You’re probably not old enough to remember the 1980’s Pantene shampoo commercial. This lovely young woman with long, thick, shiny hair looks you in the eye, and with abundant self-esteem few will ever enjoy, she purrs: “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.”
She then tells the truth about her hair. It’s dry with split ends and apparently, until Pantene she never had a good hair day in her life. So don’t hate her. It’s this miracle shampoo that’s made her beautiful. Just go get some for yourself.
If I could look you in the eye today, I might say something similar about last week. Don’t hate me because I had a fabulous week in business and I am about to have my best year ever.
Here’s what happened. I got an offer to lead a project that I’ve been dreaming about for the last three years. An offer I wanted when I first heard the CEO of the company on a radio interview, the day the venture was launched. And, among the things that have fed my fever on it, a gaggle of A-list actors are featured on TV commercials that promote this outrageously great organization.
It has it all. Great people. Great big brand. Great opportunity to do what might be my favorite thing: product development. Great money. Plus international recognition. Plus an assistant to coordinate everything. Oh, plus a new computer.
The truth is: I never told anyone I wanted to do the project.
My personal brand did the work that was necessary to win it.
I do nothing wowie-zowie, presto-chango amazing with my personal brand. I just do what we are supposed to do. I post updates on social networks about my work, interests, point of view on important issues of the day, (and photos of my dogs). I post announcements about world news because it’s sometimes hard to find that in US media. I don’t post photos, comments or anything that I wouldn’t want my late mother to see. I never use profanity.
In twenty minutes each day, I’m online to read and respond to my tribes’ posts, because that’s your work as a personal brand. I reach out to other people when something good happens to congratulate them, via their feeds. I put in an encouraging word when other people are struggling, via their feeds. I post answers on posted questions, sometimes just to jump start the thread, because no one else has answered yet. I argue reasonably and sometimes with humor on threads. I allow myself to be strident – not crazy, just strident on two issues that are outside of my work: equal rights and access for everyone, and safety for children and animals.
In other words,it’s not hard to be a personal brand. It’s just a little harder than being beautiful with just one luxurious Pantene lather (or maybe she rinsed and repeated) a day.
Last week, I got the phone call that I fantasized about for the last three years. I got the call because I am visible online. If you see me online and that’s a lot of places, you see what you are going to get. And, last week: I saw proof again that nothing works like personal branding, when it comes to attracting what you want.
You can do this. You too, can get the right call. The perfect offer. Now: post!
