal. Personal is fun. It’s engaging. It’s not some cookie-cutter, run-of-the-mill dry content that gets passed around social media channels without any flavor to it. Sometimes it’s refreshing for your audience to be reminded that your company is composed of interesting human beings with jobs, just like them. Just because you’re a business or an organization doesn’t mean you have to be as boring as watching paint dry. It’s not personal, it’s business…but make it personal.
Heck, sometimes we’ll post a picture of everyone out at lunch together. Don’t be afraid to mix things up. When you have good chemistry with your team, it’s a fun environment. Share that. People dig that stuff.
Creative content is what drives a successful business – and we often find ourselves having fun with projects – like flying World’s Fair Beer over Knoxville.
Tip #2: BLOG, BLOG, BLOOOOOOG
“What the Internet’s value is that you have access to information but you also have access to every lunatic that’s out there that wants to throw up a blog.”
-George A. Romero
Make that work in your favor! Crank out blogs about cool tips and tricks you’ve learned in your industry. Write listicles about anything – they’re fun, brief, and perfect for the “TL;DR” (too long, didn’t read) reader. Client spotlights and testimonials are great. How about a blog post in which you reflect on where you were a year ago and what you’ve learned since then?
Other ideas include:
- Infographics and Videos
- Tutorials
- Checklists
- Blog series
Tip #3: Get Engaged (with Social Media) and Establish Your Voice
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are prime platforms for establishing your organization’s ‘voice’ – that is, the tone you take with the content you put out there. You can be silly while still maintaining a professional tone. Find groups who are in your field or match your target audience.
Consistency is key, here – if you slack off, you lose followers and public interest. Be diligent in maintaining your marketing drumbeat.
Tip #4: Pay Attention to the Big Fish
This one might seem like a given, but it’s always a smart idea to pay attention to the big fish that are making waves. Keep an eye on the type of quality content they share, their engagement with readers, and so on. Look to the pros – they got to where they are because they’re consistent, creative and driven. And most importantly – their content doesn’t suck!
Building a Personal Brand Takes Time!
This is a process that will take a lot of time and effort, but it sets you apart from the competition by leagues. By creating and sharing personal content that people actually want to engage with, you’re building a personal brand that resonates authority and credibility – and making an offer your audience can’t refuse. At Big Slate Media, we do it all – photography, video production, blogging, social media management and more. If you’re ready to get your name out there and have fun doing it, give us a call at (865) 291-0005 or contact us online!