I’ve done it. You’ve probably done it. There is a good chance others have done it to you. Searched online before meeting someone. Starting a new job or joining a new group can be a challenge and once people know you’re joining they’re likely going to search you for online. It is increasingly easy for people to know all about you before you have even met. This could be a good thing if what they find is true to you. A consistent brand builds confidence that your online personality is a true measure of who you are in person.
I’m not saying that everyone is going to like you because of your brand but it begins the conversation before you meet face to face. It is for this reason that authenticity is key to your brand. People are going to form opinions about you based on what they find, so being true to your essence will give you the best chance of making a good first impression.
The exercise of finding your essence before creating your brand provides guidelines to ensure your online profile is accurate and authentic to you. The guidelines aren’t meant to restrict what you can and cannot post, but works as a filter for the content to ensure it accurately represents your brand.
Your brand will never be a substitute for meeting in person but these days it will probably be the first thing people see. Hopefully your brand will get people excited to find out more.