This article previously appeared in Bulldog Reporter.
Promoting the thought-leadership profile of our clients is a hallmark capability of The Reis Group and something that we do for our health care clients regularly. As the pandemic continues to threaten the health and economy of our nation, and social injustice issues still occupy center stage, it’s more important than ever to amplify the strengths of every organization’s leadership and to position the C-Suite as thought leaders to establish a credible and strong voice in the current climate, and bolster the relevancy of the organization and its issues.
But it’s also equally important to think about your personal brand as well. The old saying “the cobbler’s kids have no shoes” can ring true for public relations professionals. We spend so much time establishing our clients as thought leaders that we can easily forget to practice what we preach for our own public profile.
Establishing yourself as a thought leader will enable you to do four key things: build credibility for you and your organization, expand your network, develop your professional skillset, and create new opportunities for collaboration.
There’s no single way to successfully build your personal brand, but here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.
Social media is your friend.
While it’s fun to look at pictures and life updates on various social platforms, utilizing social media, particularly LinkedIn and Twitter, can help establish you as a thought leader and build your credibility and following. Try sharing relevant articles written by others and adding your point of view to provide a glimpse into your understanding and thinking. Or consider expanding the reach of your perspective by sharing posts, articles, and blogs you have developed, or media stories that you have helped to place. You can also engage with those in your network by “liking” and commenting on their posts. Social media also offers another opportunity to leverage your attendance at events by sharing relevant content and connecting with other attendees.
Share your voice.
Developing commentaries or blogs is an easy way to widely share your expertise on a particular topic. Look for opportunities in industry trade publications to share your thinking and experience. These placements will bolster your expertise around a particular topic, generate content you can share via social, and even create potential speaking opportunities on related topics.
Get involved.
While it may seem like yet another time-consuming commitment to add to your ever-growing to-do list, joining professional organizations can help expand your personal and professional development in important ways. Your membership may create networking opportunities with other like-minded professionals that may result in a connection to a new hire or a new business opportunity. It can also help to broaden your knowledge through courses, seminars, and lectures to keep you up to date on the latest industry innovations, research, and trends. Additionally, your membership may even provide opportunities to develop your leadership skills through committee and Board positions.
Don’t be afraid to speak up.
Finding opportunities to share your knowledge via speaking engagements at professional meetings, conferences, or local universities can further highlight your expertise on a particular topic or issue and build your presentation skill-set. It can also help you to make connections with fellow presenters and attendees and may open the door for future speaking opportunities.
So, as you think about the challenges ahead in 2021, remember that investing in yourself is important! You are your best asset, so make sure to carve out the time to do this–and have fun with it!
