Forbes Council Article: How Leaders Can Become External Brand Ambassadors: Unleashing The Power Of Personal Branding And Social Selling

Kelli Williams authored this article as a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council Member. The Council is for Nonprofit Leaders Who Want to Change the World. Forbes Nonprofit Council empowers successful, diverse leaders in the nonprofit sector to network, publish, and grow their connections while bolstering their social proof and credibility by showcasing their nonprofit organization’s mission. This blog post is a re-sharing of an article originally published on Forbes.

Becoming a brand ambassador for your company is one of the most important things you can do to help your organization gain awareness and stand out.

Personal branding and social selling have become crucial tools for leaders in both nonprofit and for-profit sectors to help create organization-wide awareness and opportunities without a financial investment. These strategies enable professionals to advocate for their organizations and leverage their unique qualities to build organizational awareness, credibility and a significant impact.

Personal Branding

Personal branding is about knowing what makes you different and what helps you stand out from the crowd. It begins with understanding that each of us is unique. This involves being clear about who you are, who you are not, what you stand for and what you will not stand for.

Recognizing and embracing your uniqueness is the first step toward becoming a brand ambassador for your organization. There are a series of questions I recommend we all ask ourselves to become clearer on who we are and what makes us unique:

• Who am I?

• What’s important to me?

• What do I stand for?

• What am I good at?

• What will people remember me for?

The answers to these self-reflection questions can help identify the qualities that differentiate us from others—whether direct competitors or even peers who might have similar roles. This self-reflection can also highlight what makes us shine (or what fills our cup). Knowing what dims our light (or pulls from our joy) is equally important, as it helps avoid situations or behaviors that do not align with our authentic selves.

Develop And Maintain A Reputation

Once you have identified your unique qualities, the next step is to market and position yourself as a brand ambassador while sharing these qualities. The aim is to create a consistent and authentic representation of ourselves in everything we do and everywhere we are—in person, in writing, on social media and everywhere in between.

For example, as of 2020, I had been marketing for almost 20 years, yet nobody had ever asked to hear from me as a CMO. That year, following the murder of George Floyd, I was invited to contribute to an article from a national news source that was asking Black women leaders for input on the situation. At first, I was flattered by the invitation, but then I recognized that the request didn’t fit my brand, and I declined. Instead, I wrote an article that aligned with my brand—one that empowered me to take control of my narrative, expressing how I felt in that season. This decision allowed me to show up more authentically in the world. (And the article published in USA Today.)

Here are a few strategies to effectively brand yourself on LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network:

• Create a compelling LinkedIn headline. This headline doesn’t only need to be your job title but can also feature your passions, showcase expertise and value and explain why people might want to connect with you.

• Develop a strong LinkedIn summary. Your summary should include an attention-grabbing opening statement, noteworthy professional experience, your company’s value and how you uniquely contribute to the industry. Infuse your personality to make it more engaging, ensuring your true brand comes to life.

• Share thought leadership. Regularly post and share content that provides value to your LinkedIn community. These updates can include industry insights, professional development events, networking events, professional updates and relevant personal updates. Yes, I said personal updates because to be a well-rounded person, you have to share some of who you are outside of work—share what you are comfortable sharing.

Become A Brand Ambassador

As a leader, being a brand ambassador for your organization means using your brand to advocate for your company. This enhances your professional image and provides awareness and reach for social content without significant financial investment.

Building and maintaining a reputation requires consistency and authenticity. It is impossible to be consistent and authentic if it’s not really you that you’re trying to portray. To be a true brand ambassador, it’s essential to be clear about your values and principles, as this transparency helps build trust with your community.

Social selling—building relationships with your network and prospects through social channels by providing value to them—plays a pivotal role in sharing your brand online. Social selling isn’t implicitly about selling but instead involves leveraging your brand to create meaningful connections that support personal and professional growth.

To become an effective brand ambassador through social selling, consider these key steps:

• Identify your motivation. Understand why you want to implement social selling (e.g., to extend your organization’s reach, create new connections, etc.).

• Evaluate your LinkedIn Social Selling Index score. Aim for a score above 70 to ensure you effectively leverage LinkedIn.

• Build your brand. Become an asset to your network by sharing valuable insights that are meaningful to you and engaging when your audience shares thoughts and ideas you connect with.

• Create connections. Identify connections in and around your industry with people with whom you can build mutually beneficial relationships to support your growth and the growth of your organization.

• Strengthen your company’s brand. Use your brand and unique gifts to enhance your company’s reach and reputation.

• Share thought leadership. Share your thoughts and ideas to illustrate your unique perspectives, expertise and the value you bring to the world through insightful content.

Final Thoughts

Personal branding and social selling are powerful tools that enable leaders to stand out, market themselves and develop a reputable presence. By becoming brand ambassadors, professionals can advocate for their organizations, attract other professionals and drive business opportunities. Embrace your uniqueness, market yourself as a brand and maintain a consistent reputation to significantly impact your field. By doing so, you can elevate your brand and enhance your organization’s overall brand and reach, making you a true brand ambassador.