Personal Brand

About Me

• Avid Networker

• Started a Mentoring Program

• Founder, Web Content Mavens

• Digital Strategy Consultant

Roadmap

• Networking• Brand• Personal Brand

– What it is– What it isn‟t

• Brand YOU– Defining Your Core Brand– Defining Variations on Your Core Brand– What to emphasize & deemphasize– Challenges - Owning It, Adjusting It, Ignoring It– Brand Signals (identifiers)

• Creating the Brand (wrapping it together)• Brand & Reputation Management• Practical Networking

Networking

Value of Networking

• 60% of jobs are found through networking –some estimate higher

• 70-80% of positions aren‟t even advertised

• Examples include getting your roof fixed (aren‟t you more likely to pick a neighbor who has a clean yard and a sign out than a stranger) to this very class (now that we‟ve all met, we'll be more likely to help each other).

Networking is about...

–Creating relationships

–Establishing 2-way communication

–Building trust networks

–Defining & supporting mutual benefit

–Achieving momentum

Relationships Generate Business

When people know you and have a relationship with you, they are more likely to:

– Advocate for you

– Remember you when an opportunity opens up

– Help you with issues and challenges

– Give you a better deal than a stranger

Developing a Network

1. Understand yourself

2. Know how to communicate your value

3. Identify networking opportunities that reach your target audience

4. Build relationships at the event

5. Follow-up to continue the relationship

Leads to a pipeline of connections

Networking is NOT about...

–Using others to advance yourself

–Short term job seeking or short term benefit seeking (see Sales)

–Taking from people without giving benefit

–It‟s not short term

10 Golden Rules of Networking

Ten essential items to keep in mind when planning for an event and when out networking.

1. Be open to others

2. Be kind and positive – not just because it‟s good, but because it serves you better

3. Be aware of your time and others (guiding rule: 8-10 min per conversation, unless in a group)

10 Golden Rules of Networking

4. Be clear and concise about what you are looking to gain from the interaction.

5. Be honest but don‟t overshare.

6. Be aware of your clothing and posture –you want to present the best possible “you”.

7. After talking, ask for contact information if you want to follow-up. Don‟t wait for the other person.

10 Golden Rules of Networking

8. Be interested in the other person.

9. Don‟t worry if you‟ve forgotten a name. Just be honest and say “I‟m afraid your name is escaping me at the moment”

10.Use honest and direct language. Best opening line: “Hi, my name is…”

Ecosystem

Networking is an interaction, a relationship between you and other people.

But networking begins before that meeting. – It begins with you knowing yourself - your skills your

abilities and your challenges– And ends with you presenting an honest, accurate &

compelling person at an event– With a lot in between including

• finding the right event• talking to the right people• presenting the right external package• communicating successfully• being memorable

– And can continue with email and follow-up

Branding

Terminology

Brand & Brand Management

Personal Brand

Your Core Brand

Your Personal Brand (and variations)

Reputation

Brand Management

Brand management is a communication function in marketing that includes analysis and planning on how that brand is positioned in the market. Developing a good relationship with the target market is essential for brand management. Tangible elements of brand management include the product itself; look, price, the packaging, etc. The intangible elements are the experience that the consumer takes away from the brand, and also the relationship that they have with that brand. A brand manager would oversee all of these things.

- Wikipedia

Brand

A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer‟s decision to choose one product or service over another.

- Seth Godin

Brand

People use brands as shortcuts to make purchasing decisions

- Allen P Adamson, BrandSimple

Brand Shortcuts

Consumers evaluate 5 main factors in brand shortcuts (aka engagement):

• Competence

• Excitement

• Ruggedness

• Sincerity

• Sophistication

But they CHOOSE based on varied criteria

Brands communicate many things. You may know several elements of a brand.

BUT...you select based on what is relevant to you – and that changes

McDonalds

Mom - child-friendly

Teenager - cheap, place to hangout

Late Night Worker – open late/open early

Starbucks

Traveler – familiarity, consistency

Consultant – wifi, consistency

Jasmine – remake it if it isn‟t right

With Personal Brand, just like with Brand, you want to know why people come to you. And

communicate the ones that will help you achieve your goals.

Personal Branding

You too are a brand. Whether you know it or not. Whether you

like it or not.

- Marc Ecko

Definition 1

Personal branding is the process whereby people and their careers are marked as brands.

While previous self-help management techniques were about self-improvement, the personal branding concept suggests instead that success comes from self-packaging. The process is further defined as the creation of an asset that pertains to a particular person or individual; this includes but is not limited to the body, clothing, physical appearance and areas of knowledge, leading to a uniquely distinguishable, and ideally memorable, impression.

- Wikipedia

Definition 2

Personal branding is the process of developing a “mark” that is created around your personal name or your career. You use this “mark” to express and communicate your skills, personality and values. The end goal is that the personal brand that you develop will build your reputation and help you to grow your network in a way that interests others. They will then seek you out for your knowledge and expertise.

- marketing.about.com

Definition 3

Personal Branding links your passions, key personal attributes, and strengths with your value proposition, in a crystal clear message that differentiates your unique promise of value from your peers and resonates with your target audience.

- Meg Guiseppi

My definition

The accurate, positive, concise and compelling statement of who you are that will engage others and create relationships and opportunities.

Translating into a Process

1)Evaluate your attributes & characteristics

2)Create a value proposition

3)Ensure that it resonates

4)Share the message

Personal Brand:

- Increases your authority or value

- Encourages interaction

- Associates you with a profession or area of expertise

- A memory helper very valuable

Personal Brand Isn’t:

• A science

• About selling yourself

• About pretending

• Self-image

Outcome: Personal Branding Statement

1. Who you are (your skills & specialty)

2. What you do (your industry/service)

3. Who you work with

4. A leading attribute

Brand You

Attributes of a Strong Brand

Your Personal Brand Is:

• Positive

• Accurate & Authentic

• Relevant

• Memorable

• Succinct

Positive

• This is the best version of you.

• It needs to be accurate but also highlight the strongest parts of you.

Accurate & Authentic

• You need to promise something accurate & authentic.

• You do not need to share every flaw

• You DO need to be authentic

Relevant

• Make sure your brand aligns with a need.

Compelling & Memorable

• People need a way to differentiate between brands - a way to remember you and what you do or offer

• If there are already lots of XYZs, don't focus on that. If you do something very esoteric, find a way to package it that is still unique but not so specialized.

• IE if you do user research for startups, talk first about user experience and startups.

Succinct

Clear

Succinct

Enough Said

Personalizing YOUR Brand

Brand You

Your Personal Brand is roughly how you want to be perceived – so a mix of a few qualities including:

1. Your personality2. Your personal values and interests3. Your trustworthiness and consistency4. Your value to others – your benefits and talents

You communicate items 1-3 by your actions, by how you speak and communicate, how you follow-through and interact. It is the last item (#4) that you need to verbally communicate. Don‟t make people work to see the talents you bring to the table.

The Process - revisited

1)Evaluate your attributes & characteristics

2)Create a value proposition

3)Ensure that it resonates

4)Share the message

1 – Evaluate your attributes & characteristics

• Personality

• Profession

• Accomplishments

• Abilities

• Lifestyle

• Interests

• Appearance

• Friends & Family

• History

You can start by creating a list.

Alternately, this pyramid formula can be useful.

credit: sparkbranding

Core Brand

Essential attributes that are positive and professionally relevant which either won‟t change or you don‟t plan to change formed into a simple core brand that can then be customized into sub-brands.

Core Brand

Core ElementsI. List of core elements (unlikely to change easily)

i. Personality Traitsii. Fears/Issuesiii. Strong likes/dislikesiv. Cultural influencesv. Etc

II. Pull out non-professional elementsIII. Pull out the negative

i. See if they can be made positiveii. Decide if you can and will work on them – and if you

ought to

IV. Pull out the non-core elements

Non Core Elements

Areas where you are flexible

Areas where you have some strength

Self-improvement list

Challenges

Disclaimer #1: Not a Political Conversation

(I will repeat these when we move into this part of the conversation and go into more detail.)

Not a political conversation• Gender, sex, discrimination will come up.• This is a practical class – not an aspirational one.• Focused on how the world is, not how it ought to be.• We want a better world but that‟s not what we get every day.

NOTE: That doesn‟t mean you should tolerate or accept bad behavior. These are tools – you use them based on your particular circumstances.

Disclaimer #2: Not all options are for everyone

When I present a tool or option, I am NEVER saying that you should change. I am saying knowledge is useful. Tools are helpful and you can choose how to respond.

Disclaimer #3: Everyone has prejudices

When we discuss prejudices and issues, this includes women.

Not all men are unhelpful & backwards.

Not all women are your friends.

(we are often hardest on other women so self awareness is important too)

Disclaimer #4: None of this is personal

None of the examples here are real – and none of this is personal.

All examples decided before I came in today.

To Own, Adjust, Ignore

• Owning It

• Adjusting It

• Ignoring It

Immutable You

• Elements of your personal self that can be relevant in networking. Even if that‟s not ok.

• Sex

• Height

• Weight/Build

• Attractiveness

• Age

• Accent (usually)

• Race & Ethnicity

Being Judged

It happens.

Mutable You

Somewhat Changeable

• Voice & Accent

• Personal Style

Highly Changeable

Personal Presence

• External

• Clothing

• Shoes

Personal Style

External Image

Judging others based on immediate visual and behavioral cues becomes habit, then

instinct. – Peter Montoya

Stop Being Perfect!

Big issue especially for women.

Fear of disapproval.

Need for approval.

Seeking perfection.

Critical of others.

Brand Evolution

Your brand is will change and evolve

About You

Shyness & Introversion

Imposter Syndrome

For women, feeling like a fraud is a symptom of a greater problem. We consistently underestimate ourselves. Multiple studies in multiple industries show that women often judge their own performance as worse than it is, while men judge their performance as better than it actually is.” – Lean In, p 29

Confidence

For women, feeling like a fraud is a symptom of a greater problem. We consistently underestimate ourselves. Multiple studies in multiple industries show that women often judge their own performance as worse than it is, while men judge their performance as better than it actually is.” – Lean In, p 29

Raising YourHand

Or just shout it out!

Give Yourself Credit

“Ask a man to explain his success and he will typically credit his own innate qualities and skills. Ask a woman the same question and she will attribute her success to external factors, insisting she did well because she „worked really hard,‟ or „got lucky,‟ or „had help from others.‟” Similarly, when a man fails, he points to factors such as his lack of time studying or lack of interest in the subject. When a woman fails, she‟s more likely to say it was due to her lack of ability.

Nurturing

• “Our entrenched cultural ideas associate men with leadership qualities and women with nurturing qualities and put women in a double bind,” [Deborah Gruenfeld] said. “We believe not only that women are nurturing but that they should be nurturing above all else. When a woman does anything that signals she might not be nice first and foremost, it creates a negative impression and makes us uncomfortable.”

Being an Authority

Speaking Up

“From a very early age, boys are encouraged to take charge and offer their opinions. Teachers interact more with boys, call on them more frequently, and ask them more questions. Boys are also more likely to call out answers, and when they do, teachers usually listen to them. When girls call out, teachers often scold them for breaking the rules and remind them to raise their hands if they want to speak. – Lean In, p 20

Sex

Ambition

• Work, money and success are listed first as a value for men.

• Not for women.

It’s about RESULTS

Networking is not about friends. It‟s about results.

- Focus on it.

- Put energy into it.

- Expect results.

Men & Women in Networking

• "The problem is that women speak to men to relate and men speak to women to impress," Walker said. "Because women speak to relate, men think they're not serious about their business, they always get personal. They're just as serious as the guys are; they just do it differently." - Hazel Walker, author, Business Networking and Sex

• As a sales trainer, I‟ve noticed that men ask for the sale much more readily than do women, who need additional coaching in this area. I‟ve witnessed this phenomenon for years.

• (response from the survey)

Ecosystem

Define a Value Proposition

The Value Proposition answers the question:

Why should this person want to talk to you?

Pieces of the Ecosystem

• The networking environment: the type of event, ratios of men to women, ways of dress, alcohol, etc.

• The people you interact with and understanding their motivations, unspoken views and opinions.

• And how to mix networking best practices with your personal brand and networking challenges.

Architect

DO IT!

Preparation -> Action -> Followup -> Next Steps

Where You Network

• Now - what are the not ideal situations

– people don't want to talk to you (not the perception)

– everyone is way dressier/fancier

– not your field

Environment

• The situation you find yourself in

• Closed group

• Out of place: age difference, clothing (casual/stained/etc)

• Social vs networking event

Lean In Networking: Steps

• Know your personal brand

• Learn the mechanics of networking

• Understand your challenges and strengths

• Perceive the needs and views of those around you

• Want to Lean In

= Lean In Networking

Questions?

Jasmine Sante

Sante Strategies

mjsante@santestrategies.com

@mjsante