Avoid these 5 common mistakes when building your Personal Brand

Creating a strong personal brand online, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, is key to reach your ideal clients. But, it's easy to make some mistakes along the way. Here's a look at five big ones people often make, and tips on how to steer clear of them.

1. Not Knowing Who You’re Talking To

The biggest mistake? Not really understanding the people you want to reach. Before you start posting anything, figure out who your audience is. Who are they (and you want to go beyond job titles here)? What do they want? What problems do they have? How can you help? Start peeling back the layers, and start thinking of them as people. Knowing this makes your content hit home with the right people.

2. Quitting Too Early

Building a brand online doesn’t happen overnight. It’s easy to get impatient, expect instant results and jump to the conclusion that ‘this isn’t working’. This makes people give up way too soon. When I help clients build their personal brand, it normally takes anywhere between 12 weeks and 6 months to see strong results. Remember, creating a strong presence takes time and consistent effort. Don’t rush to the next big thing if you don’t see immediate results. Keep at it, track how you’re doing, and adjust as needed.

3. Speaking your language, not your audience’s

When you’re sharing what you know, especially about complex stuff, it’s easy to use jargon and terms that not everyone gets. It happens a lot in a sector like property and construction, where people often talk about topics that are intricate and technical. The trick is to keep it simple. Think about whether your audience will understand those technical terms. How savvy are they? Do they need you to break this down? Explain things in a way they can grasp.

4. Focusing on the Wrong Numbers

So many people pay too much attention to things like how many followers they have. Sure, it feels good to have a big number, but if those followers aren’t really engaging with you or interested in what you do, it doesn’t mean much. Ask yourself what success looks like for you. Are you trying to make people aware of what you do? Are you trying to drive sales for your business? Look at the bigger picture and focus on metrics that show that you’re actually making an impact towards YOUR goal. Be specific.

5. Looking for Quick Wins and Shortcuts

The idea that you can get instant sales or success without building trust first is just not true. Even though there are tools out there that can make you more visible online quickly, and automate some tasks for you, people who find you for the first time probably won’t buy anything right away. Would you? I don’t think so. So, take the time to build real connections and trust before expecting them to spend any money.

 In summary, building your online brand is more than just posting content and counting likes. It’s about understanding who you’re talking to, sticking with it, keeping things simple, building trust, and focusing on what really matters. By avoiding these five mistakes, you’ll be on your way to creating a personal brand that truly resonates with people and helps you succeed.

Do you need help building your personal brand? Drop me a message, I’d love to chat.

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