5 Ways To Go Pro Online

90% of small business owners don't have an active professional profile online.

I know because I was one of them until 120 days ago.

Typically, I'd be sharing something I've tried and tested over the years so I was certain it would help you. But in this newsletter I'm breaking down the first steps I took to get online in the hope that it encourages you to join me.

I don't think I'll know what I want to do with an audience for another year or so but I do believe having the trust of an audience will be the most valuable thing in the future.

The other compelling reason to start now is:

Right this second, suppliers, partners, banks, investors, customers and highly talented employees are potentially researching you online to piece together the type of character you are and the culture of your organisation.

A professional profile helps you to curate exactly what you want the market to feel about you and it's one of the most unrecognised drivers of long-term success in business.

Before I started I had these thoughts:

1. I hated the spotlight and wanted to be successful but anonymous.

2. I wasn't convinced I could give it the attention I wanted consistently.

3. I was terrified of what family and friends would think.

Answers:

1. Get over yourself, no one is actually looking at you.

2. Create a dead-simple system. Capture ideas weekly > Expand the good ones > Share them in tiny snippets

3. Use the fear to make good content and then reread answer 1 above.

All I can say is I wish I started earlier.

I want to share with you what I've done to have the biggest impact with the least effort when you're just starting out.

Let's dive in.

#1 Professional Headshot

Look, getting professional photos done sucks.

Get over it. They change the game for your online profile because 99% of people couldn't be bothered which gives you a massive advantage.

If you can't afford the $300 then just get a mate to take a nice headshot against a solid colour background.

Here's mine vs someone I know (and his is okay):

#2 Create A Banner Image

Get on Canva and create a banner in less than 10 minutes for free.

Use a quote you like, a one-liner about what you do, or a relevant photo that sums up how you help people.

See above for mine at the moment. I've been changing mine often to see what sticks.

#3 Create A Bio:

Write something like:

Your job title | What you're interested in | How you help the company you work for.

It also helped me to write this statement for myself:

"I help WHO, DO WHAT, HOW.

Mine differs for each platform because they have slightly different character limits, links and audiences.

#4 Build Your Network:

Find all of your friends on each platform, look up clients, advisors and sales reps you've come across and find every colleague or past employee you've ever met.

I'm serious. ADD EVERYONE.

Even people you didn't get along with years ago. Life goes on and people get over things. Use these platforms to break the ice because every person you know has a network of their own. These social platforms give you access to them.

Build your network.

#5 Engage And Follow Others: 

Follow relevant industry groups, people and hashtags.

Each platform rewards engagement so you have to dedicate some time to commenting on and liking other content.

Rather than spending all hours back on social media waiting for comments and likes, set reminders to engage or turn on the notifications icon for relevant people who are in your industry.

Pro Tip: Try to be one of the first few people to comment on big accounts with a relevant thought or addition. Your comment will be featured at the top and more people will see your activity.

That's all for today.

This is a call to action to start. Find a rhythm. It doesn't have to be 150 pieces of content per week across multiple platforms. It can be once a week on your two favourite ones. If you like videos then write scripts for Youtube and then post them to LinkedIn. If you don't have time then write tweets and narrate those to Tiktok or Youtube shorts.

It's easier than you think.

Summary

1. Professional headshot

2. Banner Image

3. Create a bio

4. Build your network

5. Engage on the platform

I hope this helps.