10TipsforBuildingYourPersonalBrand

By:SarahA.Lilly

Ge=ngStarted  Whatispersonalbranding?

PersonalBranding101…………..………………………………….………………..……………………….2

TenTipsforCrea@ngYourPersonalBrand  HowtoGetStarted..…………………………………………………………………………………….……………3

  Brainstorm……………….…………….………………………………………………….………………………………4

  ClaimingYourCyberEstate…....………………………………………………………………….……………….5

  BloggingCentral.…………………………………………………………………………………………………………6

  CoverLeIersandResumes….…………………………………………….………………………………..........7

  TheInterview………………....………………………………………………………………………………………….8

  BrandingSocialMedia….…………………………………………………………………………………………….9

  ListenandEngage…………………………..………………………………………………………………….........10

  ConversaRon………….……………………………………………………..................................................11

  WatchYourBrandGrow…………………………………………..…………..........................................12

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ersonal branding is not just a trend. Giventhe current job market, employers have thepickoftheliIerandyoucanbetthattheywillchoosewisely.PersonalbrandingisnotjustaboutcreaRngalogo:It isthefocusonouruniqueskillsetsandmarkeRngthemtoothers. Yes,creaRngapersonalbrandcanseemdaunRng and Rme consuming. However,creaRng a brand that sRcksmay be one ofthebestmovesyouwillmakeforyourcareer.A[erall,firstimpressionsmeaneverythingina world that is filled with messages andadverRsingcampaigns.Yourpersonalbrandisthe essence of who you are and who youwanttobecome.Sochoosewisely….

PersonalBranding101

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ConsistencyisKeyJustasafarmermarkshiscaIlewithabrandingsymbol,soshouldyouputyourbrandoneverythingyouproduce.Yourpersonal brand can become an asset to your personalorganizaRon.Createaconsistencywithyourbrand.UseyourcoremissionstatementasacohesivefoundaRonthroughoutyour resume, cover leIer, social media, por`olio andinterview. Keep the same mission statement through youriniRalbranding campaign toensureyourmessage reachesawide audience and the right audience. It is ok to gainexposure for your brand so don’t be modest–spread yourmissionstatementandpersonalbrandaggressively.

Yourname,Inc.YourpersonalbrandingmissionstatementwillbeyourguideandroadmapfortheenRrepersonalbrandingprocess.Thinkof yourself as an actual organizaRon or enRty. With everydecision youmake, make sure it supports your core valuesand mission statement. When your mission statement andgoalsarecompletedyouarereadyto jump inandcompletethefirststoponyourpersonalbrandingroadmap.

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Brainstorming can quite possibly be the mostimportant part of the personal branding process.Brainstorming takes @me: So, take some @me tothink about the answers to these ques@ons.Considerengagingasmallgroupofhonestfriends.Follow these steps and you will be well on yourwaytocrea@ngyourownbrand.

1. MakeanexperRse listof thetopthreeareasyouwouldliketoberecognizedasaleaderin.2. MakealistofthetoptenqualiResyoubelieveyouembody. What are your strengths? What are yougoodat?Behonest.ApotenRalemployercantellifyouaremaking somethingup.Makea list ofwhatyou actually do well — not what you want to dowell.3. Whatareyourcareergoals?Whatareyourshortterm and long term career goals? What are youpassionate about? Don’t just write your goals in alist.Phrase them inaprofessionalmannerasa“tobe”phrase(e.g.,toberecognizedasaleaderinthefield of hospitality public relaRons). Compare thetwolistsandfigureoutwhichareawouldbethe

bestforyoutobeanexpertin:whichismostfikngwithyourcareerorjob?FromhereyoucannarrowdownyourexperRselisttoonesubject

4. Write a 15 word, or less, descripRon of yourself as itpertains to the field that you hope to work. Thisstatement should reflect your personality and affecRvelycommunicate what you want a potenRal employer toknow about you. This is your personal brandingstatement. Personal branding expertDanSchawbelrecommendsincludingqualiResthatmakesyou compelling and unique. He also recommendsincluding any area of experRse in your core missionstatement.

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ClaimyourStakeCyberspaceisgrowingrapidly,soclaimyourdomainnamenow.Sitessuchasgodaddy.com are great resources forpurchasing your domain name. Also,create an e‐mail that reflects yourpersonalbrand.

CreateanonlinenicheorcommunityUsingyourareaofexperRse,createanonline community through your blog.Network with other industryprofessionals tocreatenichebloggingcommuniRes and conRnue to plugyourpersonalbrandingstatementandareaofexperRse.

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Hos@ng• Blogging is the next stop on the personal brandingroadmap. Host your blog either on your Web site orbloggingpla`ormsuchaswordpress.comorblogger.com.

Content• Your blog should offer Rmely, relevant and compellinginformaRoninyourareaofexperRse.IfyouareaffiliatedwithanorganizaRonyoumaywanttoconsiderbloggingaboutyourorganizaRon. Ifnot,decideanangleforyourposRngs.Who isyouraudience?Whatwill theywanttoknow from you? EssenRally, you need to offerinformaRon that is valuable and informaRve. Link tootherblogsandprovide interesRng informaRonthatwillkeepreaderscomingback.

Schedule• Your readerswill expect a consistent posRng schedule.Make a calendar and pick a specific day(s) of theweekthatyouwillalwayspost.Mostimportantly–sRcktoyourplan!

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ResumeWhenlookingforajobinyourareaofexperRse,considerpukngyourpersonalbrandingstatementatthetopofyourresume,coverleIerorboth.Yourresumeshouldbenomorethanonepageandshouldbedesignedtoappealtotheindustryinwhichyouareapplying.

CoverLeOerCoverleIersshouldnotreadlikeatemplate.Theyshouldreflectyourcorepersonalityandbrandingstatementwhileremainingprofessional.Inthefirsttwoparagraphs,highlightthequaliResthatmakeyoustandout.ThenacknowledgewhyyouarethebestcandidatefortheposiRon.

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CreaRng a personal brandingcampaign creates an advantage thatwillputyouaheadofmostcandidates.PreparaRon is key in any interview.Research the company andinterviewee.What are the company’score values? What is their missionstatement?Whatarethemostrecentnews of the company? Ask specificquesRons tofindoutmoreabout theorganizaRon and to show you are athough`ul candidate. Also, find waysto talk about your personal brand toshowyouarewillingtojumpin.

Always bring at least two copies ofyour resume and bring a list ofreferencestosharethatcantesRfytoyourpersonalbrand.

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EngageIf you are going to brand yourself using socialmedia, you have to start engaging with socialmedia.Therearehundredsofsocialmediaandmicro‐blogging pla`orms on the Web and it’simpossible to uRlize them all in your personalbrandingcampaign.Startwithoneor two.ThebigonesareTwiIerandFacebook.

Tips• Upload a professional photo of yourself andusethesamephotoforallsocialmediasites.• To be recognized throughout all social mediaavenues,andtocreateconsistencyamongyourbrand, use the same username for all socialmediasites.• UseyourpersonalbrandingstatementandlinktoyourblogorWebsite.

• Engage with other professionals in yourindustryandprovideRpsortrendsforreaders.

ProceedwithCau@onYourpersonalbrandonsocialmediamaybeanorganizaRon’s first impression of you. Studiesshow that in most cases potenRal employerswill almost always check socialmedia sites toresearchanemployeebeforetheyevencallforaninterview. Therefore,any informaRonorphotosyoushare online will be found and may workagainstyourpersonalbrand.Useyourpersonalbrand in conjuncRon with social media toencourage communicaRon and conversaRonandulRmatelydrivetraffictoyourblogorWebsite.

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Yourpersonalbrandisnowcreatedandyouarebeginningtomarketyourselfthroughsocialmediaandyourblog,asanexpertinyourareaofexper@se.

ListenListening is a key component tomaintaining your personal brand. Listento what others are saying about yourbrand to improve your product andengagewiththem.

EngageYour personal brand is meant to beshared with others. With a personalbranding statement and a presenceonline you will have more than enoughopportunitytoengagewithothersinyourindustry

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Business luncheons, cocktail parRes and networkingevents –These are all of the places you can, and should,weave your personal brand into conversaRon. As youbecome comfortable with your personal brand, pracRcetalking about it with your close friends and family. Youwantyourpersonalbrandingspeechtobeperfected.Tellwhoyouare,whatyourareaofexperRse is,andprovidethe avenues in which you communicate your area (i.e.,blog,socialmedia)onyourbusinesscard.

Yourpersonalbrandisapartofyouwhoare—sodon’tbeafraid to talk about it with friends, family and otherbusiness professionals. If you are hunRng for a job, useyourpersonalbrandonbusinesscardsandshareyourareaofexperRsewithbusinessprofessionals.Thiswillnotonlyallow you to stand out above the rest, youwill create apersonalbrandandimagethatsRcks.

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Yourpersonalbrandingstatementandgoalsarecompleted.Youareengagedwithothersin yourniche community and youarewellon yourway to crea@ng a successful blog.Nowwhat?

CreateNow that you are considered an expert inyour field of experRse you can offer yourservicestoorganizaRons.ConsidercreaRngaspeakers packet and outline for speakingengagements that support your area ofexperRseandpersonalbrand.Thisisagreatway to measure ROI. Eventually you canproduce Podcasts, Webinars and evenpublishyourownbook.

With a strong personal brand you cancreate an empire of exper@se by followingtheroadmaptopersonalbrandingsuccess!

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IamaseniorattheUniversityofOregon’sSchoolofJournalismand CommunicaRon, earning a degree in public relaRons. Iwrotethise‐booktolearnmoreaboutpersonalbranding.NowIwanttoshareitwithyou!

Do you have ques@ons about personal branding or PR?ConnectwithSarah:

e‐mail:sarahannelilly@gmail.com

twiIer:@sarahannelilly

facebook:facebook.com/sarahannelilly

PPOpenmic:propenmic.org/profile/SarahLilly

 Readmoreaboutmythoughtsonpersonalbranding,publicrela@onsandsocialmediaontheMergePRblog!