Build Your Brand
It is surprisingly easy to build your own Personal Brand. Try any number of the following:
Below are different examples of Social Media Sites.
- Create a webpage and put your resume on it (don't forget to link to your other social media profiles).
- Fill out your LinkedIn profile 100%.
- Create a Twitter and update it consistently to become an expert in your field.
- Have a Facebook? Clean it up so that it is appealing to employers.
- Create a blog to showcase your talents in a visual/verbal setting. Free blog sites include: Tumblr, Wordpress, Blogger.
Below are different examples of Social Media Sites.
DeviantArtDeviantArt is an online community where you can create a portfolio of any and all art and get feedback.
FlickrFlickr is a photo and video hosting website where you can get feedback and collaborate on projects.
LinkedIn Corporation is a social networking website for people in professional occupations. Can connect with people you know via degrees.
TumblrWikipedia |
EtsyEtsy is an e-commerce website, similar to Amazon, that allows people to become small business owners with hand-made and vintage items. Google+Google+ integrates social services such as Google Profiles, and introduces new services identified as Circles, Hangouts and Sparks.
Pinterest is a pinboard-style photo sharing website that allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections such as events, interests, hobbies, and more. Connect to people based on interests.
Twitter is an online social networking service that enables its users to send and read text-based messages of up to 140 characters, known as "tweets". Can connect with anyone.
WordPressWordPress is a free and open source blogging tool and a content management system (CMS) based on PHP and MySQL.
|
One of the most popular social networking websites on the Internet. Facebook is a popular destination for users to setup their own personal web pages, connect with friends, share pictures, talk about what you're doing, etc. More for connecting with people you already know.
Instagram is an online photo-sharing and social networking service that enables its users to take pictures, apply digital filters to them, and share them on a variety of social networking services, such as media sites including Facebook or Twitter.
Reddit stylized as reddit, is a social news and entertainment website where registered users submit content in the form of either a link or a text ("self") post.
WeeblyYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, view and share videos.
|
Building Your Personal Brand: A Step-by-Step Guide.
While this guide is by no means all-inclusive, it is a simple start for establishing your online presence.
Step 1: Ask Questions
Ask yourself the following questions and write down the answers:
If you are brave enough, it is always a good idea to have other people in your life answer these questions about you as well- friends, co-workers, superiors and subordinates. Once you have all of your answers, take a few moments (or days) to critically think about what they say about you? If you hate waiting in line does that make you an impatient person or a go-getter? Are you a morning person because you like the sun or because you like to be around people?
- What are my values? (A list of values can be found here)
- What am I passionate about? (Hobbies, people, activities, etc.)
- What activities make you lose track of time?
- If you could eliminate any three things from the world, what would they be? (Example: waiting in line, mosquitoes, expiration dates, etc.)
- What are some words that people use to describe you?
- What are some words or phrases that you use to describe yourself?
- What are your strengths? (See Resources in the menu bar for a list of sources)
- What are your weaknesses?
- What do you love most about yourself?
- What do you love the LEAST about yourself?
- What did you want to be when you were 5 years old? 10 years old? 18 years old?
- What was the last unselfish thing that you did?
- Why should people listen to you?
- How do you communicate your values?
- Do you like to lead or follow a crowd?
- Are you creative or need to follow patterns?
- Are you a self-starter or do you prefer rules?
- Are you a morning or a night person? Why?
- Are you competitive or compassionate?
- Would you hire you? Why or why not?
- What groups do you belong to?
- What activities do you take part in with other people?
- If you woke up tomorrow and had your ideal job- what would it be?
- What are five roles that you play?
- What keeps you from becoming stressed?
- What do you look forward to the most in the upcoming year?
- What is something you've always wanted but don't yet have?
- What is worth the pain?
- What is something you will never do?
- What are the top three qualities you look for in a friend? A coworker? A job? Why?
If you are brave enough, it is always a good idea to have other people in your life answer these questions about you as well- friends, co-workers, superiors and subordinates. Once you have all of your answers, take a few moments (or days) to critically think about what they say about you? If you hate waiting in line does that make you an impatient person or a go-getter? Are you a morning person because you like the sun or because you like to be around people?
Step 2: Identify Your Skills
There are many ways to identify your skills. You can take multiple aptitude tests, attend workshops, or use what you already know. Below are three exercises to help you identify your skills.
Exercise 1: What do others do?
Write down what it is that you do- your title. Now research what sort of skills someone else with that title might have.
Exercise 2: What do you do?
Exercise 3: Check it off.
Exercise 1: What do others do?
Write down what it is that you do- your title. Now research what sort of skills someone else with that title might have.
- Go to LinkedIn.com and type in your title in the search bar. A list of people who identify themselves with that title will come up. Click on a few different ones and take an inventory of their skills.
- Go to www.wikipedia.com and type in your title in the search bar. What skills are listed for someone with that title?
- Go to www.google.com and search for your title. What does the internet say about people with that title?
- Now that you have a list of skills that OTHERS do, write down what you do that is the same as them, it is also good to write down what you do that is the different but equally as important or better.
Exercise 2: What do you do?
- Write down everything you do in a typical day. And on a non-typical day. What do you do at work? At home.
- Take a critical look at the activities you just listed. There are hidden skills in there! For example:
- Made breakfast -- cooking.
- Tried new recipe- ability to follow directions.
- Cut self, had to clean wound - nursing.
Exercise 3: Check it off.
- Take a look at THIS skills list
- Which of these skills can you do?
Step 3: Write It Down
Once you have a clear idea of who you are and what you can do, write everything down.
- Write down a paragraph+ summary of you as a person.
- Write down a summary of what you aim to accomplish.
- Write down a very small personal mission statement.
- Write down a summary of what you can do.
- Write down a one sentence summary of you - a slogan, if you will.
Step 4: Showcase Your Brand
Not that you have a good foundation, start to implement your Brand in your everyday life.
*HERE is a video about using color in Personal Branding.
**HERE is a list of font creation software. HERE is a guide to creating a handwritten signature online (or you can just scan your signature and crop it on the computer).
- Add your slogan/mission statement to the bottom of every e-mail, letter, and document you create.
- If you are bilingual, add your second language to everything- business cards should be double-sided, add the greeting whenever you answer the phone (ex: "Hola"), if the language has different characters, such as Chinese, write your name twice.
- If color is involved in your brand (for example, you work at a breast cancer foundation and wish to include pink as a part of your brand)- add the color wherever it is tasteful.*
- Write down your knowledge. This can be in blog form, tweets, or even a book. It is easier than ever to self-publish a book (check out the RESOURCES section for some ideas). This will spread the word about who you are as well as give you a concrete project to show off.
- Do you have unique penmanship or an interesting signature (such as Walt Disney or Taylor Swift)? Make a font!** Use this to put your signature on all of your online documents, or to have people recognize your handwriting as part of your brand.
*HERE is a video about using color in Personal Branding.
**HERE is a list of font creation software. HERE is a guide to creating a handwritten signature online (or you can just scan your signature and crop it on the computer).
Step 5: Put It Online
Now that you know who you are, it's time to show the world. Pick one or two social media networks, or however many as you can handle, and build profiles. Then, combine them all on your own personal website. Below are a few websites to try out:
Step 6: Stay Up to Date
Be sure to keep checking your Personal Brand and make sure that it is aligned with your current goals. People change all the time, and you'll want to make sure that the world sees the newest you!