When competing for a job with other people possessing the same educational background, perhaps even similar work experience and comparable skills; when promoting your own business among many other entrepreneurs; and when showcasing your expertise among other freelancers, ‘personal branding’ becomes the key to uniqueness, reputation and success.

In short, the essential feature of personal branding is to stand out from the crowd by showing off your personal unique selling point. In order to create and maintain your personal brand successfully, you have to ensure that you are presenting and communicating a consistent and credible image of your expertise, skills or passion. In this way, you have the chance to be recognised as a trustworthy and authentic expert, to advance or change your career and gain new contacts and fans of your work.

It’s About Quality, not Quantity

Living in 2013, the first obvious step is to make the most effective use of social media platforms in order to communicate and maintain your personal brand as well as to show your enthusiasm about your field of expertise. These platforms include Twitter, Facebook and Google+ to share and stay informed about relevant content and news and to increase your base of followers and networking contacts. Various other channels like YouTube, SoundCloud or Tumblr allow you to share your work globally. However, it is important to keep in mind that it is about the quality of your content rather than being represented on as many platforms as possible. Concentrate your time and efforts on those channels which truly fit your brand and needs and be consistent across them.

Cut Through the Noise with enthuse.me

A newcomer in this vein is enthuse.me. This online tool lets you create a one-page profile showcasing what you do best. By hand picking the best examples of your work, you make sure that the content most relevant to your personal brand is brought together and elegantly displayed. The principle of enthuse.me is to put quality over quantity and therefore it allows you to cut through the noise of the array of social media networks, blogs and portfolio sites you might already have and promote the one thing you really do best, in one place, in the simplest and most visually appealing way.

Due to the clean and elegant design, the attention is focused on the content of your personal profile. The service is still operating in beta, but it already supports a wide range of tools. For example, you can display your Twitter, YouTube and Tumblr stats and your Klout Score, embed YouTube videos and include links to past and current projects as well as media and press coverage, which are currently hidden somewhere on the internet. While other sites display your entire life, enthuse.me shows off what employers, admirers and new contacts are truly interested in: what you are really good at.

Building your personal brand requires work – some hard work! The good news is that I have mapped out a clear 10-step process to start building your brand from today. Learn these 10 steps through this 5-part ‘personal branding with a spin’ series. You can watch video 1 here.

In video #2 I cover the following steps:

• Step 3: Identify your target audience

• Step 4: Tell your story

So you want to uncover, communicate, and manage your personal brand. Sounds like a rather large task. Over 5 videos, I will break down how to build your brand in 10 steps. Watch these videos and you will learn how to build a powerful personal brand that will attract the right people and open up opportunities that would have passed you by.

In video #1 I cover the following steps:

• Step 1: Know yourself to grow yourself 

• Step 2: Define your “VPs” – vision, purpose, values, and passions

You’ve got various social media accounts; you even have your own web page… Maybe you are trying to get a new job, reach more customers, or change your career…

You know that the competition is great, and you’re struggling to figure out a way to stand out…

You ask yourself questions like “How professional should I be?” “Where should I start?” “How can I make an impact?” or “What if they don’t like me?”

The answer is simple … you tell your story.

Four steps to finding the right story

You want to share a story that speaks to your audience. After all, that’s the whole point of your online presence, right? But how do you figure out which story to tell?

It is about sharing a story from your past that shows you can solve your audience’s problem.

• If you’re applying for a job, you’ll want to look at the position and the problems you’ll be solving if you’re hired.
• If you’re trying to reach the right customers, you’ll want to look at the problem you’re helping them solve.
• If you’re changing careers, you’ll need to look at how your past experience can solve the problems associated with the new career.

Here’s what you do, and I’ve included my own story with my customers as an example, but you can easily look at the position you’re applying for to find the problems your new employer wants you to solve if you’re changing careers or applying for a job.

1. What problem are you trying to solve? Take a moment to write it down.

Example: Small business owners struggle to attract enough customers through their online brand.

2. What is it like to go through this problem? Imagine how it feels to experience that problem. Now write it down. What are the concerns that keep your new boss up at night?

Example: It feels overwhelming. You’re working harder every day, yet you’re still struggling to attract enough customers. What’s worse is you’re spending so much more time on selling to people than actually helping them. You’re frustrated, and maybe even depressed.

3. When in your life did you have to overcome a similar challenge? It might have been about the same problem, or one that feels similar to a previous customer or boss. Write down what happened.

Example: Starting my first company was overwhelming and frustrating. My happiness was governed by the whims of my customers.

I overcame this by gaining clarity about my purpose and my audience. I realized what they really needed from me, and then I became able to provide it with my marketing and branding. Eventually I figured out how to create systems that helped me attract more customers without being overwhelmed.

4. Share it on your social media profiles, website, and cover letter. You’ve got a compelling story, and it’s time to share it. Have fun! Let it sound and feel like you, as if you were having a conversation one on one.

Example from my “About Me” page: Starting a company was a humbling experience. Maybe you can relate? It felt overwhelming trying to find and keep customers. In the beginning I wanted to help people, but eventually it just felt like I was selling them. This led to one of the lowest points in my life… the depression, the lack of self-esteem, the feeling all alone…

The engineer in me (remember that inner nerd?) recognized this as just another problem to solve. The program manager in me turned my business into an experiment to create practical systems that would help me successfully attract clients through my online brand while maintaining my original desire to help people.

With the help of some amazing mentors, some spiritual practices, and a willingness to look inward for my answers, I found a heart-centered branding solution that worked for me… and more importantly, I found a process that can work for you.

When you’re writing your “About Me” page, remember that your story has the power to reach your audience. If you keep their problems in mind, you’ll be able to tell a story deserving of a superhero.

Attracting More Customers with Your Story

 

1. Have trouble answering your customers when they ask “why you?”
2. Would you like to get more warm leads from your online presence?
3. Do you wish your website could filter the “right” customers from the ones who aren’t?

If you feel a resounding “yes” to these questions, then I encourage you to check out these two opportunities from Schuyler below. These opportunities are tailored specifically for small business owners whose online efforts aren’t attracting new or the “right” customers.

(This is NOT an affiliate link. I get nothing from you joining Schuyler’s programs except the satisfaction that you are going to get expert advice on how to find your brand story!)

No-Cost Webinar see the details here:

http://www.t4execs.com/attracting-more-customers-with-your-story/no-cost-webinar

or the…

Full seven-week course see the details here:

http://www.t4execs.com/attracting-more-customers-with-your-story

Building a personal brand is more important than ever in an increasingly competitive job market. This Forbes article outlines how personal branding helped Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer move from a top position at Google to the top position at Yahoo.

Personal branding can enhance how others perceive you, and can help set you up for a lifelong career doing what you love. Building your personal brand, though, takes time, effort, and lots of hard thinking.

If you’re ready to launch forward on your journey to building your personal brand, get some help along the way from these five people:

1.  Your closest friend

The first step in building your personal brand, according to master personal branding expert Dan Schawbel, is to discover what your brand is. And that means learning what others think about you.

In fact, the best place to begin building your brand is to create a one-line statement about who you are and what you do. And the best way to figure that out is to consult with your closest friend or family member. Talk to people who know you well about how they perceive you, and you’ll start to get an idea of your personal brand.

2.  Your business associates and coworkers

One caveat with talking to close friends and family members: they may not fully understand what you do and who you are on a professional level. And although your personal brand should integrate every part of your life, it’s really the most relevant in your career.

So don’t just rely on input from close friends. Instead, talk to business associates, former and current employers, coworkers, and even clients about how they perceive you. Ask for feedback, or even for a summary statement of what these people think of when they think of you.

3.  A personal shopper

One big part of your personal brand is your wardrobe – especially your professional wardrobe. Unfortunately, many of us have difficulty choosing clothing that is professional while expressing our unique personalities.

A personal shopper helps you choose clothing that plays up your best features, highlights your personality, and helps you look and feel great every day. Yes, shopping with a personal shopper is a bit more expensive, but wouldn’t you rather spend more money on clothes that really suit you, instead of just winding up with run-of-the-mill clothes that don’t quite work?

4.  A graphic designer

Another huge part of personal branding in today’s connected online world is your personal website, LinkedIn profile, and Facebook page. Depending on your industry, you may need to be on Twitter, too.

The best way to brand all these sites and pages is with a personalized design that works across them all. Hire a professional graphic designer to design your personal website (or at least a unique header to fit into a more generic theme), your Facebook timeline cover, your Twitter background, and your business cards. If everything matches, your personal brand will become as visually recognizable as the McDonald’s and Bank of America logos to your target market.

5.  A writer/editor

While you’re polishing up the look and feel of your Facebook page, website, and business cards, don’t forget about the language of these sites. Unless you’re a writer or editor by trade, chances are that you could use some help branding your website, portfolio, and resume through words.

You can actually hire a writer or editor through websites like Elance, or ask around to see if there are any local freelancers who could help you with your branding. Great writing will help express your personality and professional goals, while letting your site or resume stand out from the rest.

Some of these personal branding helpers are free, while others may charge a fee. But you should consider this investment in your personal brand to be an investment in your future success, which can pay off many-fold in the future.

So you have decided to part ways with the 9 to 5 lifestyle and venture out on your own. You are now your own boss and living your dream of being an entrepreneur. You set up shop in your home and relish the fact that you can avoid the rush hour madness every morning.

Ah, this is the life! But here is the wake up call. After some time, you discover the distractions of working at home. The TV calling you, the sound of your partner or kids, or the complete and utter deafening silence.

Time to head off to Starbucks for free wi-fi, coffee, and PEOPLE! 

Wake up call #2!

There are too many other distractions, you cannot plug-in your laptop, and the staff keeps giving you the evil eye for ‘squatting’ over 3 hours for only a cup of joe.

What can you do? Suddenly you start wondering if the life of an entrepreneur is all it is cracked up to be.

Why Cowork for Your Personal Brand? 

Humans are social creatures. And I don’t mean social media creatures! We need and almost crave real social contact. This is where ‘coworking’ enters the picture. Coworking allows anyone working independently to work with others is a shared office space without having to worry about an office lease or utility expenses.

The key benefit of coworking is the tremendous flexibility in terms of ‘membership’ and the collaborative community that organically grows when like-minded independent workers gather in a common space.

Here are three reasons why coworking will work for your brand.

1. You have a community and a network

Solopreneurs are “solo”, and 1 is a lonely number. Your success as an independent worker is ultimately based both on your ability to communicate your unique promise of value AND a community and network who magnify this value to others.

Gone are the days when we say “It’s who you know that counts.” We now live in a world where the new saying is “It’s who knows you that matters.” I have referred to this as “Me to the power of we“. If you only focus on “tooting your own horn,” you are likely to continue down a path of isolation. If you tap into the power of “we” you have a support structure willing to tout the value you bring to the table.

Coworking is one of the best ways to be part of a community of “1s” who by nature are looking for others to help build their brand value.

2. You become part of an indescribable “energy”  

A Coworking space has a special energy that you will not find elsewhere. It is neither the bland energy of a typical office nor the retail energy of a coffee shop.

Of course the entrepreneurial spirit of one is always strong. We would not venture out on our own if we did not possess a mind-set that most others either do not have, or are not willing to act upon.

Now imagine being in a space with 20 or more people with the same spirit and mind-set? The energy of each single person feeds off of all others and the force it produces is intense. It is truly visceral and once you experience it there is no turning back.

3. You have genuine social interaction

In his bestselling book, Tribes, Seth Godin explains it is human nature to seek out and be part of a tribe. People have been doing it for centuries. Today the traditional barriers of forming a community have been eliminated and countless new tribes are springing up each and every day online via social media.

Building a successful brand requires an active social media presence to ensure you are digitally distinct, but this must not replace the physical human interaction that is in our bones. Before social media, we socialized in and identified ourselves by our offline social clubs, sport teams, community groups, etc.

Coworking ensures we retain the human side of interaction. It gives us a space to be genuine and real. It offers a place where we can reach out and physically shake hands and verbally say you “like” an idea rather than simply clicking on a thumbs up icon!

Are you an independent worker craving interaction? Do you want a community to help create a buzz for your brand value? Look for a coworking space and let it work for your brand!

We all know the classic song from the Buggles that signaled the start of the MTV revolution, “Video Killed the Radio Star”. It was the first music video shown on MTV when the station debuted in 1981 and describes a singer whose career is cut short by television.

In the world of personal branding we can sing a new song, “Video Brands You a Star.” Video has become the best way to express your personal brand. What used to be reserved only for people with fancy video equipment and editing technology is now available to the masses.

In a video post on my blog, William Arruda discusses why video is your ‘killer app’ and the most complete form of communicating your personal brand.

If William’s advice does not sway you, then check out this video from James Wedmore with interesting stats about YouTube and the video revolution.

How to Use Video to Brand You a Star

1. Mix it up

You do not have to jump into video full force. Take baby steps and supplement your current blog with periodic vlog posts. Challenge yourself to create one video post a week or at least once per month. Later on you can decide if you want to make a complete transition to video, but for now just get started. A great example of someone who vlogs on a regular basis and packs so much useful content in under 2 minutes is Ora Shtull. Ora only post a vlog monthly but she is a great example of someone who is using the power of video to engage with her audience each month in a powerful way.

2. Curate video content

If you do not want to be the center of attention yourself, then curate video posts from other thought leaders. Invite others to share video posts on your blog or start a Vlogathon. This is a win-win scenario. Your guest wins because their content is being shared on another blog thereby building their brand. You win because traffic to your blog/site will increase thereby increasing awareness of your brand.

Here is a sample round-up of a 30-day Vlogathon I sponsored on my own blog.

3. Add some “flair”

There are a lot of people out their using video to promote their brand, company, product, etc. In order to differentiate yourself add that special element that communicates your promise of value.

I incorporate my passion for cycling into my video series Personal Branding with a Spin. People know me as the guy on a bicycle wearing a helmet in my videos!

The key is to make sure the flair you add is authentic to you and not an image” of something your are not. Some great example of people who are using video with “flair” are Maria Forleo, Derek Halpern, Jody Jelas, and Steve Washer. All of them add their authentic personality to their videos and for that reason alone it motivates people to watch.

The bottom line is that video will make a dramatic impact on your personal brand. People want to connect with people and by using video you are building the credibility, visibility, and likeability to brand you a star!

Picture this. You are at a networking event. Business cards in hand. Ready to make new contacts. How do you introduce yourself? What is your conversation starter?

Like most people it’s probably this: “My name is… I’m a… (fill in the blank with your job title!)

You are Not Your Title!

We often fall into the trap of identifying ourselves by our job title. While this is a valid representation of what we do, it actually groups us into the same category as everyone else doing the same type of job.

Bottom line: YOU ARE NOT YOUR JOB TITLE.

Perhaps CEOs (or any CxO for that matter) would be miffed at hearing this as they have worked extremely hard to get to the top and earn that title.

But guess what CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, CMO? At the end of the day, that title of yours really means nothing. CxOs are a dime a dozen and beyond the initial ‘wow factor’ that you might receive by telling someone you are Chief ‘Something’ Officer, that is where it ends. That fancy title actually ‘commodifies’ you even at the executive level, and people simply do not get excited about commodities!

Ditch the Title and Lead with Your Personal Brand

I was recently part of an amazing 30 day leadership blogathon sponsored by Todd Nielsen where I focused on the topic of how to lead with your personal brand.

Click here to learn 10 steps to ditch the title and lead with a powerful brand that differentiates your from everyone else!

So what is ‘cultural fit’ and how does it relate to personal branding?

A recent article in Forbes, Employers Hire Potential Drinking Buddies Ahead of Top Candidates, got me thinking about this question. After all, your qualifications and credentials are the table stakes that will get your foot in the door, but your character is what more and more employers are evaluating today to ensure the right fit.

More and more organizations are willing to overlook a lack of certain ‘skills’. After all, skills can be taught.

Teaching someone to fit into the corporate culture is really hard to do. The above article even mentioned what one hiring manager calls the ‘stranded in the airport test’ when considering candidates – Would I want to be stuck in an airport in a snowstorm with them?

Here are 4 quick tips to prepare you for the ‘cultural fit’ test.

1. Know Your “VPs” and Do Your Homework

The foundation of your personal is often called your ”VPs” – vision, purpose, values, and passions.

• Vision: Your image of what you see possible for the world – your desired future.
• Purpose: Your role in turning your vision into reality.
• Values: The ideals or operating principles that determine how you conduct your day-to-day activities. Your values are true to you and you do not compromise them.
• Passions: This is what motivates and energizes you. Your passions get you out of bed in the morning.

Once you know your VPs do your homework to determine if you are even a good cultural fit for an organization. Don’t waste your time interviewing at places that are not aligned with your VPs.

2. Turn the Tables

Take the initiative to ask questions to the interviewer that would elicit details about their culture. Rather than simply being the evaluated, turn the tables and evaluate them! Decide if the culture of the organization matches you.

3. Don’t Eliminate ‘Interests’ 

I have read many ‘experts’ tell us that we need to eliminate our personal interests from our resumes. REALLY?

I have to totally disagree with this.

Your interests may just be one of the deciding factors that give you the edge over someone else who has the same or similar credentials. Call it biased if you want, but if an interest in cycling helps you to stand out among 5 others vying for the same position, then work it and use it to your advantage!

4. Prepare for Odd-Ball Questions

“What songs best describes your work ethic?”  “What do you think about when you are alone in your car?”  “Pick two celebrities to be your parents.”  “What kitchen utensil would you be?

Employment site Glassdoor.com released their list of top 25 ‘oddball’ interview questions for 2013 and these are just 4 examples from the list. The point here is that job interviews are becoming more like first dates and off-topic interview questions are fast becoming one of the key ways to test for cultural fit.

In the end you still need to promote your credentials. After all, you have worked hard to acquire your specialized skills and expertise so flaunt them. However, be more proactive about communicating the real you –  your story – because once you get others to identify with your story the need to ‘sell’ yourself fades away.

Why is it that some personal brands are universally admired while others are despised? What can we learn from high-profile figures who are able to transcend cultures and garner brand loyalty from New York to Timbuktu?

I took a moment to think about the traits of a personal brand that in my mind are embraced anywhere you go.  Traits that enable a personal brand to cross cultures.

(Beware: These traits and examples are solely based on my personal view and are not grounded in any actual statistical research!)

1. ‘Heartful’ Brands

Strong personal brands put 100% of their heart into what they do. They literally exude passion in whatever it is that drives them and this is contagious. Loyal brand followers tout these personal brands because they feel this love, passion, and joy themselves. The important thing to note here is that “heartful” personal brands do not brag about who they are or what they do.

Examples: Martin Luther King, Tony Robbins, Mother Teresa

2. ‘Mindful’ Brands 

A well grounded personal brand is one that most people in any culture can easily relate to. “Mindful” personal brands stay in the moment and actually pull us into this moment with them. They embrace the value of silence and reflection. They focus on those around them and not on themselves. In most cases, such brands only need to smile and we feel at ease.

Examples: Gandhi, The Dali Lama, Aung San Suu Kyi

3. ‘Truthful’ Brands

Honesty, integrity, and transparency are attributes of personal brands that garner immediate brand loyalty. When a brand promises something and then continually delivers this promise we have immediate trust. We tend to regard truthfulness as a universal human quality. When trust is broken it is the death of any brand, or worse yet when a brand pretends to be one thing and is actually something else we feel betrayed. (Does Lance Armstrong come to mind?)

Examples: Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, Betty Ford

4.  ’Successful’ Brands

Yes, success is a relative term and how it is defined across context and cultures varies. Yet however we define it, we naturally respect people who have earned their success through hard work, AND are humble about it. The stories of people who came from modest means, struggled to survive, and changed the world are the stories we want to share with our children. The “successful” personal brand motivates us to go that extra mile to create our own success no matter how great or small.

Examples: Steve Jobs, Jeremy Lin, Oprah Winfrey

Heartful, mindful, truthful, and successful are just 4 of many other attributes that define personal brands we respect. I would love to hear your thoughts and example of world-class personal brands. Share your ideas below.