Define Your Personal Brand
Continuing the series of posts on building your brand via Social Media. Here’s the intro.

What is your brand? It’s the sum of the experiences that people have with you.

And these experiences happen whether you are there or not.

When they view your LinkedIn profile or Facebook page or blog or even your email signature. Each of these makes an impression, for the better…or not.

In dissecting your brand, I’ll offer up three components for you to think about.

1. What is your story?
2. Are you remarkable?
3. Do you talk in 3 dimensions?

Your Story

People remember stories. From childhood, this is how we learn about concepts of importance. We remember stories that intrigue and fascinate us because they are a narrative that makes sense to us.

When you are presenting yourself anywhere, but particularly online where attention spans are even more limited, the story becomes even more critical.

So, what is your story?

When someone asks you what you do, what do you say?

“I’m a lawyer.”

“I’m a consultant.”

Or, “I make the software that Madonna’s DJ uses.”

No need for the superfluous question of which one is better right?

This is the core of your personal brand. A simple story that resonates and is memorable.

So much so that …

It is Remarkable

Look, there are a gajillion channels on the Internet and about half that on TV. A person has any number of diversions and things to discuss. Why in the heck should they talk about you?

Well, how about because you do things that are worth talking about?

Not outrageous, mind you, but things that reinforce your story. Things that make people smile or say, ‘wow, I am better off for having done that.”

I had to take my son to the ER for some stitches. We were in the waiting room (truth is, he was fine, laughing, etc.), but I put up a note on Facebook “in the ER w/my 3 year old. Looks like he will need stitches.”

About 8 people commented to me saying “only you would update Facebook from the ER!”

MY story is about a guy who loves technology, communicating, and being/staying connected.

Take Andy Sernovitz’s out-of-office messages. His story is about a guy who does things to generate Word-of-Mouth.

I will be out of the office at WOMMA's Word of Mouth Marketing Summit and Research Symposium until Thursday. I will have limited access to email.

1. Reporters and emergencies: Please call my cell at xxx-xxx-xxxx.
2. Wife and parents: You may also call my cell.
3. Charlie (my 3-year-old): No, you cannot pee in the sink. Yes, a dinosaur could eat a monkey.
4. Telemarketers: Please take me off your list.
5. Spammers: Please call my stock broker.

Do You Talk in 3 Dimensions?

You can have a standard resume or you can have a Social Media Bio.

One is perfect for the analog age. Paper-based, no hyperlinks. All text.

The other gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your depth and breadth of knowledge.

Present yourself in a short bio, then link, link, and link (but only if it adds value.)

Hey, Mr. Employer, here are:

• my blog posts on the topics of your field.
• the slides I gave at my MBA class.
• the video where I presented to group XYZ
• my delicious tags related to investment banking
• my favorite bloggers
• the Facebook groups in which I am an active participant
• the papers I’ve written on the subject
• the interview I conducted of such-and-such expert

Which one would you hire?

Next: It’s Who You Know, Right? Building Your Network.

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