Why your offline brand still matters in an online world

We spend so much time optimising our online lives that sometimes we forget one thing.

We are still humans.

Yes, your website ranks high on Google and you can’t cough on LinkedIn without being flooded with gushing emojis.

But then the nightmare scenario unfolds.

Someone meets you in the flesh.

And if the real-life version of you doesn’t match up with this carefully curated digital one, then it all falls apart.

This is why real-life optimisation matters.

It isn’t about somehow giving yourself backlinks (life hasn’t reached that level of dystopia just yet).

Real-life optimisation is about enhancing your personal and business brand for the world that exists beyond those barely-audible Teams calls.

Why? Because people don’t buy from logos or algorithms.

They buy from people. Real people.

Like you.

Ultimately, though, we are all guilty to some degree of creating a ‘LinkedIn version’ of ourselves.

It should really be called the ‘Mary Poppins’ version, as to anyone looking at it, you are practically perfect in every way.

Always smiling. The picture-perfect headshot of a person who has never once tasted failure.

But you know what? Nobody actually wants this version of you.

It stinks of inauthenticity.

What they want is the real you.

The self-deprecating one. The one who makes mistakes and owns them.

The human one – not the walking, talking sales pitch.

Authenticity isn’t a mere buzzword. It is currency.

And it’s worth more than any Google ranking.

But much like how you can secure backlinks to fuel your website’s SEO, you can take steps to boost your real-life optimisation.

Posture, eye contact, warm greetings – they matter.

And this isn’t May 2020 anymore – practice those handshakes people!

First impressions happen in seconds. About seven of them, actually.

And most of that first impression (about 93 per cent of the encounter) is made not on the actual words you use.

So think smile. Think appearance.

If you look bored or distracted – or your hand is twitching because you are having ‘doom scroll’ withdrawals – people notice.

It bothers them, and it is much easier to make a good first impression than undo a bad one.

In fact, research suggests a negative first impression takes around eight positive follow-up meetings to undo.

So get it right first time.

Make eye contact. Show an interest in them. Don’t just talk non-stop about yourself.

This isn’t rocket science, yet increasingly, people are getting it wrong.

And you don’t have to be outrageous to get noticed (although we did recently give out branded condoms at an expo).

You just have to be authentic – and make an effort.

And if you aren’t a convert yet, then here’s the part that really counts.

AI is changing how people search online.

Backlinks are all well and good for SEO, but when it comes to the likes of ChatGPT, it wants trust.

It was authenticity.

This can’t be faked overnight.

It has to be built over time, through consistency.

Online, that means securing media coverage and exposure on high-value sites and publications.

Offline, it is about real-life interactions. That could mean a keynote speaking gig at a big expo, being a podcast guest or simply just having a coffee with a possible client.

But in the real-world, that only works if the offline and online versions of yourself match.

This is where we come in.

At Harvey & Hugo, we don’t just polish and pitch press releases.

We help ensure your real-life brand is as powerful as your online one.

That might mean media training. Or prepping you for networking.

Or simply helping you to find your voice.

Because your reputation doesn’t stop at the screen. And in a world of bots, filters and algorithms, being brilliant in 3D is the biggest differentiator you have.

These are my five top tips to help with your real-life optimisation.

• Ditch the “Mary Poppins” act – being your true self beats pretending to be perfect.
• Nail those first seven seconds: Smile, shake hands and make eye contact – they may feel obvious but they increasingly have impact.
• People buy from people. Remember this every day.
• Ensure your offline version mirrors your digital persona, or you risk everything falling to pieces.
• In a world where authenticity is vanishing, being brilliant in real life can be a business game-changer.