While every marketer wants to leave their mark on the industry, very few become true experts. To be influential in the market today, you need to have credibility, and invest time and effort to hone your craft.
The reward: Not only do you get a chance to be a part of something bigger, but you get to shape others who’ll also make a difference to your industry.
Furthermore, having a strong personal brand helps win more business opportunities, both for yourself and your organization.
So this week on episode 16 of PPC Town Hall, we spoke to the two most influential PPC experts of 2020, who brought their shared experience to the table:
- Michelle Morgan, Director of Client Services at Clix Marketing
- Purna Virji, Senior Manager of Global Engagement at Microsoft
As always, you can view this week’s episode as well as previous editions of PPC Town Hall right here.
Here are 5 insights to help you start building your personal PPC brand.
1. Learn how to build a good pitch
Michelle: I’ve spent a lot of time writing pitches, submitting them, and getting rejected over and over again.
The thing that helped was to reach out to people who had spoken on similar panels to mine. I asked them how to make a good pitch. Their insights helped me understand what to write or which format to use. I also reached out to session moderators to get their take on the subject.
Purna: For anyone who wants to submit a pitch, I have two tips that have been helpful for me.
Ask yourself what the key takeaways are for your audience; make sure you’re sharing three or four actionable tips. And add more specificity to your content; discuss the angle you’re bringing to the topic.
2. Conquer your fear of speaking on stage
Purna: Look through the material delivered by your favorite speakers to see what actually resonates with you, and practice to remove the barriers in your head that are making you nervous.
Make sure your content is adding value to your audience. Keep an eye on the discussions happening in your industry, and keep up with different topics and themes. Then get feedback; reach out to other experts to get their opinion.
Enjoy yourself and have fun!
3. Keep your audience engaged
Purna: Try to bring everyone onto the same page by asking your audience if they don’t understand something. I take 60 seconds to go over it and then take it from there. You want everyone to benefit from your content and not miss out due to a lack of background knowledge.
4. Start writing
Michelle: If you can’t speak at shows, write. Start writing and put your smarts out there. This way, you’ll always have something to refer to and it will show others that you know your business. Don’t be afraid to start sharing your thoughts within relevant communities.
You’ll never get better unless you do it, so don’t be afraid that you’re not as good as you’d like to be. Don’t let perfection get in the way. Just start.
5. Quantify your passion project to your employer
Michelle: I’m fortunate to have superiors that understand the value and importance of writing and speaking. Being visible helps you bring in clients who have seen you on different platforms and at events, but also helps convey the expertise you and your team have to companies who may not have seen you speak at those events.
Conclusion
Juggling your job, a personal life, and your passion project can definitely be a handful. But if you’re passionate about what you do and believe you can help your fellow marketers, start now.
Be consistently active in discussions about your areas of interest. Look out for updates and news on new products or paradigms. Talk to established experts and get their feedback on your content.
More importantly, be consistent — Rome wasn’t built in a day. Keep making the effort and you’ll soon be growing your brand and business.
