In 2025, a strong personal brand is not just a nice-to-have for founders and executive directors — it’s a necessity. While company pages and official communications play a huge role in marketing an organization, leveraging the founder/CEO’s LinkedIn presence and email outreach can make a significant impact on brand visibility, trust and engagement.
5 Reasons Your personal Digital Presence Matters
1. Builds Trust and Authenticity
People trust people more than they trust brands. When an executive director or founder personally engages with an audience, it adds a layer of authenticity that a corporate account simply can’t replicate. A personal LinkedIn post or direct email carries more weight than a generic brand message.
2. Strengthens the Organization’s Credibility
Your personal brand reflects directly on your company. When you actively share insights, industry trends and thought leadership content, it positions both you and your organization as credible and knowledgeable leaders in your space.
3. Helps You Win Over the Social Algorithm
LinkedIn algorithms prioritize content from personal profiles over company pages. This means that when a founder or executive director shares updates, they are more likely to reach a wider audience organically. Similarly, emails from personal accounts often have higher open and response rates than mass marketing emails.
4. Humanizes the Organization
A company page is great for brand consistency, but it can feel impersonal. When leaders engage online, they bring a human face to the brand. Sharing personal stories, experiences and insights makes the company feel more relatable and fosters stronger relationships.
5. Increases Networking and Partnership Opportunities
Having a strong LinkedIn presence and using personal email outreach can open doors to valuable partnerships, collaborations and media opportunities. Whether it’s connecting with potential clients, investors or industry peers, personal engagement creates more meaningful interactions.
5 Ways to Use Your Personal Brand Market Your Business
1. Work With Your Marketing Team
- Lean on the communications experts in your organization to help with writing and strategizing on LinkedIn.
- Consider investing in a social media strategy for your personal LinkedIn account.
2. Share About the Business on Your LinkedIn Profile
- Share industry insights, company updates and personal experiences that align with your brand.
- Share posts from the business page to give them a higher reach. I’ll give you bonus points if you add a personal insight in the caption of your shared post!
- Interact with other industry leaders by commenting and sharing their content.
3. Foster Conversations
- Post thoughtful insights and personal experiences that align with your brand as well as bring value to your readers.
- Respond to comments on your company page’s posts to show them the personal investment your brand makes in its customers.
- Comment on posts related to your company’s industry to build personal and brand credibility.
4. Leverage Personal Email for Outreach
- Every so often, send personalized emails with a greeting from you instead of generic newsletters. This will give your audience something they may not expect and add a personal feel to the customer experience.
5. Align Your Personal Brand With Your Company's Mission
- It is crucial that your LinkedIn profile reflects your organization’s mission and values.
- Consistently communicate the same core messages across both personal and company platforms to build brand recognition.
- Use the opportunity to speak to your connections and followers (an audience your company page does not have) to reinforce your company’s credibility and expertise.
Your digital presence as a founder or executive director is one of the most powerful tools for strengthening your organization’s brand. By strategically using your personal voice, you can build trust, increase visibility and drive meaningful connections that benefit your business.
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