Use the Web to Build Positive Personal Impact

Today is Tuesday, so this post is on creating positive personal impact.

Even if you’re not in business for yourself, you need to have a web presence to create positive personal impact.  In his great eBook Effective Internet Presence, Ted Demopoulos asks the question, “If you don’t exist on line, do you really exist?”  He answers it this way.  “Good question.  Certainly people are googling you, and if they find favorable results, it’s much better than if they find unfavorable results or nothing at all…Today when people want to know ‘Who are you?’ the answer usually comes from Google.”

This can be pretty scary – if you don’t take the time to make sure that you have an internet presence that reflects well on you.  The best place to begin is to create your own unique personal brand.  Your personal brand highlights what is special and unique about you – why you are not a commodity.

For my money, the best book on personal branding is Career Distinction by William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson.  They stress the importance of the “Three C’s” – Clarity, Consistency and Constancy.  You can use the internet to help you with all three C’s.

Mr. Demopoulos is a big believer in social networking sites to help you build your brand online.  He is particularly fond of LinkedIn.  He says, “The search engines love LinkedIn.  So if you don’t have any internet presence, joining LinkedIn, setting up your profile and inviting a few dozen people to be your connections is a great way to start.”  I agree.  If you’re not a member of LinkedIn, I suggest that you sign up as soon as you finish reading this post.  Check out my profile while you’re there.  Feel free to link to me.

Mr. Demopoulos also is a fan of leaving comments on targeted blogs.  This means that you read blogs that are in some way tied to your field or area of expertise.  Comment on posts that interest you.  I am bad about this.  I read quite a few blogs, but comment very seldom.  I have set a goal to leave at least five comments on blogs per day.  That’s 25 comments a week.  Of course, I am in business for myself, and my web presence is very important to me. 

You don’t have to comment as frequently.  In fact, I think that if you have limited time, you are better off starting your own blog and posting two or three times a week.  This will also boost your web presence and enhance your personal brand.  This assumes, of course, that you have something to say.  And, in my opinion, everyone has something to say.

Mr. Demopoulos suggests that on line book reviews are another way to build your brand.  Do you read a lot?  If so, take a few minutes and review books that you like on Amazon.com.  Because I blog about books quite a bit, I have started to receive review copies from major publishing houses.  A while back, I decided to post only positive reviews.  If I don’t like a book, I don’t do a negative review.  I do this because there are enough interesting, well written books out there.  I choose to focus on them instead of bashing those books (however few) I don’t like.

The common sense point here is simple.  Use the internet to build your personal brand by paying attention to your internet presence.  Focus on the “three C’s” – clarity, Consistency, and Constancy when building your brand – both on line and off line.  Log on to William Arruda’s site www.reachcc.com to read more about the three C’s.  Read Ted Demopolous’ great eBook Effective Internet presence.  Use its ideas. You can get a free copy at www.effectiveinternetpresence.com.   

That’s it for today.  Thanks for reading.  Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense. 

I’ll see you around the web and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand, my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.