4 tips to a powerful personal brand
TRANSCRIPT
The Vermontrepreneur Summit Series:4 Tips to a Powerful Personal Brand
March 26, 2015
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
Richard Branson
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
4 TIPS TO A POWERFUL PERSONAL BRAND
1. Tell your story. Determine what makes you unique.
2. Cultivate past clients to help tell your story.
> Go BEYOND the testimonial
3. LinkedIn and other Social Media Tools
4. Networking Tips
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
FIRST MOVE: DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE
• Are you targeting the right people? Who are your customers?
• Do you know them? “Meet” them where they live.
• Do you relate to them with any of your interests and likes?
• What's your message?
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
WHAT IS PERSONAL BRANDING?
Your Personal Brand = Your Reputation
• Establish your brand (identity, what makes you unique)
• Helps you find the right opportunities and clients
• How do you represent yourself?> How does your audience and market perceive you?> How would you like potential clients to think of you?> Your values are essential. Do you exemplify strong ethics?
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
TELL YOUR STORYTip #1
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
DRILL DOWN FOR YOUR STORY
• People are naturally drawn to stories. Your story is your greatest asset!
• Determine your most interesting or quirky characteristic
• Your story has a powerful impact
• Write your professional bio for different uses
• Keep it short! Be focused and simple in your approach
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
SAMPLE STORIES
• A woman with an art degree becomes a realtor. That's her story.
• The head of marketing for a law firm has a dream of becoming a rodeo queen someday! (She puts this on her LinkedIn profile in addition to her skills.)
• A man goes to work for a nonprofit because of a cause he cares deeply about and for which he has a personal connection.
• Why did you start your business? That’s your story.
Show the quirky or unique you!
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
WRITE A PROFESSIONAL BIO
• Who are you writing for?
• Research bios of other people in your field to see how they represent themselves
• Ideal places to look are websites, LinkedIn profiles, and social media accounts
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
CULTIVATE PAST CLIENTS
Tip #2
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
LET PAST CLIENTS HELP YOU
• Go beyond their testimonial on your website.
• Testimonials shouldn’t stand alone, they’re too valuable.
• Use their quote on your blog or social media.
• Mix them up! Use brief but compelling testimonials. Edit if you need to but first ask for permission.
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
How I use client testimonials on my website.
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
BRING LIFE TO TESTIMONIALS
• Add a photo (or video) along with your client’s name or business. Adds credibility!
• Ask for a relevant quote that supports your claim (of your
service or specialty)
• Get a story from your client. Describe what you did and
how it helped.
> Not just, “Oh, Sue was great to work with!” Ask them
to explain WHY Sue was great to work with – get the story!
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
SHOW THEM THE LO❤ E
• Relationships, Relationships, Relationships!
• Do more to make clients feel appreciated.
A few ideas:
> Surprise them with tickets to an event
> A unique gift or card around holiday time
> If client is new to the area – invite them to a mixer > How do you make your clients feel appreciated?
• Thank them with a handwritten note for their business
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
LINKEDIN ANDOTHER SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS
Tip #3
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
LINKEDIN, SOCIAL MEDIA, BLOGS& YOUR SITE
LinkedIn – THE place to be for professionals, show expertise
Facebook – Conversational, informal, build relationships
Twitter – More professional, speak to industry trends
Pinterest – Very visual, mostly
women demographic
• Website – Needs at least one call to action (CTA), optimized for SEO
• Blog – Popular, VERY effective, increases ranking in Internet search engines (Google, Bing, etc.)
Sample Calls To Action (CTA)
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
ABOUT LINKEDIN
LinkedIn Statistics, 2014 Source:
sbenfocus.wordpress.com
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
…MORE ABOUT LINKEDIN
• LinkedIn is the third-fastest-growing social network
• Great resource for people to read your blog
• Direct referral source for people to your homepage
• Optimize your profile with consistent messaging
• Share your expertise, become a thought leader
• Avoid posting late afternoons, evenings and weekends
• Try to post 20x/month if you want to actively participate
• Have employees be engaged with your LinkedIn page
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
LINKEDIN – BEST PRACTICES
• A QUALITY, professional profile photo
• An SEO headline. 120 characters – use them wisely
• Create keywords/terms describing what you DO vs. your job title > LinkedIn uses search engine features to find keywords
• Place keywords in your headline that resonate with your target audience
• Create a custom URL (Ex., www.linkedin.com/in/katepaine)
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
LINKEDIN – HEADLINE URL
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
LINKEDIN – HEADLINE & SUMMARY
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
SHOWCASE YOUR SERVICES & EXPERTISE
• Provide client case studies, white papers, presentations, E-books
• Engage with industry peers and your network through regular
posting. Keep it manageable and consistent.
• Connect your blog and website
• Post videos or link to your YouTube channel (if you have one).
~ Highlight a variety of recommendations
~ Write an interesting narrative about the service and value you provide
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
JOIN LINKEDIN GROUPS
• Groups provide a place for like-minded professionals to share content, network, and to establish yourself as an expert.
• Research a group before joining
• Evaluate if it's a good place where you can offer your knowledge
• Groups offer: > Viral distribution capabilities > Email messaging (InMail), > Associations (local chamber or business association) > Peer to peer group networking
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
THE 3 Cs
COMMITTED. CONSISTENT. COMPELLING.
REMEMBER…
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
NETWORKINGTip #4
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
KNOW YOUR NETWORK
• "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
• Go to local business mixers, attend seminars, or volunteer for a cause you care about.
• Want to kick it up? Get creative! > Sponsor a community event with high visibility > Sponsor a recycling or E-waste pick-up event (something different)
• Be a connector. Refer people you know that are experts in their industry and connect them to your clients who may be in a similar business or have similar interests.
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
RESOURCES
• How to Write Your Personal Bio wikihow.com/Write-a-Personal-Bio
• How to Spot a Fake LinkedIn Profile standingoutonline.com/2015/01/28/how-to-spot-a-fake-linkedin-profile/
• 6 Tips for Using LinkedIn for Business Development
inc.com/ian-jackson/6-tips-for-using-linkedin-for-business-development.html
Copyright: Kate Paine Associates, LLC 2015 StandingOutOnline.com
THANK YOU!
"Making YOU Stand Out Online”
StandingOutOnline.com
linkedin.com/in/katepaine
Twitter: @kpaine66
facebook.com/katepaineassociates