Personal Branding

From Employee to Advocate: 
How Personal Branding Drives Manufacturing Success

On February 27th, the NFFS Next-Gen Committee launched its webinar series to equip emerging leaders at our member companies with the skills, adaptability, and confidence to excel.

The first webinar, From Employee to Advocate: How Personal Branding Drives Manufacturing Success, was led by Emily Joann Wilkins, manufacturing marketing expert and Founder & CEO of Marketing Metal. Emily engaged the attendees in an interactive session and provided the following practical strategies to build compelling LinkedIn profiles, engage confidently online, and turn personal connections into valuable business opportunities.

In today’s digital age, personal branding is often misconstrued as having a substantial social media presence. However, the essence of personal branding transcends far beyond the confines of social media influences. Personal branding is fundamentally about being known for something—a specialty or a quality—regardless of the scale of your online followers.

The Rise of Personal Branding through Consistent Effort

Over three and a half years, by consistently sharing her expertise and personality online, Jessica has carved a niche in branding for small manufacturing shops, transforming her career and business reach. Starting with about 500 connections on LinkedIn, she has grown her network to over 4,300, mainly comprising ideal prospects. This growth was not just about increasing numbers but about targeting and engaging the right audience.

Networking and the Value of Human Contact

While online platforms like LinkedIn have facilitated valuable connections, Jessica emphasizes the importance of in-person interactions. Personal branding is powerful enough to bridge the gap between virtual and actual engagements. Whether at conferences or through social media, the impact remains significant. Her personal story highlights successful networking examples, including how she met industry colleagues and mentors.

Historical Perspective and Modern Applications

Emily drew an interesting parallel between modern personal branding and historical marketing strategies, such as NASA leveraging astronauts like Armstrong and Aldrin to gain public backing. This illustrates how personal branding is not a new concept but has evolved with technology and societal changes.

The Tangible Benefits of Personal Branding

• Professional Growth: Personal branding enhances your visibility and can accelerate career growth.
• Leadership Development: Sharing knowledge and ideas in an impactful way advances leadership capabilities.
• Human Connection: Especially in an increasingly automated world, personal branding fosters genuine relationships and community building.
• Enhanced Business Opportunities: For employers, encouraging personal branding within the company boosts employee satisfaction and retention, acting as a powerful recruitment tool through demonstrated social proof.

Emily also shared enlightening statistics from recent studies, highlighting significant improvements in retention and productivity when companies invest in employee development, including personal branding efforts.

Practical Steps and Real-world Implementation

Offering a blend of personal insights and professional advice, Emily shared how she helped clients like Onyx Inc. leverage their employee-centric brand effectively through multimedia marketing strategies. She provided practical tips on empowering employees to build and harness their personal brands without compromising company values or individual authenticity.

Conclusion: A Strategy for Success

The journey of building a personal brand is intricate and requires reflection, clarity, and consistent action. Emily's experience and insights not only illuminate the path to successful personal branding for individuals and businesses but also underscore the multifaceted benefits, from increased market reach to profound personal and professional development. Personal branding is indeed about making your mark in the world, being recognized for your contributions, and continuously evolving along with your brand.

Want to learn more? 

Click here to connect with Emily and resources that she developed especially for NFFS.

Click here for the webinar recording.