The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/857320
thelinguist.uberflip.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER The Linguist 25 FEATURES consistent with your values and personality – it will be much less work for you, and you'll effortlessly come across as authentic. Getting professional help to define your brand style is worth it. However, if you feel you can't afford it just yet and are reasonably confident about your design skills, many free online resources and tools can help you – from articles on branding to colour palette generators and design tools such as Canva. COVER ALL SPACES Next, it's time to roll out your brand across all your professional assets. First, you will need good headshots and images. We live in a visual world, so professional quality photographs make a huge difference to your credibility. They don't come cheap, but if you know a photographer, you could offer a labour exchange. A friend of mine who has worked as a portrait photographer agreed to deliver a comprehensive set of headshots in exchange for marketing coaching sessions. Make sure any premises or spaces that you own, both online and offline, reflect your brand. Premises in the real world may be an office that is open to the public or a stand at a professional event. Online spaces are very diverse and may include a website, blog, online portfolio, social media profiles, directory profiles and entries in third-party sites. All of them need to be consistent with your brand. Few things do a better job at giving your brand credibility than quotes and testimonials from third parties. Approach current and former clients, partners and colleagues for referrals and endorsements. LinkedIn has a built-in feature to collect recommendations from people in your network, but remember to ask for permission if you want to use them elsewhere. See every compliment as an opportunity to get an endorsement – if someone is happy with your work, they are unlikely to object to your request. CONTENT WITH CONTENT You may have heard that content is king in the world of digital marketing, and this is mainly due to the importance of online searches. As your brand manager, it's up to you to monitor the online search results that appear for your name. Keeping your online brand presence consistent, and updating your online spaces with unique, quality content on a regular basis, will help you gain exposure on search engines. Content comes in all shapes and sizes. Blogs are ideal, but if writing doesn't come naturally to you, look at other options. It may be that you like taking photographs of the progress you're making on projects, or perhaps you're a fan of microblogging. You may decide that a blog requires too much commitment, and opt instead to publish on reputable third-party blogs, industry websites or established publishing platforms such as LinkedIn Publishing and Medium. Generating content is only half the battle; you need to disseminate it afterwards, which People buy from people they know, like and trust – and a strong story can help you connect with them is where your networks come in. Building and maintaining a strong network, both online and offline, is paramount in your professional life. Keeping in touch with your existing contacts is just the beginning; you have to go where your clients, partners and colleagues go. Events – from conferences and training sessions to local networking opportunities – are a good bet. Online there is a host of possibilities, including closed industry groups and forums, networks built around online publications and industry blogs. If used wisely, social media can also be a valuable tool to build your online networks. Crafting a personal brand requires a good deal of reflection and some serious action. Invest some time into thinking about what you have to offer the world, what matters to you, who you are and what your story is. Define a brand style that fits with all of this. Build or update all of your assets, so they are consistent with your brand. Enhance your credibility with the help of third parties. Finally, get out there, grow your network and engage with others. It may seem like a big investment, but you will reap the benefits of having a good personal brand for years to come. CREATING PERCEPTIONS Professional photographs will add credibility IMAGES © SHUTTERSTOCK