Know how your brand can make it big by leveraging ‘The Attention Economy’

One wonderful thing about getting attention that ultimately leads to building a brand (and sales) is that there is no one path to success. There are multiple ways to get to the same destination. You must view this exercise i.e., getting attention and building your brand in that light. People can get to know you using multiple methods. Print Media works and so do Facebook ads. In the long term, the choice of distributorship should be dependent on your preferences and resources.

First, pick what you like to do. At a macro level, this falls into three categories.

• Do you like to write?
• Do you like to speak?
• Are you comfortable on Camera?

Once you know which of the above macro categories is the right fit, go all out with one or two platforms. For example, I like to write so I started with LinkedIn. The fundamental thing to remember is that when you start creating content to get attention; approach it with the mindset of being open-minded and experimental. No one really knows the right answer to what will connect and grab attention with your audience till you start. And the answers will often surprise you.

As you get into the minutiae of the platform you have chosen, you’ll also begin to understand your audience better and learn what makes them tick. For social platforms, the key is to remember that social media is after all, first and foremost, a communication tool. You’re meant to be social. So, spend as much time engaging as you do creating and posting.

By engaging with your audience in a helpful way, you’ll position yourself as an approachable and friendly authority in the field you are in. Do this enough times and people will go, “who is this person?” and then go look up your profile. That’s where the real growth of your brand lies so make sure to keep your profile optimized with proper messaging and end goals in mind.

A key takeaway for success with the ‘tactics’ stated above is to have the mindset of building a community. Try to make real friends with the people that approach you. I’ve learned from personal experience that some of the people that you attract will be truly extraordinary. Reciprocate their kindness, be inspired by them, cheer them on and convert your audience into a network of real relationships. At the end of the day, it’s not just about your follower count. It’s also about the networks you build along the way which snowball into a bigger audience and help you hit the goals you are trying to reach.