This article is based on a Fireside Chat between Katie Street and Ash Jones at the B2B Forum event organised by SocialDay on how to build an authentic personal brand.
The first step in personal branding is setting your goals. What are you trying to achieve? Are you trying to generate leads, build thought leadership, or showcase company culture? Your approach should align with your desired outcome.
For example, a founder might focus on building trust with potential clients, while a team leader might aim to humanise a large organisation. Whatever the goal, it’s essential to tailor your strategy to meet those specific targets.
Authenticity is non-negotiable when building your personal brand. Audiences can spot inauthenticity, and the disconnect between an online persona and real-life behaviour can do more harm than good to your brand.
As Ash emphasised: “If the offline ‘you’ doesn’t match the online ‘you’, it’s not neutral – it’s negative“.
This doesn’t mean you need to share every detail of your personal life online. Instead, it’s about aligning your content with your personality and values. If storytelling feels natural, lean into that. If you’re more analytical, let data and insights take the lead in your approach.
While follower counts and metrics can serve as a stamp of approval, they’re not a measure for success. As Katie and Ash shared, true success lies in consistency and relevance. A smaller but highly engaged community often outperforms a large, disengaged one.
A strong following builds credibility, making it easier to secure speaking engagements, book deals, and other opportunities. However, it’s not about how many followers you have, it’s about the quality of your connections.
Whether it’s posting regularly on LinkedIn or speaking at events, showing up consistently reinforces your expertise and keeps you top of mind for your audience. Show your prospects that you’re active, reliable, and invested in your niche. People are more likely to trust someone they ‘see’ often.
Building a personal brand takes more than counting followers or jumping on quick trends, it’s about creating a genuine reputation that lasts (both online and offline). The one thing that will truly set you apart in the crowded market is you, your unique voice, experiences, and perspective. Remember to keep showing up to your audience consistently.
Explore our other articles for more insights, tips, and strategies on creating authentic connections, running events and driving long-term success. There’s so much more to discover!