Happiness CCXLVI
Time spent on your word of mouth branding.
Do You Fear The Spotlight?
What’s keeping you from taking the next step? Something more than simply being noticed I hope! If you’ve got ideas, or something to say or to share, you need to do something about it. Do you blog? Do you podcast or video blog? Are you on a social network? How are you making yourself heard on in this brave new world online?
The biggest thing for those sitting on the fence is simply to make the decision that they want more opportunity than they may have now in their lives. One way to do that is to start participating online. That can take many forms, from simply joining a social network, or building your own personally branded blog and going to town on creating content.
Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong if you’re interested in building your brand. Don’t wait, don’t second guess yourself. You are too valuable to the world not to share your knowledge and play your part. Now is the time.
Photo credit: JeremyHall
Why You Should Build Your Audience
An interesting component of your online brand is most certainly audience. Without it, there is little point in doing much of anything online other than email, research, and storing information. Audience is what makes the web 2.0 world turn, as we’re all dependent upon the interactivity that audience brings.
Without people to follow, read, and comment on what each of us creates, we would have no measuring stick to compare ourselves to. We would not have a way to gauge improvement in knowledge or abilities. We’d be unable to find out what help others need, or how to learn something new from readers. Audience is a crucial piece to the social web.
As individuals, we shouldn’t be hesitant to grow audience in building our brand, or writing a blog. It’s not an egotistical to want to reach more people, its right in line with human nature to connect with people and socialize. Maintaining your audience is the other half of the equation – the one that give direct feedback of whether or not you’re adding value for them. It’s important to understand the expectations you set for your audience so you can continue to meet those expectations.
For organizations it’s easier in a way since they have long had marketing strategies that target certain demographics (specific audiences) for their product or service. They have been growing and maintaining their target markets for decades in some cases. There is one difference with online audience for organizations though: interactivity. This is not something that is found offline – you don’t see comments on magazine ads for your favorite soda or show company. You will online though, and that is the big challenge for the enterprise as they move into the social media space.
Bringing people to your social web is an important part of the social aspect. It allows for feedback, interaction and growth for all involved. Are you actively growing your audience?
What tips & techniques do you use or suggest for others to help grow their audience? How do you approach readers, followers, and friends on your social web?
Look for my article ‘Audience’ in the upcoming August 2008 issue of Personal Branding Magazine in which I talk about why growing and maintaining audience is important to personal brand.
Photo credit: GlowPlug
Your Image & Your Personal Brand
Chris Garrett had a great post about Gravatars last week that got me thinking. While we talk about branding, one of the easiest way to remind people of you is your image. For consumer products, it’d be called a logo. For those of us that are marketing ourselves, our image really is our logo and an important integral piece of our brand.
Clear Message
When you think about it a bit, it’s quite clear. How better to promote your brand than putting a face to it? If we associate stylized imagery with consumer products & brands, wouldn’t it be wise to do the same with your brand? Putting your image forward gives people an easier way to associate with you and the specialty or service that you offer.
When you start using your image as part of your brand, it needs to be consistently applied when possible. Most all sites of the social web have the ability to upload a profile picture. Using the same picture for all services helps promote your brand and is easier than somehow putting a link or your tagline there.
Brand Association
People will associate your picture with your comments and your words. More easily remembering what value you would bring to their efforts or solve their problem. Helping prospective clients or simply online friends remember who we are across the Internet, from one site to another helps build the consistency you want in your brand as well. The other, bigger part of consistency, of course, is your message and how you deliver it across the various tools you use of the social web.
The Real You
I think it’s very important to use a picture of you rather than a logo. Yes, you may have a nice logo designed for your website or blog, but it isn’t as true a representation of you then you are. Sure, you may have an aversion to having your picture taken, and may dislike every single one ever taken of you. However, you need to remember that other people won’t be looking for flaws in your picture, but will be looking to associate it with that great person they know in you.
So go get a professional “head shot” done, just like executives would do. Or, have a talented photographer friend help by taking a few picture so choose from. If you really hate having your picture taken, find backgrounds to shoot in front of that help you relax, or are also representative of you. While “professional” photo’s may be nice, it’s probably more important to simply make sure it’s a clear, positive reflection of you. It doesn’t have to be perfect, so don’t make it. Often, some spontaneous, candid shots work out to be very nice indeed. I’ve taken to using pictures that I capture through my webcam, and change them up when I have a notion to. Rather than some schedule or plan, it’s more often because I want a current picture of myself than any other reason.
Your Turn
I’m finding more people who once used an avatar or graphic design are switching to a personal picture on many services that I use. I welcome this greatly as it let’s me see who I’m talking to and further develops the relationship with my friends and contacts. What’s your take on personal logo’s? Have you tried a logo, or stick with your pic? What do you use & where else should we use it?
Photo credit: Sumit
Inventing your brand
A couple of questions for you.
- Has your career reached a plateau, but you believe you have more to offer?
- Have you gotten into a repetitive cycle in your career that you think it’s impossible to break out of?
- Are you just starting out in the workforce and are uncertain how to present yourself?
- Would you like to start down a path to help change all that?
Up until now you may only have thought about your reputation. Taking pride in the work you’ve done, and the ideals you follow. These are important things and core components to help you build your personal brand.
What is Personal Brand?
So you’ve heard about this "personal branding" thing while reading news and the blogs you follow. Obviously, it’s an important component to gen X or Y crowd, but how does it affect you? As much as you want it to! You are a brand, not unlike your favorite soft drink, automobile manufacturer, or candy bar. You have the same potential to create interest and buzz around yourself and what you can do.
Reputation 2.0
I like to call personal branding "reputation 2.0". We all know what our reputation is. Why not bring some social media aspects to the table and formulate a strategy? Personal branding is about reaching out to the community or industry that you are a part of. Interacting with it, and making sure that people know where and how to reach you. This simply leverages your current abilities and makes you more visible to others in your field.
Not an Ego Trip
Personal branding is not about building a "look at me" page. Rather, it is about creating a brand that is recognized for what you are. To leverage your strengths, whether that is technical, people-oriented, or whatever. Building your brand is meant to bring you further into your industry as an authority or expert in an area. It’s meant to help you reach the next level, and grow in your life, not just your career.
2nd Job
One thing to understand, as well, is the amount of work involved in creating your brand is the time commitment. You need to become your own marketer, writer, idea person, and coach. It requires that you reach out to your community and add value. Help people, talk about things that are important or relevant in your industry, come up with innovative ideas. Become a person that people look forward to interacting with. Be the go-to person that makes things happen.
Rewards
There are numerous rewards for this, from additional opportunities in your career, to a new discovery of yourself. Building your personal brand also allows you to dig into your psyche and rediscover lost ideas and dreams that you may have set aside years ago. Your brand is about more than your career, it’s about becoming the best you that you can be.
There is a growing number resources online to help you find ways to build your brand. Many of them are tried and true methods that you can get started on without spending much (if anything). Also, I invite you to contact me directly if you have questions, I’d love to help answer whatever I can on the topic. My email is found in the sidebar under "Contact Me", or leave a comment below!
Photo credit: danes96
😢
“We are not enemies but friends.”
Live your life.
Completely.
Without fear.
Live it with Love, compassion, empathy, tolerance and joy.
Treat every person with the kindness, respect and dignity they deserve by the very virtue of being a human being.
Out riding this rainy, wet spring. Got 1,000 miles on the clock with more to come this season. #IMRG #IndianMotorcycle
Watching early seasons of #GoldRush. Fun seeing @GoldrushRick in season 3! Hope his new season is off to a good start!
Oh yes I did! https://www.instagram.com/p/BsRDO9ogSO0/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share&igshid=1kha5yzhjq3ot