The thing about Social Media is it's personal. However, many of us have professional and personal accounts and believe that the two shouldn't mix...

But, if Social Media is social - then your customers will want to know the people behind the brand just as much as they will want to know what it is that your brand does.

But how do you stop your personal Social Networking spilling over into your professional? You build a personal brand!

1. What is your personal brand message?

Think about what is it that you want your personal brand to do and how it will assist your professional brand. If you lead an exciting life outside you work, think about how this can benefit your professional career too. Afterall, people like exciting people. Look at Felix Baumgartner for example:

Utilising your hobbies whether they are breaking sound barriers to being able to make an ornamental pot out of dustbin lids adds another spectrum to your online personality; making your personal brand more engaging which makes people care more about your professional one.

2. How can you help others?

Social Media is an integral part of a relationship-building approach to marketing. If what you offer doesn't provide anything by way of assistance - whether this is professional advice, a way to cheer up someone's day or an update with some substance, your personal brand will get lost in translation and people may not want to engage with you. Share and share alike!

3. Set your Tone!

You'll see from my previous blog I am all for setting the right tone for any kind of Social Media presence. It's the same for your personal brand. The person behind a business needs to bring some sort of consistency with them. Look at Stephen Fry, who I think is all-things-fab, for example:

People in the public-Twitter-eye receive criticism on a daily basis, Stephen might have had a bad day, drunk some gone off milk etc. however his personal brand retains some semblance of 'joviality' despite all those things as his personal brand drives his professional one.; something to keep in mind.

4. Keep Posting about things that are interesting.

A recent survey from Business Network International (BNI) found that 75% of potential customers admit to being 'put off' a company due to their poor Social Media.  Ooh eer. Best keep those posts going then! And what better way to do it than to leverage your professional brand with your personal one, see something on the way to work that might benefit your organisation? Good, let us know!

Ultimately, a personal brand is much more than adding a bit of 'you' to your professional Social Media; it is a way to actively live what you preach. Afterall, Social Media (amongst many other things) builds, fosters, creates, shares, engages and has fun; don't miss out on that!