Branding4People:craft your brand, spread

your value, and win customers

PHOTO: FLICKR @JOE NANGLE

ERIC WEAVER Brand Dialogue#pr4p#pr4p

First, a bit about branding.

A brand is a PROMISE The experience someone will always have The benefit they’ll always receive The unique difference that will always be

there

A brand is strongest through clear messaging and consistent delivery, crafted for the people who will care, in a way that benefits THEM.

YOU are a brand

A promise to friends. To future employers. To society.

Trust is a basic requirement for brands and business How do I minimize trust killers?

Be found or referred, rather than interrupting one’s search. Demonstrate value, don’t just blather on about it.

How do I build trust with prospective customers? Demonstrate intellectual capital: you know your stuff. Demonstrate a vision for this profession or this market. Show that others took a chance on you and benefitted. Show that you’re ethical, easy to work with…trustworthy.

How do you empower others to spread their trust in your offering? Give customers a voice. Amplify their words about you. Make sharing your value effortless.

IDENTITY

Step 1: identify your unique “business-applicable” traits The most fascinating or remarkable The traits that make you authentic Think about your quirks, through a positive lens

Perfectionist = detail-focused Scattered = multi-tasker Aggressive = gets things done Stubborn = determined

Honesty is always the best policy Overshare? Not always.

DIRECTION

Step 2: determine your goals and audience What’s your vision for your career in 2014?

What do you want to be known for?

What kinds of people do you want to attract? Green office specialist: office admins, Ops VPs Art director: marketing directors, creative directors Digital PR wunderkind: agency heads, marketing

teams Where do those people “live” online?

MESSAGING

Step 3: determine what you’d say …at a cocktail party, job fair or in an interview

Trustworthy? Hard-working? Funny? Flexible? Nice? All about facts? All about ideas? All about details?

Leave the detail for later: what’s the one takeaway you’d want to leave behind in an elevator ride (besides “I’m available?”) That single takeaway should be integrated in every

place you engage with people “I am personable and people trust me.” “I accomplish what I go after.” “I have an upbeat passion about this space that is infectious.”

APPROACH

Step 4: determine how to engage What do people have time for? Respect time

starvation. TMI is not a selling point. Which media would best convey what you’re

about?

Extending your personal brand via social tools

Consider traditional job-hunting SEARCH AND ATTACK!

Spray-and-pray resume blasts Goal: getting a recruiter’s attention Realities

They get hundreds of resumes, sometimes per dayRecruiters not incented to look at every resume Job boards often incented to keep filled positions postedRecruiters turning to Google and contacts

The new jobhunt …is about being found more than busting your way in. The bigger intellectual footprint you have online, the

higher the likelihood of being found by the right people. Be trusted and be recommended, rather than an

intruder on a mission. In the interviewing process, your footprint is

confirmation of trust (or distrust). It seals the deal! My last three jobs came from Google, a conference, and

a blog post!

SUGGESTIONS: bare minimum LinkedIn

Use your Summary well Write everything based on brand traits and messages IMPORTANT: Ask for testimonials

Personal blog Long-form thought about your profession, even if new Written from a “hire me!” perspective

Facebook Personal connections are The Money Keep things mainly professional but show human side

SUGGESTIONS: mo betta Twitter

Short-form thought Carve out time to convey valuable news, events,

insights Slideshare.net

Share your thought leadership with downloadable presentations that convey you and your vision

Trottr.com Voice blogging: let people hear you! Be clear, concise, short and sweet

SUGGESTIONS: extra mile Tumblr/Vox/etc.: repost for SEO BlogTalkRadio: short, tagged, topical

interviews YouTube: video conveys quickly

Use some decent camera skills and audio

Flickr: post your creative work Delicious: helpful bookmarks, not just

everything

Rules of Engagement Be honest above all! Lies will be outed, publicly. Be transparent – offer proof, everywhere Be real and relatable

No need for extra formality Extra informality can torpedo you – worth the risk?

Fluff, glitz and perfection are not required But CLARITY, BREVITY and AUDIBILITY are!

THINK ENGAGEMENT AND DIALOGUE The more dialogue, the more likely you will be found

Spray and Pray approach dressed up as “social media.” This isn’t discussion, this is monologue. Note the # of comments…

DON’T BE THIS PERSON.

But I don’t have time Make time. When jobs are scarce, your

approach will need to change. Why not have a leg up on all the other (even

more qualified) prospects? Spray-and-pray is DEAD. You know it. So

open your mind to you as a valuable free-agent specialist, rather than a peg for a hole.

Consider your lens.Boomers/Tweeners

Trained in formalities

Don’t offend anyone

Be the most acceptable to the largest number of people

Privacy highly valued

Interested in tech functionality but often overwhelmed by speed of change

Don’t do well with chaos

GEN X should consider importance of PROPRIETY when communicating with Boomers

Gen X/Millenials Formalities ignored More interested in finding those

with like minds than worrying about turning off others

Less privacy means more ability to be found

Digital natives – tech is ubiquitous and easy

Have grown up with “random” behavior

BOOMERS should consider importance of AFFINITY when communicating with Gens X, Y

THANK YOU.slideshare.net/weavetwitter.com/weavebranddialogue.com