Remember when I told you about my RISEN™ framework taking off? Well, that was just the beginning. The real magic happened when I decided to take my brand-building efforts to TikTok and embrace the concept of building in public.

I'll be honest, I was skeptical about TikTok at first. Wasn't it just for dance trends and lip-syncing teens? Well yes it is that. But there’s a lot more to it.

Those framework videos we talked about in Part 3? They didn't just go viral; they catapulted my TikTok following to 100k and drove 6 figures of revenue. Suddenly, I had a platform and an audience hungry for AI insights.

But here's where it gets really interesting. I didn't just use TikTok to share polished, finished products. Quite the opposite. I started sharing my journey - the good, the bad, and the ugly. I talked about building my newsletter, the ups and downs of creating and licensing workshops, the revenues (yes, actual numbers), the wins, and yes, even the failures.

The shorthand term for this is “build in public” - sharing your journey as you build a company.

Every milestone, every setback became content. And you know what? People love it. They won’t just be interested in your AI knowledge; they’ll be invested in your journey.

This transparency did more than just grow my following; it built trust. When I launched new products or services, I had an audience that already knew me, trusted me, and wanted to support me. It turned followers into customers and customers into advocates.

Now, I'm not saying it was always easy. Sharing failures publicly? That's scary. Talking about revenue numbers? That can feel uncomfortable. But the connections and opportunities it created were worth every moment of discomfort.

In this part of the playbook, we're going to dive into how you can leverage social media platforms and the power of building in public to grow your AI consulting brand.

Let’s get started:

Platform Power: Where to Build Your AI Brand

Not all platforms are created equal, especially when it comes to AI consulting. Here's a quick rundown of where you might want to focus your efforts:

1. TikTok: Don't underestimate it. Short, punchy videos explaining AI concepts or sharing quick tips can go viral fast. Also very forgiving for new accounts - you can immediately grow.

2. LinkedIn: The professional's playground. Great for longer posts, articles, and connecting with potential clients.

3. Twitter: Perfect for sharing quick insights, engaging in AI discussions, and building a network.

4. YouTube: Ideal for in-depth tutorials, framework explanations, and thought leadership content.

5. Instagram / Facebook: far more “popular” based content but can still work with a more B2C audience.

The key? Pick 1-2 to focus on initially. It's better to do a great job on one platform than a mediocre job on five. Personally I’d go with Tiktok and LinkedIn for AI consulting specifically.

I’ve written extensively about the different platforms, which to focus on and how to grow in other Playbooks.

Crafting Content That Clicks

Creating content for these platforms isn't about showing off how much you know about AI. It's about making AI accessible, exciting, and relevant to your audience. Here are some content ideas:

1. AI Concept Breakdowns: Explain complex AI ideas in simple terms.

2. Real-World AI Applications: Show how AI is being used in various industries.

3. AI News Commentary: Offer your take on the latest AI developments.

4. Behind-the-Scenes Glimpses: Share your process of developing AI solutions.

5. Q&A Sessions: Answer common questions about AI.

6. Success Stories: Share case studies of successful AI implementations.

Remember, consistency and volume are key. Set a content schedule and stick to it. And don’t expect to do one content piece a week and grow.

To help you develop a structured content strategy, let's use an AI prompt to generate content pillars based on your customers' problems and your AI expertise:

You are an AI assistant specialising in content strategy for AI consultants. Your task is to help the user create content pillars for their social media and content marketing efforts. Use the following steps:

1. Ask the user to list 3-5 main problems their clients typically face in implementing or understanding AI.

2. Ask their primary platform.

3. Request the user to briefly describe their key areas of AI expertise and any frameworks or methodologies they've developed.

4. Based on the user's input, generate 5-7 content pillars that address both client problems and showcase the user's expertise. Each pillar should:
   a. Have a catchy, memorable name
   b. Address a specific client problem or need
   c. Align with the user's AI expertise
   d. Be broad enough to generate multiple pieces of content

5. For each content pillar, suggest:
   a. 3 potential topics for in-depth articles or videos
   b. 5 ideas for quick tips or short-form content (e.g., tweets, TikTok videos)
   c. A way to incorporate the user's personal journey or "building in public" aspect

6. Propose a content mix strategy, suggesting how often to post about each pillar.

7. Provide ideas for how to repurpose content across different platforms (e.g., turning a long-form article into a series of tweets or TikTok videos).

The goal is to create a content strategy that consistently provides value to the audience while positioning the user as an AI expert and thought leader.

The Art of Building in Public

Building in public isn't just about sharing your successes. It's about bringing your audience along for the entire journey - warts and all. I’ve built this into the prompt already but here's a quick run down of how to do it effectively:

1. Share Your Process: Talk about how you develop AI solutions or frameworks.

2. Be Transparent: Share your revenue numbers, subscriber counts, or client wins. This stuff fascinates people - especially learning about income.

3. Discuss Challenges: Don't shy away from talking about obstacles you face.

4. Ask for Input: Involve your audience in decision-making processes. People LOVE to answer questions online.

5. Celebrate Milestones: Share your achievements, no matter how small.

6. Learn in Public: Share what you're learning as you grow your AI knowledge.

The goal is to make your audience feel like they're part of your journey, not just spectators.

Basically whilst it's important to showcase your AI expertise, don't forget to let your personality shine through. There are many (sorry!) people in the industry who focus too much on the dry stuff. By adding a little personality you’ll stand out easily.

Share personal anecdotes, your thoughts on the AI industry, or even glimpses of your life outside of work. This helps your audience connect with you as a person, not just an AI expert.

Putting things into play

Ready to start building in public? Here's a challenge to kick things off:

1. Choose one platform (TikTok, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.).

2. Commit to posting once a day for the next 30 days.

3. Mix up your content: ie. 40% educational AI content, 30% behind-the-scenes glimpses, 20% personal insights, 10% soft promotion.

4. At the end of each week, share a recap of what you've learned, any wins or challenges, and your goals for the next week.

5. After 30 days, do a public review of your experience, sharing metrics and lessons learned.

This challenge will jumpstart your building-in-public journey and help you establish a consistent online presence.

In the next Part, we'll explore how to expand your reach through networking and leveraging other people's audiences. We'll dive into strategies for getting on podcasts, speaking at events, and collaborating with other AI professionals.