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eCommerce advice: Tips for Personal Branding

eCommerce advice: Tips for Personal Branding

Question: What are some tips for building a strong personal brand as a freelancer or influencer?

Answer below:

  1. You need to develop the skill of being able to effectively communicate your value at every opportunity in ways that don't come across as arrogant or braggadocious. Just like any other skill, this requires practice and an open approach to feedback - whether that's in the form of body language, people shifting to a new topic, or people leaning in and asking questions to learn more.
  2. Always pay attention to the audience and tailor your message to their needs. In doing this, you will find them more receptive to your story and the brand narrative you've developed.
  3. Get over the fear of being seen as self-promoting. You need to do that to succeed. When in doubt, remember points 1 & 2 above.
  4. Showing is always more powerful than just telling. Make sure you practice what you preach. Your portfolio and proofs of concept need to be frequently updated with the cutting-edge. Showcase not just your historic wins, but also demonstrate how you adapt and expand your skills over time.
  5. This is specifically for any natural introverts reading this: networking can seem daunting if you're naturally a quiet person. That's ok. You can still do this! The key is to try to keep yourself open to the potential in other people to be cool. Seriously - assume that the people you're trying to network with are very interesting and very interested in your ideas. It's a construct that you can use to steel yourself against the anxiety that can hit introverts like a freight train when they try to leave their comfort zones.
This blog post is an excerpt from a LinkedIn knowledge base contribution from Heather Hershey, founder of hairkittykitty.com and Research Director of Worldwide Digital Commerce at IDC. Ms. Hershey has professional experience in business analytics, global supply chain logistics, international manufacturing and product sourcing, PPC performance analytics, growth marketing, and digital content marketing. Prior to her work with IDC, Ms. Hershey also served as the primary content and SEO strategist for the ongoing redesign of vote.gov on behalf of the GSA.
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