Personal Branding

Bret L. Simmons, Ph.D.

Reno AMA, April 10, 2014

Main Points Today

1. Personal branding is a huge opportunity and responsibility

2. We are all ambassadors of our increasingly social businesses

3. Differentiate your personal brand by demonstrating professional discretion

Professionally Personal Brand Ambassadors

Professionally PersonalEverything you do reflects on your business

Personal BrandIf people don’t select you, spread the word about you, or pay a premium for your services, it’s because they don’t recognize your value.

(Seth Godin)

ValueWhat you can do uniquely well to help others address issues or solve problems that matter to them.

Personal Brand

1.Who are you?2.Who do you want to

help?3.How do you want to

help them?

New business card

www.bluehost.com

New business card

1. Associate your name and face with your value

2. Create content and connections that will get you indexed and ranked for your name and value

Social MediaYou must be personal and conversant

Lead with valueWrap the personal around your value

Never trust any site to protect your privacy

• Never post anything, anytime, anywhere that you would not be comfortable with anyone seeing

• If it were posted on the wall of your office, would it make any of your colleagues, customers, or employees uncomfortable? If so, don’t post it online

Operational Privacy

Operational Privacy

• The sooner you behave as if you have no privacy online, the more effective you will be

• Use your personal brand online to build bridges, not walls

Professional Discretion

Just because you can post, comment, share, like, etc. does not mean that you

should.

Why risk offending anyone?

Brand: Name, Picture, Purpose• E-mail• Linkedin• Blog• Twitter• Facebook• Other (Pinterest)

Bret.simmons@gmail.combret@bretlsimmons.com

We don’t need Facebook to authenticate our lives

Summary• Social business is here to stay. • Strategic imperative to immerse

yourself in the process• Start now, don’t quit• Taking control of your online

brand is good for your career and your company

Questions?

Bret L. Simmons, Ph.D.www.bretlsimmons.comBret.simmons@gmail.com(775) 336-9576