Key Takeaways
- Establishing a personal brand on LinkedIn™ begins with identifying and reflecting your core values. These fundamental beliefs and principles differentiate you from others and help build trust with your network. By understanding and prioritizing your values, you can create a consistent and authentic presence that resonates deeply with your audience.
- Optimize your LinkedIn™ profile, use intentional visual branding, and engage in authentic storytelling to showcase your values. Enhance key sections of your profile, such as the headline and about section, to integrate values-based messaging. Use visuals that align with your values and share personal stories that illustrate your principles in action to create a compelling and relatable brand.
- Develop content that showcases your values through blog posts, videos, and reports. Be genuine and add a human touch to your posts to maintain authenticity. Engage with your network by commenting, sharing content that reflects your values, and amplifying the voices of others with shared interests. Regularly review and adjust your content strategy to ensure consistency and effectiveness in attracting like-minded professionals.
Table of Contents
Authenticity and uniqueness are the two crucial components that will make your personal brand standout in an otherwise saturated market. People are drawn to more than just your skills and achievements, they want to get to know you.
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying: “when you talk to everyone, you talk to no one.” A forward-facing brand is the perfect way to showcase your values, stories, and perspectives. What makes these branding elements so valuable is that they’re unique to you and only you, making them impossible to replicate. In other words, these are your keys to escape the echochamber of regurgitated content. By effectively positioning these attributes, you demonstrate true thought leadership and build immense trust with your community.
This kind of value-driven approach resonates deeply with audiences and creates a lasting impact. Did you know that professionals who align their brand with their values are more likely to attract like-minded connections and opportunities? This is why discarding the fear of visibility is the first step to success and sustainability.
This article is here to help you highlight your personal values on LinkedIn™. By reflecting your values within your digital presence, you’ll naturally establish a genuine eye-catching brand…and attract incredible opportunities along the way!
Understanding Your Core Values
What are core values and why are they important?
Core values are the fundamental beliefs and principles that guide your behavior and decisions. They reflect what is fundamentally important to you, which then shapes your actions and interactions.
When it comes to personal branding, core values help create a consistent and authentic presence. They differentiate you from others and build trust with your network.
Steps to take to define your core values:
- Self-Reflection:
- Take time to reflect on what matters most to you and why. Consider your beliefs, motivations, and drive. Ask yourself questions like:
- What principles guide my actions?
- What am I passionate about?
- What kind of impact do I want to make?
- Take time to reflect on what matters most to you and why. Consider your beliefs, motivations, and drive. Ask yourself questions like:
- Identify Patterns:
- Look for patterns in your past experiences. Identify moments when you felt most fulfilled, inspired, or proud. These moments often reveal your values.
- Prioritize:
- Make a list of your values and prioritize them. Choose the top 3 that are most important to you. This will become your brand’s foundation.
Building a Value-Based Brand
How to reflect your values on LinkedIn™:
- Profile Optimization:
- Your LinkedIn™ profile is the modern-day version of a ‘first impression’ when it comes to professional networking. What does yours say? The places I recommend enhancing first are your headline, about section, and experience summaries. These are great places to integrate values-based messaging.
- Visual Identity:
- Your visual identity is a language in itself. Just like they say a picture is worth a thousand words, visual branding elements are similar. Being intentional with your fonts, colors, and images will go a long way in conveying your core values. For example, if creativity is a top value for you, using vibrant and artistic visuals will express that.
- Authentic Storytelling:
- Storytelling brings your values to life. It’s one thing to say what you’re passionate about and what you believe in, but it’s another to actually walk the talk. Through personal stories you can share on a deeper, more relatable level the why behind your beliefs and how you actively put them into practice. For example, if community service is a core value, share a story about a volunteer project you participated in and its positive impact on the community.
Content Creation with a Values-Driven Approach
What types of content best showcase your values?
- Blog Posts and Articles:
- Write about topics you’re interested in and reflect your values. For example, if innovation is at the top of your list, write about the latest trends and advancements in your industry. This demonstrates thought leadership and your willingness to help your community succeed. You can also utilize LinkedIn™’s collaboration feature to contribute your perspectives to various industry-specific articles.
- Videos and Visual Content:
- Create videos that showcase your values in action. For instance, if collaboration is a core value, utilize LinkedIn™ Live Events to host a panel of industry trendsetters for a value-packed session your network can engage in.
- Studies and Reports:
- Stay up to date with groundbreaking releases hitting your industry. Share the ones that resonate most with your top brand values and add your own fresh angles and perspectives to show why these topics matter.
How to maintain authenticity in your posts:
- Be Genuine:
- Share your true thoughts and feelings, not just what others expect of you or what’s trending. Authenticity builds trust and credibility. Add a dash of confidence to that, and you’ll be a magnet for aligned audiences and opportunities.
- Add The Human Touch:
- While it’s important to be professional, avoid over-polishing your content. Imperfections are what makes us human. At the end of the day, we’re all just people behind these screens doing the best we can to make a difference. Don’t be afraid to let others see that.
Engaging with Your Network
- Comment:
- Engaging with posts from your community is the best way to show mutual support. Leave thoughtful comments that add value to the conversation.
- Share:
- Share content that reflects your values and explain why it caught your attention or peaked your curiosity. Encourage discussions and invite your network to share their perspectives too. Healthy conversations are important for any industry!
- Amplify Voices:
- Support and amplify the voices of others with shared interests by giving endorsements and writing recommendations.
- Celebrate Achievements:
- Celebrate the achievements of your community that have advanced areas in your industry you care about. There’s room for everyone at the top!
Overcoming Common Challenges
How to stand strong in your values when faced with external pressures:
- Resilience:
- Unfortunately, internet trolls are out there. But that’s okay! Don’t let it stop you from sharing your thoughts and making progress. Stay committed to your values. Confidently and neutrally respond. Remember, your values define your brand and attract like-minded connections…and with that, there will always be those who don’t agree.
- Support System:
- Surround yourself with a supportive network of professionals who you can seek advice and encouragement from. Having a circle that has your back is everything.
How to keep your branding consistent:
- Content Calendar:
- My clients and I use Google Spreadsheets to plan out our content for the month. This ensures we provide an appropriate blend of topics, stay relevant, keep engagement high, and maintain consistency.
- Regular Reviews:
- Regularly review your profile, content, and analytics. How are your posts performing? This will tell you where you can implement best (and sometimes new) practices to attract more like-minded professionals into your network and better serve your current audience. Make adjustments as needed based on this data and feedback!
Conclusion
Just like integrity is a sought after personality trait, it’s equally important in personal branding. Gone are the days when people did business with generic and distant companies. Today, people want to do business with those they know, like, and trust. Shared values are a critical component to any meaningful relationship…even virtual ones! Invest in your community and they’ll invest in you too.
Want to learn more about this topic? Make sure to follow Melanie Borden and The Borden Group on LinkedIn™.
Love this type of content? Join the Human to Brand Community for Exclusive Members-Only resources, including in-depth guides.
