Sep 25, 2009 | blog
Sometimes it’s the simple things that we overlook the most. For Personal Branding, this is occasionally the email signature. If you look over the most frequent and pervasive communications tools we have, email is still a top contender for the vast majority of folks.
With that in mind, anyone who has built a specific brand for themselves or for companies that are very brand aware, a custom email signature should be a “no brainerâ€. I’m surprised at how often folks tend to forget about this most basic of branding options. An email signature doesn’t have to be overly complex, or designed by a professional designer, though these are sometimes options.
On the simple side, just having a standard email signature in plain text can do wonders. It can have the basic contact information, including social network URLs if that’s desired. This works equally well for corporations as it does for individuals. For a large organization, it can allow for different telephone, cell, and fax numbers, but keeps a consistent layout and message to the recipients.
For more advanced or adventurous users, the ability to utilize HTML formatting and images makes for very impressive and robust brand statements. Going this route also allows for a picture for individual email accounts as well.
I’ve also found that having more than one custom signature is a plus. The number of sigs I use changes during the course of a year, but there are basically two that I use. One for personal emails and one for business emails. The personal one is quite simple, as I’m corresponding with people that already know me well and don’t need a constant reminder that I’m so-and-so.
The business signature is more professional and has contact information for practically any way a person can find to interact with me. Variations on the business sig for me range from the company I work for, a sig for “Social Media Breakfast†related emails, and a personal business sig. This allows me great flexibility to communicate specifically what I’m representing in that email.
Whatever route you choose to go, don’t hesitate to create your own customized email signature. Use your favorite search engine using “custom email signature†and you’ll have a number of options to help you through. So don’t leave this “low hanging fruit†on the tree – go get your sig together today.
Photo credit: darque9
Jun 15, 2009 | blog
So where do social media professionals come from? Where does any real professional that really knows there stuff come from? Is there some school that generates these professional people that have experience in so many things, been challenged in multiple ways allowing them to really get the big picture and think about things that most won’t consider? What creates a professional in any industry? How does this come about?
Well to be sure, folks who you find in social media are coming from all sorts of backgrounds. While “traditionally†you’ll find folks from marketing as the most prevalent practitioners. However, I’ve found that folks from any profession are surfacing as real social media professionals. Many never thought about a career transition from what they were doing into marketing, PR, or communications. Many never thought of themselves as writers, broadcasters, teachers, or leaders.
This is what happens in the early phases of any new field. Where did the early “computer geeks†that built out the early I.T. departments made up of micro-computers? They came from accounting, shipping, or it may have even been the boss’s secretary.
The reality is that as many disciplines developed, they were started by folks who really were professionals in another field, but had an interest or passion in something new. Perhaps it was the “new†factor, to be challenged in a new and unexpected direction, learning things that they never thought they’d need to know. To be out on the leading edge and be looked up to because of solving a problem, that could be it too. Sometimes it’s the least expected things that attract people to a job.
Another interesting thing about social media pros is that they have an extensive background. That is, they have multiple skills, developed over time from this job or that opportunity that they’ve followed up on. Whether these skills were intentionally pursued, or unintentionally picked up in some maintenance job, all these skills are what you’re going to look for in a social media professional.
These folks will come with communications skills, writing skills, technical skills, project management skills, and more. They work well under stress, they understand the concerns of the c-suite and legal, yet are able to demonstrate the opportunities for an organization as well as the challenges. They can walk from a technical project status meeting in IT to a creative marketing meeting, and be able to understand and participate with both on equal footing.
Finding these people is a challenge in itself, and you may have to look long and hard to find the right mix of skills for your business. The important part is to not be afraid to look inside, as many hidden gems are laying, waiting to be discovered in your backyard. For social media practitioners are in all corners of every business. Sometimes it’s just being able to recognize raw talent, providing time and experimentation, and letting them lead the way.
Photo Credit: photoholic1
Jun 9, 2009 | blog
What is an expert? Is it a guru? Is it someone who has thought deeply on the subject? Or is it someone who has actually performed work and generated results? So many people today are scrambling to become a social media experts, then it’s quite confusing to businesses looking for talented help.
The reality in social media, as with any burgeoning industry or trade, there are none. Or at least, there are only a handful who truly have the skills, but will never call themselves experts. I’ve really enjoyed Christopher S. Penn’s explanation of experts in social media. Relating the rise or growth of individuals who have explored the space before many others got there.
In two of his posts from June 2008, Who is a social media expert? and How to Become a Social Media Expert, he recaps the analogy of Japanese martial arts to social media and (ironically 😉 expertly describes why it’s difficult in the world of social media to identify a true expert.
There simply isn’t a better description of what it takes to start down the right path to be a viable social media professional than those two posts. There’s a lot of great content on the Internet to help folks figure it out, and experimentation is a great leaning tool. But as a professional practice, there are many pitfalls to claiming expert status.
As with project management methodologies, there are just too many ways to do the same thing. What works for one client, for one project, for one product, isn’t necessarily what will work for the next. Even if it’s an update to the previously successful product that enjoyed a thrilling viral marketing campaign.
There are talented folks out there though, and these are the one’s that you want to seek out. Whether it be for a contract job, hiring for training purposes, helping change the culture in your company, or running that stunning viral campaign.
They’re not hard to find, but they are hard to get scheduled as they’re often in high demand. So don’t hesitate to ask consultants who inspires them, who they learn from, or what resources they use to learn new things. Their answers are indicative of professionals who know their stuff. For true experts realize that they don’t have all the answers, they are aware that surprises await in every endeavor, and they have the resources to deal with everything that is thrown at them.
So while you should be cautious of those who claim (scream?) expert status from their online profiles, you’ll also find a growing group of real professionals in social media that come from all backgrounds… and that’s for another post.
Apr 21, 2009 | blog
It’s an interesting time we live in. Economic turmoil, changing social norms, 100 year old publishing businesses crumbling, and new media powerhouses being established. You’d be hard pressed to give our present era a pass and claim it to be not as important as <fill in your favorite era here>.
Along with these incredible times are some challenges for every business, and everyone that works in them. The reality is that the past decade has brought incredible change in our communications and social structures because of digital communication. Included in this is the first generation raised entirely within the Internet, and mobile communication revolution of advanced technology.
This generation has experienced the freedom of wireless connections from an early age, and rediscovered the power of text communications. The “kids†in this generation have expanded their mental and reflex capacities through vigorous sessions of online, multiplayer, interactive & collaborative games. These folks have no stigma about being online, and this generation comes prewired for online social interaction. They have the ability to actively team-build without preamble and pep talks, can do business virtually without the need to meet in person and can work with folks on the other side of the globe as easily as they work with people in the next cube.
This is the youth movement of today, and they’re entering your business right now. These young folks are part of the largest workforce to enter the American business landscape since the boomers. They are your new entry level employees and they know what’s up. They’re smart, fast to learn new things, and anxious to prove themselves. With the Baby Boomers retiring and GenX/Y moving up, these folks coming out of college are bringing a revolution in relationship management with them.
Are you ready for them?
Photo credit: eddiehosa
Feb 9, 2009 | blog
We had an interesting discussion around the lunch table the other day regarding many aspects of the current economy. From the mounting job purges of too many large companies and what it all means to us the average person.
Really the discussion came around to how the traditional exercise of searching for a job is changing. There were three of us at lunch today and, not surprisingly, there were three different perspectives and understanding of the process in an environment that we all find ourselves in.
Here is where the differences in age come into play. Among the three of us around the table, there was about a decade from the youngest to oldest. The perception of how best to position oneself in today’s market was probably best understood by the younger two of the group, with the oldest standing fairly firm to the notion that job search and how you go about it hasn’t changed much.
Really, the truth is that it depends on the job you’re looking to get. Calling it a job to begin with is part of the problem, as anyone looking for the next job should really believe that they are looking for the next step in their career. Following the old, tried and true methods of mass mailings, cold-calls, and relying on a headhunter finding you may still work, but one wonders for how long?
Instead, following the example of many an enterprising young millennial may actually be your best bet. Maybe everyone doesn’t feel up to posting videos of themselves on YouTube, or spending hours on Twitter, or the many other social networks. However, at least a full LinkedIn profile, and even a Facebook page, so folks are able to find you, may be in order.
The point I suppose I’m trying to get to is that change has already taken place in the area of job search & career placement; and the sooner you understand that the easier it’ll be to prepare for the next phase of your career. This is as true for seasoned corporate veterans as it is for the new college grad looking to jump into the fray.
It’s time to manage yourself into the next career change rather than falling into it.
Photo credit: ChrisB in SEA
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