✅ Hospitality Leader Personal Brand Strategy

Your personal brand is your competitive advantage.

In the hospitality industry, having a strong personal brand is vital for advancing your career. This article offers practical advice on building and enhancing your brand. 

It includes tips on creating thought leadership content, optimising your LinkedIn profile, and implementing an effective engagement strategy.

Contents

• The Importance of Personal Branding 

• How To Establish Your Personal Brand

• Thought Leadership Content 

• Optimising Your LinkedIn Profile for Thought Leadership

• LinkedIn Engagement Strategy

The Importance of Personal Branding

A strong personal brand can make all the difference in an increasingly connected world where competition to stand out is fierce.  

An individual's personal brand reflects their expertise, skills, and personality, just as a company's brand represents its values, products, and services.

Personal branding is about intentionally shaping and communicating this brand to others. It's about taking charge and deliberately creating the image you want to project to the world by highlighting your distinct strengths, values, and goals and establishing thought leadership. 

Why is LinkedIn Important for Personal Branding?

Microsoft has invested around $10 billion in LinkedIn since its acquisition in 2016, recognising its potential as a valuable professional networking and personal branding platform. 

LinkedIn serves as a digital storefront for your personal brand, where you can highlight your professional achievements, skills, and expertise. By optimising your profile and regularly updating it with relevant content, you can strengthen your personal brand and attract the right opportunities.

The platform has introduced several new features and services to enhance the user experience. LinkedIn Learning, for example, provides access to a wide range of online courses and educational content. LinkedIn Creator Mode unlocks additional profile features. LinkedIn Groups enable professionals to connect and engage with like-minded individuals in specific industries or interests.

LinkedIn is expected to continue to enhance its offerings, improve user experience, and provide more opportunities for professionals to build their personal brands and connect with others in meaningful ways. 

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How To Establish Your Personal Brand

Identify Your Strengths 

To build your personal brand, take stock of your key achievements and experiences. Reflect on your professional journey and identify the milestones and moments that have shaped your career. These could include significant projects you've completed, awards you've received, or positions of leadership you've held.

One effective way to gain insights into your key attributes is by using word clouds to analyse feedback from others. Collect reviews and recommendations from your profile, colleagues, clients, and mentors - then copy/paste them into a word cloud generator. The word cloud will help you identify your strengths and unique qualities by highlighting repeated words in the reviews. I use https://www.freewordcloudgenerator.com/

Define Your Mission & Vision: 

Having a clear mission and vision is essential. Your mission defines your purpose and why you do what you do. Your vision, on the other hand, outlines your long-term goals and what you aspire to achieve. Defining your mission and vision can create a sense of direction and purpose.

Consider the following questions

• What are your long-term career aspirations in the hospitality industry?

• What are your areas of expertise and passion within the field?

• What values do you want to promote through your personal brand?

Your values play a significant role in shaping your personal brand. Take the time to identify your core values and what you stand for. 

These values will serve as a compass for your decision-making and help you align your actions with your personal brand. Embodying your values can build trust and authenticity with your audience.

Example Mission Statement:

My mission is to lead by example, inspire my team, and foster a culture of professionalism, innovation, and genuine hospitality. Through effective communication, strategic decision-making, and a relentless pursuit of guest satisfaction, I strive to establish our hotel as a premier destination known for its unparalleled service and guest experiences.

Example Vision Statement: 

To be recognised as a visionary leader in the hospitality industry, to establish a personal brand that embodies excellence, innovation, and exceptional service. 

Determine Your Tone & Visual Identity

Your personal brand should have a distinct tone and visual identity that aligns with your values and resonates with your audience. 

Consider how you want to communicate with your audience - whether through a professional, authoritative tone or a more casual and conversational style. 

Your visual identity should adopt the tone and provide consistency through colour palette, typography, and imagery to create a cohesive brand experience.

Creating a Personal Brand Statement

Differentiation is vital to standing out. Identify what sets you apart from others in your industry and emphasise those unique qualities. This could be a specialised skill, a unique perspective, or a particular area of expertise. By highlighting your points of differentiation, you can position yourself as a leader and attract your target audience.

Crafting a personal brand statement is the next essential step. This statement should be a concise, compelling summary of who you are, what you do, and the value you provide. It should leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Example Personal Brand Statement: 

My brand is built on exceptional leadership, commitment to excellence, and a passion for creating unforgettable guest experiences. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for anticipating needs, I strive to exceed expectations and set new standards in the hospitality industry.

Understanding Your Audience

Identifying and engaging your key stakeholders is key to building a successful brand. These stakeholders include individuals or groups interested in your success, such as colleagues, mentors, clients, and industry influencers. 

Building stakeholder relationships can help you expand your network and create growth opportunities. Identify your stakeholders and think about strategies to connect and engage with them. 

Once you've mapped your stakeholders, consider their needs and challenges and brainstorm ways to address them. This could involve creating educational content, sharing insights from your industry, or providing solutions to common problems. 

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Thought Leadership Content

Creators deliver thought leadership by using their expertise, insight, and experience to share their wisdom with others.

When establishing yourself as an expert in the hospitality industry, few social media platforms offer the opportunities for engagement and networking that LinkedIn does. 

Content Curation and Creation

Start by curating content from other thought leaders who have already built a reputation as a reliable source of knowledge and sharing the articles with your thoughts. This will help you understand what topics are popular with your followers and which aren't; this will also help improve your writing skills, so try to share a post daily. 

Curating News & Digital Content

Use the following methods to curate quality content

• RSS Streaming Service, e.g. Feedly or Inoreader

• Use a Custom Link Shortener e.g.

https://short.io/

• Set up Google Alerts for brand and industry mentions: https://www.google.com/alerts

• Register with Qwoted.com for PR Requests

• Use X Pro (Formerly Tweet Deck) to set up Social Listening Streams for Calls for Speakers and prospecting opportunities on X (Twitter).

Keep your content focused on hospitality-related topics, such as sustainability, food and beverage trends, customer experience, travel, luxury and lifestyle. Adapt this content to suit your target audience and personal goals. 

• 91% of organisations doing thought leadership create articles

• 44% create videos

• 36% include speaking at webinars or events

• 33% choose white papers as a format for thought leadership

Content Pillars

Content pillars are the key topics or themes that you consistently create content around. 

• Reflect on your expertise and knowledge within the hospitality industry. What topics can you confidently speak about?

• Research industry trends, news, and emerging topics. What insights can you provide to your audience?

• Look at the content shared by other hospitality professionals on LinkedIn. What gaps can you fill, or what unique perspectives can you offer?

Now that you've got a list of potential content ideas, it's time to narrow them down. Consider the following factors:

• Relevance: Do the content ideas align with your professional goals, values, and target audience's interests and needs?

• Differentiation: Do the content ideas offer a unique perspective or fill a gap in the existing content landscape?

• Consistency: Can you consistently create content around these topics in the long term?

Choose 3-5 content pillars that meet these criteria. These pillars should form the foundation of your personal brand on LinkedIn.

Other Content Ideas

• Where have you been?

• What events, conferences or seminars have you attended?

• Who have you met with?

• What results have you achieved for your customers?

• What have you done personally?

• What have you done professionally?

• What have you learned?

• What have you read?

• Wins & Successes

• Share feedback and testimonials

• Ask Questions

• Share an Inspirational Story

• Mindset & Motivational quotes that inspire you 

• Key learnings from webinars and lived experiences

• Personal Stories: Don't be afraid to show your vulnerable side

• Solve Real-World Problem

Not only do these topics provide valuable knowledge to your connections, but they also establish you as an expert in the field.

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Optimising Your LinkedIn Profile for Thought Leadership

Switch On Creator Mode 

If you meet the access criteria, you can get access to creator tools such as LinkedIn Live, Audio Events, Collaborative Articles, Newsletters and a Follow Link. 

See the creator tools section in the creator mode flow. You will see Available next to the ones you have access to. For more information, visit https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a522537/creator-mode 

LinkedIn Audio Events

LinkedIn Audio Events lets you have live, interactive conversations with people worldwide. Audio Events are available to members and Pages.

Collaborative Articles

LinkedIn Collaborative Articles are a feature that allows multiple authors to contribute to the same article. 

The authors are identified in the article, and they can also add their profile photo, bio, and link to their profile. This feature helps to build relationships with other professionals and expand one's network. 

Check out https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/topics/home to find articles you want to contribute to. 

Newsletters

LinkedIn Newsletters for Creators is a feature that allows creators to send newsletters to their connections and followers. Creators can use this feature to share updates, insights, and content with their professional network. 

These newsletters will appear in the recipients' inboxes and can be used to build relationships, increase engagement, and boost visibility.

LinkedInLive or Audio Events

LinkedIn Live allows users to broadcast live video content to their connections. It enables them to engage with their audience directly and in real-time. 

Audio Events are live, interactive conversations. They are available to members and Pages and help to build relationships with other professionals.

General Topics of conversation could include

• Interviews with Local Suppliers

• Sustainability Initiatives

• Company Culture

• Wedding Planners Interviews

• Local Musicians 

• Podcast featuring Local Historians and Celebrities

Heading Image

The header image on your LinkedIn profile is a great way to showcase your personal brand. Consider using an image that reflects your content, such as a photo of you speaking at a conference or a graphic that displays your signature. 

Using this header image to create a cohesive look and feel will help to reinforce your personal brand and make it easier for people to recognise you. 

Profile Picture

Your profile picture is a critical element of your LinkedIn presence. LinkedIn's research shows that just having a picture makes your profile 14 times more likely to be viewed by others. 

Here are some tips for updating your profile picture: 

• Your LinkedIn profile picture should reflect how you look daily.

• A 400 x 400-pixel profile picture is ideal for LinkedIn.

• Make sure your face fills at least 60% of the frame.

• Personal branding can be conveyed through your profile picture. In general, smiling puts visitors at ease and makes you appear more approachable.

• Using bold colours in your outfit can help make your picture stand out.

• Use a tool like

https://photofeeler.com

•   to find the most effective profile picture.

Headline

Your headline should tell people what you bring to the table, for example:

• Innovative Hotel General Manager driving profitability through strategic planning and execution

• Dynamic Hotel General Manager leading high-performing teams and optimising operational efficiency

• Experienced Restaurant Manager | Driving Operational Excellence and Customer Satisfaction

• Results-Driven Restaurant Manager | Leading High-Performing Teams and Boosting Profitability

Brainstorm some ideas and run them through a Headline Analyser to see which will perform best. Try https://cultivatedculture.com/headline-analyzer

Contact Info

LinkedIn allows you to include a link to your calendar in your Contact Information. This is a convenient way for potential connections to schedule meetings or interviews with you. Use a reliable calendar tool and customise the link to reflect your brand or personal name.

LinkedIn provides space for up to three website links in your Contact Information. Showcase your personal website, blog, newsletter, or YouTube channel. 

Featured

The Featured Area on a LinkedIn Profile is a section that allows you to showcase the accomplishments, projects, and skills you are most proud of. 

It is a great way to highlight your best work and personal brand. To best use this section for personal branding, include projects and accomplishments that align with your career goals and highlight your skills. Make sure to include any awards, accolades, and certifications you have achieved. 

Activity

Posting consistently on LinkedIn signals to the algorithm that you are an active user and that your content is relevant and valuable. As a result, the algorithm rewards you with greater visibility and reach for your posts. 

LinkedIn now allows you to schedule posts and newsletters through the platform, so set aside time each month to batch-create your content and schedule it; this will free up your time for networking. 

About

The About section of a LinkedIn profile is integral to personal branding because it allows you to showcase your professional background and accomplishments. It is a great place to share your story and the reasons that drive you, which will help differentiate you from other professionals in your field. 

One way to create a captivating About Us story is by using the Hero's Journey.

The Hero's Journey is a storytelling framework that follows a narrative structure, where a hero embarks on a transformative journey, faces challenges, and returns with newfound wisdom. 

Define Your Hero: In this context, you are the hero of your story. Begin by defining your professional identity, goals, and what drives you. Consider your unique skills, passions, and experiences that set you apart. This will form the foundation of your LinkedIn Profile About section.

Establish the Ordinary World: Describe your professional background, education, and previous experiences. Highlight your achievements, skills, and areas of expertise. This sets the stage by providing context for your journey and demonstrating credibility.

Present the Call to Adventure: Explain what motivated you to embark on your professional journey or make a career transition. Discuss the challenges or opportunities that compelled you to grow and develop.

Describe the Challenges and Transformation: Detail the obstacles you faced in your career and how you overcame them. Highlight the skills you gained, the lessons you learned, and the personal growth you experienced. This showcases resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace change.

Demonstrate Mentorship or Guidance: Mention influential figures, mentors, or resources that have played a significant role in your professional development. Show gratitude for the guidance received and acknowledge its impact on your journey.

Showcase Achievements and Successes: Share your notable accomplishments, awards, projects, or initiatives you have led. Demonstrate your expertise and the value you bring to the table. Use numbers, statistics, or testimonials to add credibility and make your achievements tangible.

Present the Return with Wisdom: Describe how your journey has equipped you with unique insights, skills, or perspectives that make you an asset to potential employers or collaborators. Explain how your experiences have shaped your professional goals and aspirations.

Conclude your About section with a clear call to action. This can be an invitation to connect, collaborate, or explore opportunities. Encourage readers to engage with you further to build meaningful professional relationships.

Skills

Skills can now be applied to work Experiences, so ensure you update or add details to your work history. Make your top three skills the most relevant. These should align with your content pillars. 

You need hard and soft skills for a strong personal brand presence on LinkedIn. Think about your skills concerning these categories:

Hard Skills:

• Industry-specific knowledge and expertise

• Technical skills relevant to your field

• Data analysis and interpretation

• Project management

• Digital transformation

• Content creation 

Soft Skills:

• Communication and interpersonal skills

• Networking and relationship-building

• Leadership and teamwork

• Adaptability and flexibility

• Creativity and innovation

• Problem-solving and critical thinking

Recommendations Received 

The recommendations you receive are important because they provide social proof of your skills and experience. It also helps others know you better and build trust in your work. 

When you ask for a recommendation from colleagues and peers, explain precisely what you're looking for and why you're asking for it. Thank the person for their time and effort in writing the recommendation.

Giving Recommendations 

Giving recommendations on LinkedIn can strengthen a personal brand in a number of ways. It allows you to showcase your ability to recognise and appreciate the skills and strengths of others. This demonstrates your leadership skills and willingness to support and uplift your professional network.

Giving recommendations helps retain talent within your organisation. When you publicly acknowledge the exceptional work of your colleagues, it boosts their morale. It encourages them to stay engaged and committed to their work. 

When you give social shoutouts to individuals who align with your values, you promote their work and reinforce your brand. 

Profile Strength 

Complete the remaining sections of the profile as fully as possible; your goal is to reach a profile strength of All-Star. 

The likelihood of a LinkedIn profile appearing in search results is 40 times greater for those with an All-Star status. Those with 100% profile completion are awarded the All-Star status.

Your profile level is visible only to you on your desktop and mobile profile page. The profile level meter indicates the completeness of your profile. 

By adding more suggested sections, you can increase the completeness of your profile, which in turn improves its discoverability in search results and increases profile search appearances. 

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LinkedIn Engagement Strategy