Focuses on the training and development needs of admin professionals and features topics such as hard skills (software competencies, writing, communication, filing) and soft skills (teamwork, time management, leadership).
Issue link: https://digital.hrreporter.com/i/981662
3 Administrative Assistant's UPDATE By Leslie Hughes Have you ever realized that YOU are a brand? Unless you have kids who watch YouTube, you may not be familiar with "PewDiePie" or "Smosh." PewDiePie has 61 million YouTube subscribers and Smosh has 22.6 million followers. In 2016, they earned $15 million and $7 million respectively. Today, thanks to tools such as You- Tube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and other channels, you no longer have to depend on TV shows, maga- zines, radio or newspapers to show- case your thought leadership. By highlighting your expertise, you become much more valuable for yourself and your executive. As with any other strategy, you'll want to begin the process by consider- ing who, what, when and where. Who: I like to break this question down into two subcategories: "Who are you?" and "Who are they?" Who are you? You have insights and a unique perspective that people are eager to hear. No one knows what you know from your perspective, so stand in your value and tell your story. Who are they? Whether you're writing internal communication for your fellow colleagues, or providing your perspective on the company blog, think about a single persona that you're communicating with. Imag - ine that you're having a one-on-one conversation with someone who has asked for your advice. Be open and honest with your thoughts and ideas because that person needs to know what you have to say! What will you say? I usually start writing a blog when one person asks me a question. I figure that if one person has been brave enough to raise their hand, there are dozens of other people who are too shy to admit they are struggling with the same issue. When will you share? This often depends on the channel. If you're the main producer of the content, I usually suggest writing a blog post a week. You will have to commit to a consistent schedule because your "fans" will be eagerly awaiting your next installment. Where will you share? This depends on where your audience is "hanging out" online. Some channels are more conducive to the written word (blogs, newsletters, etc.), some channels are visual (videos, photo sharing sites), and others are audio (podcasts). (I like writing better than being in front of the camera because I can formulate my thoughts better, and don't need to put makeup on!) Let's take a look at how you'd apply your thought leadership to LinkedIn: Who are they? LinkedIn is your professional network. The audience may include people you currently work with, your clients, your past colleagues or any other professionals you've connected with. What will you say? Can you provide tips or useful advice that may help your clients or prospects? How can you showcase your company in the best light? When your company celebrates any "wins," or is involved in charitable work, be sure to let your network know how proud you are to be on such a successful team. (Side note: If you're not comfort - able using your own voice, or your company prohibits you from writing your own content, simply re-share the content that the marketing team is publishing on your company page. Add your own perspective in the com- ments and tell people why they should click on the link.) When will you share? On Linke- dIn, you really only need to update your status a couple of times a week. When you share relevant informa- tion, you'll continue to build trust and become top-of-mind in your network as the go-to resource at the top of your game! Some final thoughts: I know it can be really scary to click "send" because you don't want to make a mistake. That's a natural feeling that most of us have. Start with re-sharing posts and work your way up to writing blogs and contributing your ideas. Even if your posts don't receive a lot of feedback online, I'm sure when people see you face-to-face they'll thank you for keeping them up-to-date. Be bold, my friend. I believe in you! Leslie Hughes is a LinkedIn optimization specialist, professor of social media, corporate trainer, principal of PUNCH!media and author of Create. Connect. Convert. Called a "social media guru" by CBC Radio, Leslie has been working in digital marketing since 1997. PUNCH!media's goal is to empower through education and help executives gain confidence in their online presence. www.punchmedia.ca leslie@punchmedia.ca Sign up for Leslie's newsletter at www. punchmedia.ca Build your brand using social media Leslie Hughes