Whether you are working for yourself or for somebody else, you have to be working on your business on a regular basis.

If you’re working for yourself, that means finding new clients, getting your brand out there, making it known.

If you’re working for somebody else, you too should be working on your business. That means building your personal brand inside the company you’re working for, but also outside of it.

Your personal brand is who you are and you should put as much effort into growing it as in the work you do for your company or employer.

I get it, working on your business instead of in your business is hard, especially if your team is small or if it’s only you.

Yes, I know there is too much to do every day and you don’t have hours in the day to do everything you want. But don’t let the busyness stand in the way of your success.

There is always enough time for what’s important.

You just have to decide what’s important to you.

Growing your business and your personal brand should be your number one priority, no matter what.

We’ve been living in a good economy for ten years now. We barely remember what 2008 and 2009 were like.

But what if another economic crash were to come, would your business survive? If your job were to disappear what would you do?

What would you do if all your present clients leave you?

Impossible? Not quite. Remember 2008?

Whether you are a PR professional or a business owner, you need to be thinking of ways to grow your career and business.

That’s why working on your business and career is something you must do every week, if not daily.

And because you’re busy and can’t go to gazillions networking events or maybe don’t want to, choose those options that are right in front of you.

How to Start Working on Your Business Now

Look around you

Your clients are your business partners. Your success is their success and vice-versa. Investing time in building meaningful relationships with your present clients, besides doing an exceptional work are key to your future success.

The same is true when you’re working for somebody else. You are part of the success of the company you’re working for and its clients. Build meaningful relationships with those clients, treat them as they were your clients.

No, I’m not saying you should steal your employer’s clients. What I am saying is always give your best, go the extra mile in doing your job, and most importantly, be human.

People will remember how you made them feel. Even if they can’t help you when you’re looking for a job or new clients for your business, they know someone who can.

Believe it or not, we live in a very small world. Building meaningful relationships should be at the top of your list every single day.

Social media

Social media offers a fantastic opportunity to build your personal brand and grow your business. The difference between success and failure is how you use social media.

Make it your mission to connect with three to five new people every day. Interact with them on social media, be interested in what they do, and genuinely help.

Whether it’s sharing their content on your channels, offering a piece of advice, or simply being there for them, be truly interested in what they do.

This isn’t about what’s in it for me. It’s about how you can help somebody else.

Yes, it’s hard work, yes, sometimes people will take advantage of you. But as you connect with more and more people, you will learn to separate the good from the bad.

As Chris Ducker says, it’s a “people to people” business. Be genuinely interested in others.

Offline networking

If you have social media, why spend time and money networking offline, right? Wrong!

Social media is a fantastic gift given to us. But nothing replaces meeting in person.

Whether you go to conferences in your industry, or simply meet people over coffee, make it a habit to go out there once a month and connect with people in person.

If you’re traveling, do your homework and see who in your network lives in the city you’re going to. Let them know you’ll be in town and ask to meet over a coffee or lunch.

Same thing if you’re speaking or attending conferences. Prepare in advance and find out who from your connections will participate. You can even ask on your social media channels.

If you’re short on time, make a list of the people you want to meet who happen to attend said conference. Could they be of help to one another?

If yes, invite them to lunch together or dinner outside the conference center, and make sure they connect with each other.

You’re helping them do business with each other, and they won’t forget that.

There are many ways to work on your business and career, but what you need to keep in mind is it’s about people.

We do business with people we like and trust. Make it your mission to build that trust and business will come to you.

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Corina Manea is the Founder of NutsPR, a PR professional, social media strategist, content marketer, and blogger. She helps entrepreneurs build a community on social media and grow their personal brands online. Connect with her on Twitter: @corinamanea.