How can I start a successful personal brand from no platform with no friends/followers?
I’d recommend creating some kind of long-form publishing platform (your own blog, publishing long-form on LinkedIn, or a company or public news site). This content ‘home’ will help you show depth beyond social updates, and will be a place for more specific discussions about your content.
Once you have your core platform, look at which social platforms are most relevant for your target audience and focus on them. Don’t try to be everywhere.
Also pay careful attention to your content strategy. Focus on no more than three key topics, form a unique POV, and stay on message. Publish regularly in your content hub and promote through social.
Also identify the subject matter experts on your core topics and be sure to follow them regularly. Place value-added comments (early) to their posts (linking only when useful) and try to engage them in appropriate online discussions. Their endorsement will help grow your follower count.
In addition, make sure you’re tracking appropriate forums (start with Quora and non-promotional LinkedIn groups if you’re a B2B person). Watch the discussion, and add value where you can.
Finally, remember social media is, well, social. In addition to promoting your own work, be sure to retweet or share other people’s content, and try to engage the right people in conversations.