The Power of Platform

News Conference SXC 106233_9376 Politicians have long known the value of building a platform, but it’s not an easy concept to understand.

Today, every author, speaker, entrepreneur, service professional, coach and consultant can benefit from having a platform. A platform  can help you increase your value and authority as a recognized expert, develop “fame” in your field, attract customers and clients and  boost your media appeal.

Many people have only recently begun to hear the word “platform” used this way.  Before you might have heard people talk about making a difference, having an impact, rising above the crowd, getting noticed in a noisy world.  These are all the same concept.

I define PLATFORM as your visibility plus your audience and of course, the goal is to increase both because people want to do business with people they KNOW, LIKE and TRUST.  To me, platform embodies what you stand FOR which you express in your content and the relationships you foster plus what you stand ON which are the technical parts and communication tools you use to spread your message .

Making a name for yourself is a formula.  Hollywood actors, politicians, business leaders and rock stars have all been following the formula for years.

When I was a TV anchor, I had a platform in the nightly newscast , though we didn’t think about it that way.  Thousands of people tuned in every night to watch the news, giving on-air people automatic visibility and credibility.  Our professional high profile meant more influence and access to top people in the community and made news gathering easier. Like the old E.F. Hutton TV ad used to say, “when we spoke, people listened”and we were able to use that attention to inform, entertain and inspire our viewers.

Some people may be uncomfortable with the idea of courting attention and see it as an ego-driven Me-Me-Me, self-promotional hype-y thing.  The reality is if you’re in business and want to serve others by sharing your knowledge and experience as an expert, no one will know who you are or what you do unless you tell them. You have to take steps to set yourself apart and be discovered by your target audience.

Some traditional ways include:

  • Author a book
  • Public speaking
  • Lead a professional organization
  • Get media exposure in print and on TV and radio

Now there’s the added dimension of using new media online tools:

  • A blog
  • Publish ebooks and online articles
  • Engage in social media
  • Produce podcasts
  • Make videos

And much more…

Business fame doesn’t happen overnight but anyone can follow the formula, especially online.  To get started,  schedule a strategy and planning  session since an individual’s platform should  be customized to their industry and goals.

In what ways are you building your platform?   Questions and comments are welcome below.