5 Powerful Secrets To Building Your Personal Brand With Video

Video is the future of personal branding. Here’s why:

• The workplace is becoming more and more virtual - significantly limiting face time

• The impediments to using video (bandwidth, access to video cameras and tools) have been eliminated, making it easier and easier to use

• Professionals are increasingly frustrated by the inundation of email, texts, instant messages, and other inefficient, imprecise forms of communication

I predict that eventually most emails will be replaced with video mails, meetings will more likely be delivered by video teleconference, and other forms of communications that use the 26 letters of the alphabet will upgrade to moving pictures. If you want to stand out, don’t wait for video to become the norm; get comfortable in front of the camera now.

5 Powerful Personal Branding Strategies With Video

1. Introductions

Video is a great way to introduce yourself to someone when you can’t be there in person. Text-based introductions fall flat. It’s hard to get someone to know who you really are in just a few sentences. Video, however, is the closest thing to being there in person. Tools like videoBIO.com help you tell your story through this powerful medium. Then, you can add it to your YouTube channel and embed it in your LinkedIn profile summary.

2. Recommendations/References

Collecting and submitting references via video makes them more believable. If you are an entrepreneur or solopreneur, having video references adds a sense of trust to what you say about yourself. If someone goes on camera to tout your brilliance, they are making a real commitment to you – and that will impress the people who are evaluating you. Companies like FeedYak allow you to collect video references to showcase your talent. Expect other tools to launch that support video testimonials.

3. Proposals

The goal with any proposal is to get the reader to accept it and move forward on it. Video makes your request stand out, and it is a great way to communicate complex ideas. One way to do this is to record PowerPoint or Keynote presentations, turning them into videos. This adds deeper meaning to your words and images, and you don’t even have to be on-screen (if self-consciousness has been keeping you from using video). A video proposal will help your ideas get noticed.

4. Relationship Building

Let’s face it. It is becoming less and less likely that you will be co-located with co-workers. That means less face-time and fewer opportunities to connect beyond the volleying of emails and instant messages. Real time video is the solution. Webinars, Google Hangouts, Skype video, FaceTime: there are so many options for using video – available at most companies, small and large. Changing your habit from having conference calls to video teleconferences shouldn’t be that hard. Just try it and see (literally) the difference. In addition, recording videos to keep your manager, team or clients up to date is a great way to nurture relationships when you can’t be there in person.

5. Thought Leadership

Personal branding involves having an area of expertise and taking a position – or even just having a point of view. One of the best ways to express that point of view is via video. It is a powerful platform for persuading others and enticing them to engage with your message. These videos don’t need to be long or professionally produced. Sitting in front of your laptop or iPad and expressing your thoughts on current events as they relate to your field is a great way to connect with your brand community. And remember, if you are expressing your thought-leadership in the form of an in-person presentation at your local professional association, get it videotaped. You will be able to break your talk up into a series of two to three minute clips that you can publish on your YouTube channel. This instantly multiplies your audience. If you originally delivered the talk to a hundred people, video lets you make it available to thousands or even tens of thousands of others who can benefit from it.

Video may not be the most common form of communication today, but it’s becoming more pervasive in business. It will eventually be your primary tool for connecting with others.

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Edwin Dearborn is a bestselling author and CEO of Premiere Lead Systems