Responses to recent tweets by people about personal branding and Twitter, starting over, LinkedIn, and more.
Stephen Fells, @StephenFells, twittered: Is it better to tweet under a brand or a personal twitter account?
Jacob Share, @jacobshare: Is it better to use a hammer or a drill? It all depends on what you’re trying to do.
In tweeting under a brand’s account, you associate yourself with that brand. What you tweet will build that brand, your brand, or both. If the brand syncs with your own personal brand, you can leverage the brand to boost your own by getting better exposure than if you started from scratch.
On the other hand, tweeting under a personal account is simpler. It’s all you, all the time. Either your tweets will strengthen your brand or weaken it.
Ryan Newsome, @RyanNewsome, twittered: #smmmQ How do you start over with social media for your business or personal brand?
Jacob Share, @jacobshare: While information overwhelm does make it easier for people to forget things over time, the same technology driving that overwhelm is making it harder for information to be forgotten over time. As a result, even a ‘do over’ needs to take into account what came before it.
If you want to start over with the same targeted audience, hold their hand throughout the transformation process to minimize the chances of losing anyone. Tell them that change is coming and be up front about what it will mean for them personally. Explain how the change will take place, and then keep the audience updated as the changes take place. Listen and use their feedback as much as possible.
On a more practical level, starting over may be as quick as unfollowing everyone on Twitter or launching a Facebook page and ‘pushing’ Facebook friends to Like it so you can communicate with them there instead. Either way, no matter how radical the change, don’t keep it a secret. Give people a chance to even anticipate it.
Joshua Waldman, @JoshuaWaldman, twittered: Any feedback on the best way of convincing executives that LinkedIn Status Updates help, not hurt, their personal brand?
Jacob Share, @jacobshare: LinkedIn Status Updates can hurt anyone’s personal brand if they’re not smart about what they share.
Make sure they know that. It will make them feel more comfortable knowing that they’re (partially) right.
Then, once they’re most receptive to you since you just agreed with them, give actual examples of status updates that they would be smart to share, i.e. show them how other executives, people much like them, have used updates to build their personal brand.
Katie Bromley, @KatieRBromley, twittered: Can’t worry about my personal brand today, have to actually get things done; But shouldn’t that speak to my ‘brand’?
Jacob Share, @jacobshare: You’re absolutely right, Katie. A well-chosen and well-designed personal brand is one where almost everything you do also serves to build & strengthen that brand. There’s no way to turn it off, and you wouldn’t want to if you could.
If that’s not your personal brand, try a personal brand audit to see what’s working and what isn’t, and then imagine how your personal brand can resemble the real you more.
Author:
Jacob Share, a job search expert, is the creator of JobMob, one of the biggest blogs in the world about finding jobs. Follow him on Twitter for job search tips and humor.
