Are You For Real?
How executives can show that they too are human
Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest have become sensations even for serious executives because they use pictures and videos as the foundation for communication.
The more personal and vulnerable they are, the more relatable the leaders that use them appear to be.
In his book, Building a Story Brand, Donald Miller, a world-renowned Brand Strategy Expert, who himself recently pivoted his personal branding strategy to appear more personable on Instagram, shares several key messages about engaging your Ideal Client when building a personal or corporate brand.
I have summarized them into the following 6:
1. People relate to stories more than they do to facts and figures
2. People only want to know how you can help them survive or thrive
3. People don't want you to be their hero, they want to be the hero of their own stories
4. People want you to be a guide to help them overcome challenges and win
5. People want to know that you have the credibility and reliability to help them
6. People are more likely to trust you if they know that you have experienced a similar problem, and overcome it, or have a track record of helping others to do so, and you can get them similar results
“People would rather follow a leader who is always real than one who is always right.”
-Craig Groeschel
You're probably thinking, "Modesta, I am a senior executive, I don't do TikTok dances, or whatever it's called." Neither do I (at least not on TikTok, Instagram, well that's a whole other story). No one is asking you to do anything foolish, inauthentic, or, as my coach says, lacking gravitas. However, what we have come to learn these past 6 weeks of this journey to Build Your Powerful Personal Brand, and what Donald Miller also emphasizes, is that getting your Ideal Client to view you as a Trusted Solution Provider requires you to establish Trust = Credibility + Relatability. Too often as leaders, we focus on showing that we have the Credibility (knowledge, skills, expertise, experiences, and fortitude of character to deliver), but we fall short on being open, transparent, and even vulnerable to establish Relatability with the people we seek to build a Trust relationship with.
Like it or not, and no matter how much they may argue on the contrary, or try to prove non-bias, people make decisions based on emotions (whether they like or dislike, relate to, or don't relate to someone or something).
Showing that you are human with relatable work-life experiences and vulnerabilities you overcome, goes a long way to establishing trust so that you can access, connect with, and influence your Ideal Client.
So, what do I recommend?
I don't know anything about TikTok and Pinterest but can advise you of these 7 simple things you can do to build a powerful, relatable, presence, and personal brand on Instagram:
Use the same headshot and headline you have on LinkedIn
2. Search for and follow your Ideal Client and similar accounts
3. Like and comment genuinely, graciously, and value-adding on their posts
4. Post high-resolution images and video clips (feel free to use natural filters to enhance images)
There are countless FREE apps that help you edit images and videos
5. Tell a short or long, personal or professional, yours or somebody else's (with their permission) story with the posted image or video that relates to your Ideal Client
6. Engage with your audience by liking, replying to their engagement on your posts, and going to theirs to do the same
7. Consistently post and engage (no pressure on frequency, as long as there is consistency) to establish Credibility and Relatability to build Trust and establish Your Powerful Personal Brand as a Trusted Solution Provider with your Ideal Client.
Now that wasn't so bad, was it?
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