Social media and personal branding:Power your personal brand for 2013

Helen Standing, Director, ngage Comms

A bit about me• Masters in PR• In-house, global consultancy and

small agency experience• Outstanding Young Communicator /

PRWeek Top 29 Under 29• CIPR regional Treasurer• Founding Director, Engage Comms• Part Time Lecturer, Leeds Met• Love spending time with friends,

going to festivals, travelling and food!

The evolution of personal branding• “Try not to become a [wo]man

of success, but a [wo]man of value” (Einstein)

• "The reinvented you and the reinvented me will have no choice but to scramble and add value in some meaningful way” (Tom Peters)

Why bother with personal branding?• When was the last time you Googled yourself?

Prospective employers and other professional contacts will!

• Most career/personal development opportunities aren’t advertised in traditional ways – you have to find them!

• If you’re not visible, how do you expect to get found?!?!

2013: The year of the personal brand• No longer a ‘job for life’ or ‘9 to 5’

as the norm• Post-recession – ‘sink or swim

mentality’• Bankers, MPs and phone hacking

journalists – increased focus on individual accountability

• The social media revolution – everyone’s a publisher

Doing your own PR• Do your research and back up what you say with

evidence – it’s about who you know AND what you know!

• Tailor yourself to the audience• Be useful/of value to others – ‘what’s in it for

them?’ ‘So what?’ ‘Why would they care?’• Be transparent, ethical, open, honest and

reliable• CSR – give something back

Developing your personal brand strategy

• Define your professional and personal goals in the short, medium, long term

• What is your niche? What do you have to offer that is of interest to others?

• Who do you need to be visible to?• What 3 words do you want them to think when

they come across you?• How can you get noticed and be of value to

them?

My personal brand• My personal and professional goals– Be well respected and memorable as a leading

PR/comms professional in Yorks– Maintain good work/life balance and

relationships• How I want to be defined– Curious: eager to soak up info and embrace

opportunities, versatile– Energetic: passionate, sense of humour,

memorable– Down-to-earth: transparent, straightforward

Building your online personal brand• Come up with a personal brand statement that focuses

on your USPs – don’t try to be ‘all things to all men’• Choose which platforms/channels to set up profiles on

– make sure you are visible but focus on what you can manage on an ongoing basis

• Adapt your persona/profile for different platforms and audiences – but maintain some consistency across the board

• Bring your brand to life using engaging images/look and feel and add a personal touch!

Managing your online personal brand• Work smarter, not harder• Do your research – watch and listen, don’t just talk!• Stay at front of mind but don’t spam• Be useful, polite, approachable and friendly – and

always think ‘what’s in it for them?’• Be genuine and get across your personality – but

know where to draw the line when it’s public• Ask questions and take part in conversations – but

only where you can add something meaningful

Content is king… so act like royalty!• A strong personal brand is not just about

reputation – it’s about influence!• You have to have something to say to get noticed

– but what you say has to be of VALUE• It doesn’t have to be your original content – you

can share other people’s content to be useful• Keeping your finger on the pulse – don’t

underestimate the power of social media as a content research tool

The risks – how not to damage your reputation

• Apply basic common sense and principles of professional conduct and ethics

• Don’t be political, rude or negative and don’t unnecessarily antagonise people

• Don’t use social media to ‘spam’ or sell• It’s public/indelible – if you wouldn’t shout it in

the office/street, don’t publish it online!

Power your personal brand for 2013• Ebook by Engage Comms –

coming soon on Amazon• How to build and manage a

personal brand that will make you stand out in 2013 by working smarter, not harder

• Follow our blog and Twitter account for updates

Let’s carry on the conversation!

@helenstanding / @engagecomms on TwitterFind me and Engage Comms Ltd company page on LinkedIn

www.engagecomms.co.uk/blog helen@engagecomms.co.uk