In the modern working world, visibility is critical to advancement, but what do you do when you aren’t visible? You may travel a great deal, remaining out of sight and out of mind for most of your work. You may work in one location but your boss works in another. Or you may be a virtual employee. Whatever the reason that you aren’t able to be a physical presence to remain top of mind, I am highlighting a few strategic steps you can take to increase and maintain visibility in ways that will help build your personal brand in a virtual workplace.
1. Use Video
It may seem obvious, but not everyone understands the value of having a face to go along with a voice in a meeting. Utilize video conferencing for important connections as often as possible. When a video meeting isn’t possible, be mindful of your tone. Even a simple hello with a smile carries over the phone or video. Without a visual to accompany your words, your voice may not convey the nuances needed to be successful. Leveraging video can also increase the engagement for both parties, since you cannot be distracted or multi-tasking.
2. Intentional, Periodic Check-Ins
Reviews aren’t the only time that you should be checking in with your supervisor and your peers. Make a point to schedule regular check-ins with your colleagues. A birthday card to your supervisor can be an important way to keep yourself memorable in a positive way. A quarterly email to key peers to see what is going on with them and share where you are in your work can only improve the way you, literally, show up at work. Assess how you are communicating with individuals at various levels, teams you collaborate with, senior leaders, and even company-wide communications. This leads to my next recommendation.
3. Create Internal Content
Make a point to share your thought leadership within the company when the opportunity presents itself. For example, an internal newsletter will always be in search of content. Write an article sharing how your recent work experience has some takeaway that is valuable to the rest of the company. You could also do a meeting series that showcases insights that can be gathered from the work you are doing and put to good use by others. Be careful not to use this opportunity to brag. Instead, show that you have something unique to contribute to the knowledge base of the company.
4. Develop and Deliver Webinars
In addition to internal newsletters, you can demonstrate internal company thought leadership with webinars. Webinars can also be external. Take the opportunity to work with colleagues, company partners or industry leaders to share useful information that demonstrates that you are staying on the forefront of your niche. External webinars help promote the company brand, and partnering outside the company is a valuable way to connect with these individuals to the benefit of both you and the company.
5. Attend Conferences and Volunteer
Conferences pertaining to your company’s industry or your particular profession are opportunities to increase your visibility. Not only will you have a chance to interact with key players who also attend the conference – people you don’t have the chance to see in your daily work – you also will have the chance to showcase your company brand by representing them. Offer to manage a table for the company, sign up to be on a panel, or look into other ways that you can represent the company in a more impactful way. Similarly, you can participate in volunteer opportunities that allow your company to gain visibility too. Give your company a reason to celebrate and recognize the impact you are making through your activities, and you will be enhancing your presence in the minds of those who matter.
Don’t forget as you are thinking of ways to be visible that you are your own Chief Marketing Officer. It is your job to increase your visibility/brand. Don’t wait for people to reach out to you. This may mean you have to do more work and invest more time to put yourself out there. To be as effective as possible, map the network of influence in the company and figure out valuable ways to connect with them, including those suggested above.
Be a noisebreaker,
Jen
Interested in speaking with a Washington DC branding expert? Schedule a consultation with Jen and fill out a form today.
Personal Branding Expert Advice in Washington D.C.
Jen Dalton, CEO of BrandMirror, has over 15 years of experience in strategy, marketing, and coaching. In 2012, she made a gutsy move into the entrepreneurship space, launching her branding business and became a certified master personal branding strategist. She specializes in building your digital thought leadership on LinkedIn and other social media. You can find her bestselling book, The Intentional Entrepreneur, on Amazon, which highlights how business owners can leverage their personal brand to grow their business faster.
