conversation that you engage in,” he says. Although it might
appear that your remark has dropped unnoticed into the
continuum, always assume someone’s listening. Engage by
retweeting items of interest (no cats dressed as Elvis – stay
professional), and if there’s a topic you want to comment
on, weigh in. Choose as your contacts people who interest
you professionally. And think locally. Williams sometimes
approaches potential clients in his community through
Twitter; the simple act of following someone can help to
upgrade them from a cold contact to a connection.
Finally, strategies for Facebook overlap with Twitter in
many ways. Target friends and groups with a cold, professional
eye. “And no political or religious posts,” says Williams.
“You’ll alienate people.”
After creating a strong personal brand, it’s important to
maintain it. Lando recommends a quarterly review; check
to see if your story or the professional world around you has
changed, and adapt your message as needed. And remember
that silence is deadly – once you commit to maintaining
an online presence, stay active. Respond to comments, post
often, and try to stay topical. If a potential client or employer
Googles you and encounters social media accounts with no
recent activity, you’ve made a poor “first digital impression.”
Now you’re ready to make