In today's interconnected world, the concept of branding has transcended its traditional business confines and is now an indispensable asset for individuals carving their paths to success.
This is true whether you're a CEO, Founder, Professional or Creator.
A personal brand is the distilled essence of your identity, values, and the artful mastery with which you showcase yourself to the world.
I encourage clients to think of it as a virtual Swiss Army knife – capable of not only unlocking doors to funding, sales, partnerships, and job opportunities, but also seamlessly connecting you with a network that makes even the most sociable of social butterflies envious.
One of the questions I get often is how to build a personal brand IRL when attending conferences or events, so I have detailed my approach to networking IRL:
Prep your Pitch
↳Nail down a concise and compelling elevator pitch that showcases who you are, what you do, and the value you bring in 60s or less. This is your golden ticket to making a memorable first impression.
Authenticity is Key
↳Remember to be human in your interactions. Don't dive right into a sales pitch. Ask questions, talk about your passions and let connection shine through your conversations and interactions. Often, I won't even talk about my business or work. I'll just ask questions about their business and chat about life topics.
Network with Purpose
↳Focus on quality over quantity. Engage in meaningful conversations, listen actively, and look for ways to help others or add value to others' experiences.
Map Your Day
↳Review the conference / event keynotes and speakers to decide which to attend.
Do your Research
↳Learn about speakers before the event so you have some background to go into sessions. Post on LinkedIn pre-event that you're attending so that you can connect with people in your LinkedIn network IRL.
Share Your Expertise
↳Whether it's through panel discussions, workshops, or casual chats, don't hesitate to showcase your knowledge and insights. Establish yourself as a thought leader.
Capture the Brilliance
↳I have a Notes page on my iPhone titled conferences and anytime I hear a brilliant quote or thought from a speaker or attendee I capture it. It helps me when I'm creating post event content as well as just idea absorption.
Be Social
↳Leverage social media to amplify your presence pre-during-post event. Share updates from the event, post about key connections made, document insights, connect with fellow attendees, and keep the conversations going online!
Connect Offline and Online
↳ Ensure you're transferring the IRL connections you're making to the online world. I have a picture of my LinkedIn & TikTok QR codes and put it as the Wallpaper on my phone to make networking easy.
Be a Connector
↳Introduce people who could benefit from knowing each other. Acting as a bridge between others not only enriches their networks, but also boosts your personal brand in a meaningful way.
Don't Miss the AfterParty
↳For those of you that know me I love a good party. Look for opportunities to extend the conversation as many tech professionals will be in the city.
Follow Up
↳Post Event, follow up with new connections on LinkedIn. Send personalized DMs and mention points from your conversation.
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