Build Your Platform – Build Your Influence

Today’s challenge in The 30 Day Blogging Challenge is: Which methods do you want to use to build your platform and increase your influence?

It wasn’t too long ago that I thought a platform was something high-divers leapt from in the Olympic diving events. Or it was a place where cloggers and wanna-be musicians performed at the county fair.

Now, I know better. It’s what I am doing right now. Communicating with a growing audience about things that matter to them.

Michael Hyatt talks about this in his recent book entitled Platform. He says, “Without a platform—something that enables you to get seen and heard—you don’t have a chance.”

Those are pretty big words. But he knows his stuff. He was the CEO of one of the largest publishers in the world (Thomas Nelson), and he still serves as Chairman of their Board. That kind of job gives you a clear look at what makes one author successful and another invisible.

Even as a yet-to-be-published writer, the importance of building my own platform – and of you building yours – is critical to our success. Without an audience, there is no business, especially in the online world.

How long does it take to build a platform?

Building a platform takes time and lots of effort. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it doesn’t take a lifetime either.

I have seen bloggers and writers build significant platforms – and significant incomes – in less than one year of consistent, focused work. The key is to focus on your message – your USP – and keep the promise the customer wants you to make.

How do you know what promises to keep? Ask your customer. Who is your customer – your audience? They are the people you talk to every time you write a blog post. Every time you shoot a video. Every time you create a product to sell or give away.

How will I build my platform?

For now, my approach is three-fold:

1. Blogging: I will communicate regularly via my blog. By “regularly,” I mean at least twice per week. Topics will serve the needs of my growing community of those who want to win in the second half of life.

“Winning” carries a pretty broad definition, depending on who you ask. For me, it means achieving your own clearly-defined goals for Fitness, Finances, Film and Fun. While this blog may be read by a wide variety of people, I am specifically focused on those in the 50-plus crowd like me.

Audio-Blogging: This is included with my regular blogging activity because it basically presents my blog posts in an audio format. Some people prefer to listen more than they like to read, so giving them an alternative is a great way to expand my audience.

2. YouTube: My YouTube channel will include weekly videos related to fitness, finances, film and fun. I will shoot most of the videos myself; however, I will also curate additional content that would be helpful to my audience.

YouTube is great because it gives people a chance to see me for who I really am. It will also allow people to follow along as I pursue my 50 Firsts Challenge.

3. Podcast: Podcasting has been around for a long time, but more and more people are attracted to this medium because they can listen while driving, working out, or doing just about anything but sleeping. Some would even argue that listening while sleeping can be beneficial.

This is a great way to build my platform because it has the potential to reach people who might never ready my blog and might never watch a video. Instead, they could find me in iTunes and get to know me before visiting my other media channels.

What about social media?

For starters, “social media” is simply a place where people can share information in a virtual community. From my perspective, this could include Blogging, YouTube and Podcasting, depending on whether members of the audience are allowed to interact through written comments, voice communication or other means.

The more traditional “social media” outlets include Facebook, Twitter, and other lesser-known platforms (there’s that word again). Although these are areas where I will likely engage at some point, they will not be a focus for now.

Building a Platform One Person at a Time

The key to building a platform is not to expect overnight success, but not to underestimate what can happen in a very short period of time. If just one post, video or podcast resonates with one well-connected person, things can spread pretty quickly through social sharing.

My approach is to communicate with one person at a time and give them what they want. Then to stay in touch and ensure that everything I do serves them.

As long at there are more people in the world like that one person, the word will spread, provided my message is good enough and focused enough on others and not on me.

“Keep the promise the customer wants you to make.” If Seth said it (and he did), I read it. And that’s one I believe could change everything. Build your platform to serve the customer – your audience – even if it’s only one person.

People talk, and it’s easier today than ever.