Chapter 6
Presenting the real you online
Chapter 5 focused on the topic of presenting the real you, and while on this topic it is worth dedicating a chapter to presenting the real you online. In this digital age, you cannot escape your online presence and it is just as important to keep it real online as it is in person. From your website (if you have one) to your LinkedIn profile, your online presence can have an effect on how others see you.
How you appear online is often the first impression people get of you — most people will do an online search on you before meeting with you — so it's worthwhile investing time and energy into making your online presence a real representation of you.
HOW YOU APPEAR ONLINE IS OFTEN THE FIRST impression PEOPLE GET OF YOU.
While Facebook is a hugely popular social media platform, the platform for businesspeople is LinkedIn. LinkedIn has been around longer than Facebook and is one of the most effective social media sites for professionals. Your LinkedIn page is also likely to be the main online platform you can influence when looking to ensure what people see online is the real you. If you have one, your website is another strong tool for representing you, so I cover this area briefly at the end of the chapter.
Taking advantage of LinkedIn
In this section, I outline five ways to help make your LinkedIn profile more engaging and real.
Remember first impressions count
You wouldn't go to a networking event with a mask on and, equally, you shouldn't hide your face on your LinkedIn profile. You should include a photo.
Having a clear, professional photo on your profile will allow you to have more impact and credibility. Having a photo that genuinely reflects the real you and what you do is also important.
Look at your headline and summary
Don't think that your headline automatically needs to be your positional title. Could you use something from your bio as your tagline? Perhaps you could highlight your passion or use a combination of your passion and your title, such as: ‘Head of Customer Service and passionate about making a difference’.
The summary area is also an important one to look at. Many people don't provide a summary or simply use this feature to capture their work experience. However, LinkedIn provides a specific section where you can capture work experience and skills, so you don't need to duplicate the information here.
Look back at the work you did when creating your bio for presentations (focusing on your 5Ps — refer to chapter 5). Think about whether you could use your bio as your LinkedIn summary or a revised version of that.
One last point — the jury seems to be out on whether the summary should be written in first person or not. However, I am a fan of using the first person because I just think it seems more real.
Actively contribute
Don't be a bystander with LinkedIn. If you come across an article you find valuable and that you think others in your network will also find of value, share it.
If you have an insight into an article, make a comment.
If you like a comment, ‘like’ it.
The only time you can contribute to LinkedIn is when you are sharing your messages, and sharing the messages of others. Doing so will help build your reputation as an expert in your field, but also give people a clearer idea of your passions and opinions.
Publish posts that highlight your passions
After reading through chapter 2, you should have a clearer idea on what your chimes are, what you believe in and what you stand for. LinkedIn and other social media sites are a way to start communicating these chimes and beliefs, through the posts or comments you add.
Either write your own posts and publish them on LinkedIn or share others' posts with a comment on why you shared them.
Connect well
You can usually find a smarter way to do most things in life, and connecting on LinkedIn is no exception. When you want to connect with someone, don't just send them a standard request, Instead, always try to include a personal note on why you want to connect with them.
I also find that I more readily accept requests to connect with people when they add a personal note, such as ‘I saw you speak recently and would like to connect’, or ‘I just read your book and would like to connect’.
Once I received the following LinkedIn request to connect from someone in the UK:
Hi
We have not done business together but I am on your mailing list and enjoyed the last one. I hope you accept my invitation to connect here on LinkedIn.
Kind regards
I think the way this person reached out to connect was polite and professional — and just common sense. These attributes are sometimes forgotten in the world of social media.
Finally, keep your profile up to date. As you change, make sure your profile reflects that. Keep it current and keep it relevant — but, most importantly, keep it real.
Making your website work for you
While a full rundown of website design is beyond the scope of this book, I can give you a few pointers when it comes to its content, and making sure you still show the real you.
When it comes to your own website (if you have one), you may feel that the site needs to be void of any of your own personality. Many leaders feel like this. However, just as we can attempt to be ‘real’ in person, we can also take that same philosophy to our website.
If we are prepared to show our passions, values and beliefs in person, we should aim for the same courage on our website.
One perfect place to show this is in the ‘about’ section. Perhaps, for example, you could share a personal story in this section that shows your passion or values. For example, in mine I share the following story.
When I left school I applied for a job as computer operator. I was pretty rapt to get an interview and I thought I performed well in it. The following weekend, I saw the job advertised again and can recall saying to Mum, ‘Obviously I did not get the job’. She suggested I apply for it again. So after thinking, Yeah, right, how lame would that be? I actually did apply for it again, writing a much stronger letter. I was asked in for a second interview, where the manager said to me, ‘Your second letter was lot stronger; why did you apply for the job again?’ I told him it was because I really wanted the job and I really knew I could do it (I may have left out the bit about my Mum telling me to). I was offered the job on the spot.
Fast-forward to about 17 years later. It was 4 am and my young daughter was screaming for her bottle. As my husband was heating up her bottle, he said to her, ‘Hang on the bottle's coming soon; good things come to those that wait’. I remember snapping at him with, ‘Don't you ever say that to our daughter again. It's a stupid saying. Good things don't come to those who wait; good things come to those who get out there and do something about it, and when they fail they don't give up they try something different.’ At this point, I think he suggested that perhaps I should go back to bed and he would do that feed.
So, yes, in my first-time mother, sleep-deprived state that was obviously an unjustified overreaction but it is something I truly believe. People who know me well know that one of my all-time favourite quotes is ‘If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got’.
I am passionate about working with people to give them the clarity, confidence and capability to achieve their authentic potential, to be the most inspiring leader they can be and to make the difference they were born to make.
Don't be afraid to inject some of the real you into your website.