Should Auld Aquaintance Be Forgot?
Tonight we will celebrate the end of 2009 and herald in a new decade. From private parties and entire city celebrations to safe home celebrations, we all have our own way of saying “goodbye to 2009”. Somewhere in the activities you are bound to hear the song “Auld Lang Syne”. It’s an old Scottish poem …
The Power of Your Name in Personal Branding
Your name is the single most important factor in your enterprise, whether you introduce and represent your company by speaking your name loudly and clearly while offering a hearty handshake – or write an equally hearty introductory post on a discussion thread.
Here’s a slightly off topic tip: the back of your head or an …
How Well Does Your Personal Brand Listen?
There are several programs that large brands use to “monitor” the conversation and to know what’s being said. What if you’re a small brand? Or, even smaller – what if the brand is YOU?
Listening as a brand1. Listen to how people introduce you.
This simple exercise will give you insight into what people …
If You Suck, Your Personal Brand Does, Too
Personal branding is not shameless, endless self-promotion. It’s not direct messaging me with your faux request to “take this IQ test and see if you’re smarter than me.” It’s not directing me to your website with every post. It’s not seeing yourself as the epicenter of everything to do with your industry, category, talent, idea, …
You Speak, I Cry Inside. Personal Branding Never Sleeps.
It’s time to do a mind-sweep, because what you think is gushing out of your mouth and into your texts, tweets, posts, and email. That self-talk you’ve got going is killing your chances to connect with the opportunities that are all around you. Personal branding is a 24/7/365 effort – because if you do it …
Conversation is King
Anyone who spends any time or resources online has heard the saying “content is king”. That, though, is so Web 1.0.
To succeed in being visible and memorable in the Web 2.0 world, conversation is king. And, it’s about engaging conversation not just one sided “walking commercials”. The key to anyone’s success is communication and …
Tell Us: Who Should You Thank Today?
With the news last week about the shootings at Fort Hood and the unemployment rate soaring into double digits for the first time since the 1980s, it’s so easy to stay focused on the bad things happening around us and never take a moment to reflect on the good things that have kept us going …
Is Your Brand Guilty by Association?
I got in trouble quite a bit growing up, but not necessarily for misdeeds I had actually committed. My parents were firm believers in “guilty by association”—guilty for just being present when something went wrong.
As social media becomes more ubiquitous, I bet your brand is in the same position I was all those years …
Don’t Be a Negative Nancy!
In college, I had a friend who was always complaining about some aspect of her life. Her classes weren’t going right, a friend wasn’t being nice to her, and all the guys she met were jerks. Of course, she was great to talk to when I wanted to complain about something–but not a lot of …
Building Relationships Organically – Part 3
You are one conversation away from your next opportunity. One conversation away from learning of a key way to re-position yourself for your next job; from gaining a deeper understanding of the needs of a potential new client and how you might address them effectively; or from finding the ideal joint venture …