Steve Hui on how to use Linkedin to build a brand
Lachlan talks to Linkedin Top Voice Steve Hui about building your personal brand.
Steve Hui, AKA ‘The Points Whisperer’ is the founder and CEO of iFLYflat. He’s a prolific Linkedin user, recognised by Linkedin in the official ‘Top Voices’ list. He’s also business colleague and personal friend.
Steve regularly shares his travel tips and insights on Linkedin, focusing in on frequent flyer points as his speciality.
Many of his posts have trended on Linkedin and he regularly acquires new customers from Linkedin who have said “I’ve followed you on Linkedin” and “your tips are so useful”.
Steve is a big advocate for using Linkedin to build your personal brand and business.
“Linkedin is a goldmine for small business owners and anyone wanting to build their personal brand or career.”
“There’s so much opportunity everyday to get seen and heard by others in and outside your industry.”
One example of this is a recent (spontaneous) post by Steve from his new Melbourne apartment which attracted nearly 70,000 views and plenty of interactions. See below.
"I woke up and saw the hot air balloons flying across and thought, this is something amazing I can share with others. I’m new to Melbourne so this was a great way to also connect with locals.”— Steve.
As you can see above, this post was viewed by directors and business owners, even though it wasn’t about business at all. It brought awareness to Steve’s brand and services. That’s the power of Linkedin.
Steve’s tops tips for building a brand on Linkedin
Here are Steve’s top 3 Linkedin tips for business owners and professionals:
1. Get personal. Don’t just talk shop.
Linkedin is getting more social and more personal. If you’re only using it to share the odd career update or award, you’re missing out. Steve says that the best and engaging content on Linkedin really comes from what you’re most passionate about.
“You can tell when something truly excites someone, and they share it and the results follow.”
“It’s not like Instagram where you share food or pet pics. Linkedin is all about bringing your unique career experiences and insights together in a thoughtful (and fun) way.”
“If you can strike that balance, you’ll do well. I know it’s cliche but I always look to Richard Branson as a good example of professional and fun.”
“The age old question of work-vs-leisure and work-vs-home has moved to hybrid. And we’re seeing that reflect in the style of content now shared on Linkedin.”
This post by Steve gained 87,000 viewers. View this post on Linkedin.
2. Clarify your niche
Steve encourages business owners especially to clarify their message and hone in on their niche.
“What’s the ‘one thing’ you want people to know and remember you for? Even though you might do a lot of things, the human brain tends to remember people and brands by one main thing.”
“For me, it’s using points to fly. I’ve built a brand around myself as Australia’s ‘Points Whisperer’ — as coined by the media in 2014. This niche has opened the doors for many media opportunities and connections to high-profile brands and individuals.”
“Above all, having a clear niche + exposure has helped everyday business owners discover me and how my company (iFLYflat) can help them. So you have to reverse engineer it.”
“You either spend a fortune on mass-mark advertising, which most small business owners can’t afford. Or, you get really clear about your niche and built a brand around that. Big companies can’t do this, so it’s an advantage for small businesses.
“Linkedin is a great platform to help you share your niche and gain lots of organic exposure in your industry and beyond.”
Steve’s Annual Views on Linkedin has grown over 3 million in the past year (ending Sept 22). None of these are paid posts/advertising.
3. Make Linkedin a daily, but spontaneous habit
Linkedin doesn’t have to take up your whole day. Just a few minutes on your phone is all it takes.
“People say to me they don’t have enough time to do Linkedin. My response is don’t do it on a schedule, just do it on a spontaneous basis. For example, if you read a good article, take a minute to share it on Linkedin with your thoughts.”
“You’re already consuming industry/career/life-changing content— you just have to make the habit to share what you’re learning on Linkedin (if it’s worthwhile sharing).”
“Don’t overthink it, don’t over-plan it. Just do it (be like Nike)!”
Learn more about Steve Hui at iFLYflat.com.au
Steve and his wife Anna have recently moved from Sydney to Melbourne. If you run a business in Melbourne, reach out to Steve at steve@iflyflat.com.au 👋
Next up:
The Best Mailchimp Alternative For Small Businesses — From Leader Web
Written by Lachlan Nicolson. Small Business Coach at Leader Guide, based in Brisbane Australia.
