Personal Branding Weekly – I is Better than We

It is and you know it. Imagine if someone told you “we’re really glad you’re here”. Now, imagine if that same person said “I’m really glad you’re here.” Can you feel the difference in energy between the two statements? In an effort to be more professional, more corporate and more team focused we’ve lost the power and the energy of “one” in our communication.

To this day – people still do business with people. In sales, they’ll tell you to “sell the person” before you sell the product.

If we know this, then why do we still speak in “we”?  Do you want to actively market yourself in a way that people remember you (for all the right reasons) and reach out to you? Then use the power and strength of “I”.  Sorry Michael Corleone (from the movie The Godfather) – all business is personal.

Change your “we” statements to “I” statements this week and see how it powerfully changes the connection you have with people.  In order for them to refer you, promote you, and speak positively on your behalf – they have to remember you. Make yourself memorable this week!

This week’s helpful posts for you focused on:

• There Are No “Difficult People” by Skip Weisman
• 11 Non-Startup Brands Whose Business Models You Should Imitate by the Young Entrepreneur Council
• Lessons From the American Revolution: An Interview with Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade by Bill Connolly
• Why Were You Fired? by Nance Rosen
• The Importance of Attending Industry Events by Ceren Cubukcu
• Maintain Your Brand to Land a Promotion by Heather Huhman
• Ask “Why Not” Create and Deliver by Elinor Stutz
• Confronting Aging and Work-Related Issues by Alex Freund
• How to Start Building Your Personal Brand Today by Roger Parker
• Recruiter Misconceptions, Part 1 by Richard Kirby
• Dolphins or Sharks – The Need for Both in Business by Jeff Shuey
• MYTHBUSTING: Solopreneurs Don’t Need Facebook Business Pages by Maria Elena Duron
• Public Speaking: Turning My Fear Into Fulfillment by Sharmin Banu
• Build Your Brand Trust on Social Media by Susan Gilbert
• Does Your Resume Scream Out Your Age? by Robin Ogden
• Dinner Table Talk can Jump-Start Your Kids Career! by Beth Kuhel
• 4 People Skills to Instill Trust and Build Rapport by Leslie Truex
• Tools Don’t Matter, Skill Does by Erik Deckers
• 3 Tips for Maximizing Speaking Engagement Value by Nick Inglis
• Three Ways to Date to Get a Job by Marc Miller
• Protecting Your Brand with Benefits by Lindsey Pollak

Seven takeaways to kick-start your week are:

1. The purpose of communication is to “influence and control the experiences, circumstances and results in our life.” (Author, Skip Weisman)
2. If you’ve been fired for any reason, recruiters are seeking to understand what happened, and the reasons for your action. They are equally interested in how the termination changed you: what did you do to remedy your thinking and behavior? (Author, Nance Rosen)
3. Keep track of your accomplishments. (Author, Heather Huhman)
4. The best course of action is to summon up your courage, reflect upon your knowledge and experience, and then create a plan of action in spite of all the negative voices encountered. (Author, Elinor Stutz)
5. Most important takeaway, once again, simple, concise, and conversational writing is the best way to build your personal brand with a bestselling book! (Author, Roger Parker)
6. People more advanced in age have at least two advantages over younger people: their very age and their professional experience. (Author, Alex Freund)
7. Consistency of message and focusing on building meaningful relationships should be top of mind in order for your community to consider purchasing a product or service. (Author,  Susan Gilbert)

Here are some easy takeaways you can tweet:

Bullying is most associated with school kids picking on peers, yet workplace bullying is probably just as prevalent. http://ow.ly/qSy0i [tweet this]

People are often preoccupied with thinking about their next comment that they don’t listen to what others are saying. http://ow.ly/qSyfq [tweet this]

You never know how you may be able to provide a “service” for someone in need until you ask. http://ow.ly/qSyjA [tweet this]

To be an expert, you need the foundational skills. The tools don’t make a bit of difference. http://ow.ly/qSz4y [tweet this]

Be willing to be creative and make an offer to date to see if making the hire is worthwhile. http://ow.ly/qSz5z [tweet this]

Keep track of the companies you sent your resume to so you can follow-up and be prepared when they respond to you. http://ow.ly/qSz6Q [tweet this]

If you’re struggling with motivation, reassess your motivators and the value behind profit for you. http://ow.ly/qSz7v [tweet this]

When job searching, think of it as your full time job – and don’t forget to reward yourself for a job well done! http://ow.ly/qSz8g [tweet this]

Soft skills are the qualities that can set you apart from other candidates when applying for a job. http://ow.ly/qSz90 [tweet this]

For this week, we look forward to your feedback and we take on the task of discussing:

• That every shot matters
• That there are difficult people (last week we covered that there are no difficult people) – you weigh-in on which belief corner you sit at.
• Revving up your personal experience to success tripod

Please comment below!