ONLINE INFLUENCE
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Steps To Building An Online Influence
In 2012 , nobody knew who I was . But today , if you search “ Dale Partridge ” ( using quotes ) on Google , over 333,000 results come up in less than one half of a second .
Jefferson Bethke pulls up 433,000 , Michael Hyatt 421,000 , Lewis Howes 321,000 , Gary Vaynerchuk 506,000 , Amy Porterfield 182,000 , and Jeremy Cowart at 297,000 . Now this measurement methodology only works well with unique names , but my point is the same . Understanding the art of online influence can catapult your personal brand almost overnight .
What I ’ m about to discuss with you is an art . An art I ’ ve coined as “ personamarketing ”. And when executed with a heart of authenticity rather than manufactured reality , it can become a contagious act in the arena of social media . I have defined persona-marketing as the act of building compounding influence around three things :
1 . YOUR STORY 2 . YOUR PERSONALITY 3 . YOUR EXPERTISE
In my experience , it ’ s far easier to follow a person than it is to follow a product , a blog , or a business .
The human mind always takes the path of least resistance , and when it has a choice between a product or a persona , it almost always chooses the latter .
Because the foundation of influence is built on trust , and the fact that our minds find it difficult to put our confidence into a faceless business , the persona often wins the race when fighting for a consumer ’ s attention .
While persona-marketing has been around for many years , it wasn ’ t until leaders like Tony Robbins , Dave Ramsey , Beth Moore , and John C . Maxwell had solidified the footing that individual persona brands begin to thrive .
The next generation of thought leaders , change agents , consultants , and coaches are rising among us at rapid pace . And while few ascend to the top , I find it only because they lack the understanding of this art . And of all the essential ingredients required for the personabrand recipe , I have chosen to share what I believe are the four most important .
But first , I would like to preface my thoughts with this proclamation :
The world doesn ’ t need another voice leading people down a life of hollow aspirations . We don ’ t need more familyless men and women living for themselves , hoping to mask their selfishness and addiction to materialism and fame with a poor attempt at authenticity .
Rather , we need men and women of firm conviction who stand for more than their ability to buy mansions and Lamborghinis . We need people with purpose , significance , and a total and absolute dedication to honor , respect , and the growth of future generations .
1 . INCREDIBLY CLEAR . INCREDIBLY DIFFERENT . If anything has become evident in my success , it is that people don ’ t refer confusing . Our pride often leaves us believing we have mastered our message . We may believe our website and video and brand are compelling and complete . Wrong . On the contrary , we should have a constant heart of investment into education and counsel to help bring even more sharpness to our brand ’ s message .
Clarity is not a destination , it is a habit .
I tell my students at StartupCamp , the best businesses understand they sell only one thing . And that thing will vary from company to company and brand to brand . But the key to a consumer ’ s loyalty and followership is not variety or choice , it is clarity and focus .
Lastly , we must not forget differentiation . While we fight confusion on one end , we must obliterate similarity on the other . The human mind was designed to only notice what is different . Those who expect to do the same as others and receive increased attention , are very misinformed . +
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