JANE ANDERSON · the baker in town became Tom Baker, and the Blacksmith, whose name was Billy, became Billy Blacksmith, and while the cook called Mary became Mary Cook. And so the

1

JANE ANDERSONIMPACTHOW toBUILD yourPERSONALBRANDfor theCONNECTIONECONOMY

IMPACTJANE ANDERSON

HOW to BUILD your PERSONAL BRAND for the CONNECTION

ECONOMY

“After seeing the positive change from going from working under a company name to working under my own name, thisis exactly the type of book I wish had been around when I first started the process.”

Kylie ChownMaster Resume Writer, www.kyliechown.com.au

ABOUT the AUTHOR

Jane Anderson is an expert in creating IMPACT and an experienced speaker, trainer, coach, author and mentor. With over 11 years’ experience she has worked with over 12,000 professionals to have more influence as leaders, on stage, in meetings, job interviews and online. She has spoken at over at conferences and events across Australia, and has worked with senior executives and professionals across the world.

Jane has worked with organisations such as QGC, Virgin Australia, Sunsuper, Australian Medical Association, Australian Marketing Institute Stanwell, Origin Energy, Dominos, IP Australia, Department of Defence, Queensland Transport and Main Roads, QUT, Veolia, Super Retail Group, Gold Coast Institute of TAFE and Gold Coast City Council.

Jane is one of two Master Career Directors in Australia and has been featured in BBC online, Mornings on Channel 9, Management Today, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Courier Mail, Marie Claire and on Today Tonight (for the right reasons!). She is a nominee for the Telstra Women’s Business Awards for 2014, holds one of the top 1% of profiles viewed on LinkedIn and is part of the Thought Leaders Global movement.

Copyright © Jane Anderson 2015

Cover design by XXXXXXInternal and back cover design by Lauren Shay – Full Stop Design, Editing, Publishing.Edited by XXXXX

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior permission of the publisher.

7

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1: What is Branding? • My story • What’s in a name? • What is personal branding? • Why would personal branding apply to you? • My experience • Value Model • Believe, Create Shine

Chapter 2: Times are changing — And Why• Tom Peters and the tipping point • How business has changed • She’ll be right • Tall Poppy

Chapter 3: Why Now?• Why this is important now • The rise of the expert and Authority Marketing • How people find people • Why now for organisations• Why now for individuals • So what do we do from here?

Chapter 4: Clarity • The authentic you • Vision • Purpose • Goal Setting • SWOT • Values • Passions • Your Mantra

Contents

8 IMPACT: How to Build Your Personal Brand for the Connection Economy

CONTENTS

Chapter 5: Communicate • Persuasion • Touch Points • Credibility building • Presentation • Visibility • First 4 seconds • Smiling • Testimonials • Online Footprint • Thought Leadership • Time Management • Photos • Social Media Positioning

Chapter 6: Positioning Collateral• Brand leverage • Storytelling • Book Writing • Awards • Thought Leadership • Job Titles • Elevator Pitch • About You page

Chapter 7: Digital • Content Strategy • Get to know me • LinkedIn • Websites • Yourname.com • Facebook • Photos • Online Footprint

9

CONTENTS

• Testimonials • Blogging • What if you don’t want to be found • The selfie epidemic

Chapter 8: Face to Face • Likeability • Authenticity • Smiling • Conversational Skills • Time Management • Dress for Success • The Psychology of Colour • Brand oppositioning • Accents • Credibility • The first 4 seconds • Networking • Body Language • Appreciation Management

Chapter 9: Control • Relationship Management • Crisis Management • Customer Issues • Pay rises • Inheriting someone else’s reputation

Chapter 10: Close and Action Planning • Mentoring • Specialist fields and branding strategy • Access the online program • Leadership • Action Steps

Contents


11

INTRODUCTION

“Your time is limited. Don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”– Steve Jobs

Kerry had been an academic and excelled in her career. She was a single mother of a daughter with a disability, had built two training companies specialising in aged care and the other in disabilities. She arrived at my office with a smile on her face, but looked tired. She was beautifully groomed with a lovely black and white jacket on and bright pink lipstick. She looked cheerful, polished and bright, but I got the sense that light was a bit dimmer on the inside.

I asked Kerry how her day had been and she smiled and sighed, “Busy, you know what it’s like.” I could sense this feeling of having to be independent. To remain strong, always be the rock, pay the bills and to always soldier on. Kerry, it seemed, had always given so much of herself to others and wanted to see me because she felt it was “her turn”. She was tired of the stress of running her business and striving to grow and become the best mum and create the best life she could.

As we worked through her session and I asked questions, she didn’t elaborate very much on her answers. I sensed her fear and trying to have the professional face on and holding it together. I had been there, too, and knew that same feeling. The default answer is, “I’m fine,” when, in fact, I’m not.

Before Kerry arrived I could see what was happening in her businesses. I checked out her websites, LinkedIn profile and did the all the research I could before seeing her.

There were a number of things that stood out to me:

• She was competing on product and, therefore, price. • She didn’t have positioning as a thought leader, yet she had all the

expertise and credibility to be one.

Introduction


• She was making a massive difference in the industry, but was possibly confined by compliance and changes from the government.

• She had put others first and, as a result, she came last. • Growth and achieving potential were two of her highest values. • She was about seeing the potential in others to have the best life

they could, regardless of their limitations.

From an outsider’s perspective, this is what I saw. What I needed to find out for myself is if what I saw online matched the person in my office. After about thirty minutes together, her nerves settled and Kerry began to loosen up a little. She had a laugh and told me that many years ago she was a truck driver and that she still has her licence.

Wow, I thought to myself, what a character! I totally was not expecting that! I realised that what I was going to say might shock, surprise or even scare her, so I had to tread carefully. She said that a few people had said that she could be a good counselor, and indeed she could. But for Kerry, I believed this would be playing small and she would quickly become unfulfilled. Still, I went through those types of options to see how she responded before I pulled out my big artillery.

I put myself into the shoes of the type of people I see at my events. The folks with eyes that are hungry to learn and be inspired about what they need to do to succeed. This is the type of woman who I would go to see speak at an event. I would want to hear what she has to say. I would want to know, “How does she do what she does?” What I needed to do now was to get Kerry to see that, too. Fortunately, I didn’t know her until now so I was totally objective about both her weaknesses and her many strengths.

So I asked her to imagine that we were at an event and she was about to speak. She’s beside the stage and I’m the MC. I read out her bio that I created for her before the session:

“Our next speaker is an inspiration. She has devoted her life to bringing out the best in others, from students, people with disabilities

13

and the elderly, despite the obstacles they face, empowering them to grow and achieve their potential. As a single mum of a daughter with special needs, she knows the challenges firsthand. Believe it or not, she has also been a truck driver and still holds her licence! She is the author of the book Limitless: Become Your Best Self Despite Your Circumstances. Please welcome Kerry Smith.”

In that moment, tears welled up in Kerry’s eyes. Someone had seen the potential in her. She had a gift that people would want to see and learn from. She just needed the freedom to do it her way and not be confined by the restraints of government and compliance that came from running a training company. What the world needed from her was to see www.kerrysmith.com (not her real name) first. She was the one with the expertise and skill, not the programs she was responsible for.

Kerry has since gone on to build her profile and is well on her way to becoming a global thought leader in her area of expertise. Kerry is a great example of the type of clients I work with and, just as importantly, why I do what I do.

The challenge is I wish that I had met Kerry earlier. I wish I could have caught her before times got so tough for her. So I have written this book in the hopes that you might read it and be inspired to become the best you can be, to not be afraid to play a bigger game and stand out from the crowd. I also hope that, after reading it, you pass this book on to someone you know who needs it. Someone who has that bigger game inside them, but they may not have the right people or circumstances around them.

Maybe you don’t know how to help them, but think this book could be a good starting point for them. Whatever your purpose for reading this book, there is someone out there who wants to connect with you because of your expertise and the value you can bring, whether it’s a client, a recruiter or your team.

Let’s make it easy for them to find you!

Let’s make sure you create the IMPACT you want!

Introduction


15Chapter 1: What is Branding?

Chapter 1:What is Branding?

“People buy from people, and they buy from people who they know, like and trust.”

– Jane AndersonWhat’s in a Name?

Back in the times of pre-industrialisation, people only had one name. Each village had a Bill, Peter or Matthew. Then, as populations grew, a person’s name was usually associated with the type of work he did. So the baker in town became Tom Baker, and the Blacksmith, whose name was Billy, became Billy Blacksmith, and while the cook called Mary became Mary Cook.

And so the practice traveled through time and the Hunters, Archers, Trappers and the Farmers’ work became not just a part of their day, but a very core part of their identity as well. One’s career was actually one’s name.

Today we consider how careers link to purpose and are a part of who we are. We have far more choice in the elements of our lives than people did back in those days. So identity is formed more now through values, experiences and validation. This happens much later in our lives than it used to.

Nowadays a name can mean so much more. You don’t have to be your name; you can be known for something else, not necessarily what you do. Some famous examples include:

• Julia Gillard: Smart but not necessarily trusted or liked. • Ita Buttrose: Ice Queen and hard to get close to. • Mark Bouris: Sexy, hardworking but grumpy and private. • Kevin Rudd: Smart but harsh. • Richard Branson: Adventurous and fun.


• Steve Irwin: Fun, outrageous, passionate, risk-taker. • Jennifer Hawkins: Down to earth and fun-loving. • Tony Abbott: Traditional and at times inappropriate. • Barack Obama: Balance of warmth, charm and leadership. • Oprah Winfrey: Warm, concerned socially, savvy business woman. • Kerry Packer: Ruthless, passionate. • Shane Warne: Womaniser and larrikin.

As you can see, the impact of these “brand” names is immediate and can easily be summarized in a few words or less. Can the same be said about you?

What is Branding?

When Bill Gates accepted the Ice Bucket challenge, he didn’t just pour a bucket of iced water over his head. He did it in a way that created an innovative way to get the ice water to pour over his head. He then challenged other people to do it, one being Mark Zuckerberg. This said two things about him: one, that he’s an innovator and, two, the circles he hangs out with. The ice bucket challenge has created such an insight into each person who does it. Seeing who they nominate shows their values whether it be friends, colleagues or family.

The term branding was originally used in “branding” cattle. It showed a sense of ownership to know whose cow belonged to who, so that it would be returned if it went missing. That term was extended to organisations and used for logos. But branding has become so much more than a logo.

Your Personal Branding is the message that comes to mind when someone thinks or talks about you. It is all encompassing and affiliates with your vision, values and purpose, as well as those abilities that others associate with you. Your brand tells people three things:

1. Who you are; 2. What you do or how you add value; 3. What makes you unique.


So a brand is not a logo or an image. If you’re in a service-based industry like a Personal Trainer, Accountant, Cosmetic Surgeon or Financial Planner the thing that makes your service different is you. You are your brand!

For example. There are a bunch of different personal trainers at your local gym. If you chose one, why did you choose them? Was it because of their business name? NO! It was because you felt like you could trust them get a result and that they would help you achieve the goals you’re hoping to achieve. A logo is the last decision you make. Your brand is about rapport, results and support.

A logo is icing on the cake. Once you know about the person and his or her brand, the logo becomes something to accentuate it and inform others about it. Placing it first is simply putting the cart before the horse.

So more about communicating that essence of your Personal Branding through the words used in your client testimonials and video capturing your personality.

You definitely do not have to have a logo to have a Personal Brand.

So I say a brand is an expectation. A promise. It’s what someone says about you when you’re not there, whether it be what others say on paper or online. Once you know all the above elements, then a brand can start to take shape as a logo – but not beforehand.

Why Would Branding Apply to You?

Branding applies to everyone because each of us has a unique identity. The challenge becomes ... is your brand working or not. Here are examples of both:

How to Know if Your Personal Brand is Working for You ...

• People know who you are (you’re not a celebrity but you know key people in your industry).


• You’re effective at getting the things done that you want to be known for.

• You’re good at influencing others to get things done.• You’re able to get in front of the right decision makers. • If I Google you what I find is consistent with what you’re trying

to achieve. • You’re in demand, ie. your calendar is running reasonably full with

paying clients. • You’re clear about who you work with and who you don’t. • You present your ideas and yourself clearly and consistently. You

have conviction and confidence in what you bring.

How to Know if Your Personal Brand May Not Be Working for You ...

• Being overlooked for the job you want. • Finding it hard to justify a raise. • Your team is unmotivated.• Not working with your ideal client. • You have to justify your prices to your clients.• You are competing on price and feel like you need to lower them

to compete• You have limited networks or you’re not a great networker. • You feel uncomfortable selling yourself or your ideas. • You feel unfulfilled by the work you’re doing. • You feel burnt out. • You’re afraid to question the status quo.• You’re working way too long hours that aren’t sustainable

any more.

So, which list applies to you? When it comes to my clients, even myself, it’s generally a little bit of both. Hopefully, this chapter is going to fix all that!

It’s really about INFLUENCE. We’re all in the influencing business and anything we can do to get results in the fastest way possibly means career progression, business growth and self-confidence.


Sometimes I refer to what I do as “black belt branding,” and there are six levels of IMPACT that go along with that kind of elite personal branding. I describe them here, in order of the strength of the typical kinds of personal branding that I see on a daily basis:

Level 1: The Problem Generator

Someone whose brand is a “problem generator” doesn’t always last too long in business, but they could be being carried because of the business finding it hard to get people with the same skills. Or, the company may need to keep them on board because they’re a family member, etc.

The payoff for them is that they get to feel like they’re in control. They don’t usually like change and aren’t open to new ways of doing things. They have a negative sense of self as, understandably, their self-talk is negative. This person is a risk in the business and needs to be managed effectively.

Level 2: Fearful

Someone who is fearful may not look fearful, they could look happy but

Figure 1: The Value of Having a Black Belt Brand: The Six Levels of Influence.


they’re in a job and afraid of losing it. This fear could show up in not rocking the boat, always doing as they are asked but never going outside their comfort zone. They can be taken for granted, often putting in extra hours and unsure how to say “no” and protect themselves.

Level 3: Comfortable

This is someone who has been around a while. They do the least amount possible or, in other words, just enough to get them by. In a work context, they’re basically just ... there. They’re not in talent pipelines as high potentials, so they can easily be overlooked if they’re not clear about what they’re looking for. They may have given up on their dream and are simply working for the sake of a salary.

Level 4: The Busy Bee

These are the people we see the most, often in organisations where it is highly reactive (retail, hospitality, oil and gas, etc). It’s just go, go, go and pressure nearly all the time. As a result, a culture of busy-ness is created without stopping and thinking about what it is we’re supposed to be doing. There’s little planning and it’s not cool to stand up and challenge the status quo. The payoff for being busy is that the person looks dedicated and committed when, in fact, they’re feeling compromised. What’s more, they haven’t really been able to take the time to think about what they really want.

Alternatively, the payoff is that it feeds a need to be needed. Busyness creates validation that they’re important to the business and there are consequences if it’s not done. The challenge for this person is threefold:

• They will either be seen as a pushover;• They will leave to go to another job, since that’s easier to do than

standing up to the busyness for fear of losing their job ... • Or they will stay and burn out.

The challenge for management in working with these “busy bees” is that they will say everything is “okay,” even when – most often when – it’s actually not.


Level 5: Confident

At this level a person is clearer about what they want and the impact they have. They plan their time and know what part of their work will add value and which ones won’t. They are calm, clear and unafraid to challenge. They prioritise their work and nothing gets in the way. They realise the opportunity cost of getting too involved in reactivity and they influence others by being proactive.

They anticipate issues and know how to prevent them. They are well-respected in the business and know it well. The challenge at this level is to build their profile outside the organisation to amplify their worth and send a clear message to the business that “I’m operating at a high level” and “I’m not too insular”.

Level 6: Conviction

At this level the impact of this person is even higher. Others see this person as a role model. They are a mentor to others because they’re confident, clear, manage their time well, and can push back and challenge to keep the business accountable rather than them. They are someone who others come to as a sounding board and they have strong networks outside the organisation. They are clear on their purpose, are thought leaders and focus on clear outcomes. They are what Seth Godin describes as “Linchpins”.

As you can see, these levels are critical to knowing, and owning, your personal brand. So are the next three elements I want to introduce:

Believe – Create – Shine: The Three Foundations of Effective Branding

Finally, I want to share a simple message, even a philosophy, that I like to call Believe – Create – Shine:

Believe

You have to believe it’s possible, and not in a fluffy kind of way. You have to visualise what you want in life, career and business, what’s more,


believe it can actually happen. You need remove your limiting beliefs and believe that someone out there is trying to find you.

To do this you need to gather some evidence and look at the commerciality of what you’re doing. Talk to a mentor and get clear about what you have to offer.

Create

Belief is the foundation for success, but belief alone isn’t enough to succeed. Do you think celebrities just lucked upon their “overnight success”? No, for most it’s very deliberate and strategic. From here you need to start to:

• Create the space for what you want to work on. • Create your message. • Create your positioning. • Create your collateral (this includes things like websites,

LinkedIn, Facebook).

After creating the above, you will want to learn how to truly shine.

Shine

Shining is about making your brand come to life and being consistent through:

• Social media • Blogging • Newsletters • Speaking • Build brand equity • Ask for what you want • Content strategy • Interviews • Sales conversations

Shining is the culmination of believing and creating.


The Takeaway

Personal branding is, as the name implies, personal. This chapter has been an introductory guide and, of course, requires you to personalise the steps so that you are branding yourself, and not merely imitating those you see succeeding. At its heart, personal branding is about believing in yourself, creating a brand that reflects that self-image and then letting it shine with a most glorious impact!

Coaching Questions:

• Who are you trying to influence?• When do you most find it hard to get what you want in your

career or business?• If I asked someone who knows you well, how would they describe

you?


25

Chapter 2:The Times Are Changing — And Why

Back in 1997, Tom Peters wrote the article “The Brand Called You” in a magazine called Fast Company. The article described a concept called Personal Branding, and how people need to see themselves as their very own Chief Marketing Officer, or CMO, of the brand called “you”.

Fast forward to fourteen years later and here we are at a point in time where this concept known as the “Personal Brand” is fast becoming clearer. The introduction of LinkedIn in 2004, now with over 300 million members, has created a tipping point for personal branding and helped people realise they now have a public platform from which they can promote not only what they do, but what they can do – given the right position, client or opportunity.

While LinkedIn tried to make it easy for their customer by saying “just upload your profile,” it is much more of a marketing opportunity to craft your profile message so that someone will say, “WOW! This person is amazing. I want to connect with you.”

The Perfect Storm of Personal Branding

There are five central issues that have worked together to create the perfect storm of opportunity and highlight the shift towards personal branding:

1. Shorter tenure periods. The average person changes job every two to three years, so succession planning has become more important.

2. Attracting and keeping talent. LinkedIn and other social media and online technology make it easier for talent to access hidden job markets.

3. Younger leaders. With the massive and ongoing retirement of baby boomers, we’ve lost well-experienced talent. As a result, we’re promoting younger managers and need to build leadership capability fast.

Chapter 2: The Times Are Changing — And Why


4. The brand of our organisations is far more visible with social media. This means more pressure for staff to manage their online presence and be “ambassadors” for the business and become more professional online. Online presence means a team member’s profile is now far more visible. With the average team member being friends with 14 people on Facebook, educating teams on managing their online presence is becoming more and more relevant.

5. Remote working and visibility for leaders. With pressure for leaders to travel and manage bigger regions as well as flexible working options for parents, more flexibility and teleworking means staff and leaders can become less visible.

6. Doing more with less. Engagement and brand alignment of employees means there is more meaning and connection in their work and less money and time lost due to disengagement.

7. Compliance. The more compliant an industry is required to be, the more boring vanilla and bland it becomes. With so many restrictions it becomes imperative to stand out to survive and no longer a nice-tohave.

8. Cheaper labour costs available overseas. With the amount of flexibility that organisations are looking for and Australia having extraordinarily high labour costs, businesses can easily access support overseas in market like India, Bangladesh and the Phillipines. This includes roles like graphics designers, web developers, administration support, book keepers and consultants. Local Australian talent need to be able to position themselves in the market place to show why a business will get better value for money by sourcing their resources locally.

9. Flexible labour: after the GFC many organisations restructured and downsized. They were over resourced and needed more flexible business models. As a result a full-time job will become less common. By 2020 50% of the workforce will selfemployed in

27

Australia, reflecting the current labour market in places such as India.

When it comes to the concept of personal branding and marketing oneself, timing really is everything, and we are truly living in the time of the personal brand!

Five Mega Trends

In addition to this “perfect storm” of personal branding, we can look to what I call four “mega trends” that are rapidly changing the way companies, marketing departments and even their employees are branding themselves:

1. Changes in technology are moving too fast. Creating a policy and training on every type of program and medium is impossible to keep up with, meaning some companies simply “give up” and offer no training at all.

2. Marketing costs are increasing. Companies are struggling with finding better ways to protect and amplify marketing spend and better return on investment.

3. In five years time, the percentage of social media making up customer channels will increase by 256%. Employees from executives to the frontline will have more influence over consumer buying decisions and word of mouth than ever before. In 2013 more than 200 million people joined the internet and it’s not slowing down.

4. Traditional ways of building business have changed. Putting on events and breakfasts don’t always suit people. Having a visible online presence to create warm leads and sales funnels for business development teams are becoming far more important as the present and future merge for most modern businesses. Sales roles are being replaced with technical experts answering questions and commenting in forums to build sales funnels in many industries like IT.



“She’ll Be Right”

In Australia we have a term called “she’ll be right,” which essentially means that whatever is wrong will right itself or, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Culturally speaking, I suppose, we can be a pretty laid back bunch and we don’t necessarily worry about issues until we see them affect us directly. I’m making a big generalisation, of course, and not everyone is like this, but it can be seen as a lack of pro-activity.

On a global scale, one of our challenges as a country is that we will

Figure 2: Past, present and future trends for organisations.

5. Face to face becoming less common. In the Unnited States in 2012 75% of coaching consumers undertook services via the phone or Skype compared with Australia at 15%. The figures are telling us that in other services there is no longer the need to be face to face. If you like a Graphic Designer in New York or a Finanical Advisor in London, there is nothing to stop you working with them anymore. Location is no longer an issue.

Up until now the world has been focused on key performance indicators, or KPIs. We’re now in a world where businesses need to continue to achieve those, but they need to be sustainable. The demands on business mean they need flexibility and personal motivation from the front line.

Here is a great diagram to represent the past, present and future of personal branding:

29

be left behind. We’ve relied so much on the mining boom, but we have become a country where it’s hard to do business. Our wages are sky high and we’re heavily unionised, so much so that foreign investment is reducing and we begin to see that investment go to places like China and Africa.

The Tall Poppy

TALL POPPY (adjective): “Australian Slang for someone who has a high ego and needs to be brought back down to his peers through put downs.”

One of Australia’s most famous citizens, Mark Burnett, explains the challenge of the “Tall Poppy” Syndrome. “In Europe and Australia,” he says, “there is something called the Tall Poppy Syndrome: People like to cut the tall poppies. They don’t want you to succeed, and they cut you down – especially people from your own social class.”

Wikipedia describes the Tall Poppy Syndrome as “a social phenomenon in which people of genuine merit are resented, attacked, cut down, or criticised because their talents or achievements elevate them above or distinguish them from their peers.”

This phenomenon represents a serious challenge we have in Australia. One of our basic human needs is to belong rather than stand out. To sell ourselves and be different is un-Australian and, instead, we teach that you should be “part of the pack”. This means that people don’t take risks, they don’t stand up for what is right and they don’t take the lead. Therefore taking a “she’ll be right” approach and reacting to what comes along.

For a leader in any business, however, this “tall poppy” attitude means not being seen as a team player, but being seen as though you’re “better than others”. It means following a servant style of leadership, which is frustrating when you’re taken for granted or feel manipulated. We learn that it doesn’t pay to be a manager and make the unpopular decisions. It’s better to be liked and maintain the status quo.

In his “7 Human Needs,” self-help guru and bestselling author



Anthony Robbins outlines the need for significance; our feelings of importance, validation, recognition and that we are important in the world. Ironically, the need is there but, as a culture, we don’t support that in celebrating the art of “standing out”, i.e. making an impact. If our need for significance isn’t being met, it will show up in other ways, sometimes in ways that are resourceful.

This needs to change. For the sake of our country and to lead us out of the financial mess we are in, half the battle is to challenge this Tall Poppy attitude we have. We need to teach our managers, leaders, business owners and job seekers to stand out, make an impact and be on purpose to improve productivity and performance.

The skill is in teaching managers to do it and then teaching them how to teach their teams how to be on purpose and take the lead in their own careers through self-leadership.

Coaching Questions:

• What would be the consequences for you if you stand out?• To what extent might this hold you back?• Who are your local and international competition for what you

do?

31

Chapter 3:Why Now?

The world has changed. Nowadays the people we know are more linked to the networks we’re in and the industry you work in, rather than the place where you happen to live. In a very real sense, we know more about the daily lives of our online friends, fans, followers, subscribers, links, etc., than we do the people who actually inhibit our same apartment building, street or neighbourhood.

So is it technology or globalisation that has created this different type of networks and reputation management? In other words, is it the chicken or the egg? The internet and social media has had the greatest impact on reputation, broader networks and identity than any other tool in recent years.

I recently went to a conference in Adelaide where there were well over 500 in attendance. The strange thing was that I knew most of the faces, not because I’d ever met them before, but because they came through my LinkedIn feed every day. Even though I’ve never physically met them they already “knew” me and I knew them.

Nowadays you can be walking down the street and recognise someone from another part of the world, not because they’re famous but because they hang out in the same digital world as you do. Maybe you’re connected on Facebook, perhaps you follow them on Twitter or maybe they follow you and you appear in each other’s feeds on a regular basis. They could be on your blog, or you could be on theirs. The point is, anything is possible and the world is more connected now than it has ever been.

So, what will the future look like for employees, organisations and industries as a whole? The following sections discuss current models versus future models, and how individuals, companies, even countries, can respond to greet them with personal branding on a global scale.

Chapter 3: Why Now?


Employee

In his book Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? (Portfolio, 2010), Seth Godin said that the future of work means that organisations want more flexibility. The days of having a full-time job for the next 40 years are over. Business is just not that routine or predictable any more. Organisations need to be able to respond to their customers faster, so this means different skill sets will be needed as their businesses evolve through the business life cycle.

Seth Godin’s Linchpin describes the new world of work: organisations that need more flexibility and ability to respond to market conditions. This means a more flexible workforce working on multiple projects at a time so they can move faster, get products to market quicker and then move on to the next phase(s), which require different skills.

Brian Tracy said that 85% of your success in the world of work will probably come from your personality and your ability to effectively communicate with others. Both are skills that definitely play into the flexibility model.

Organisations

If you’re an organisation, using Personal Branding will look much different based on the purpose of each role:

frontlineSales, validation networks & culture

leadersValidation culture, team identity & networks

executiveBrand ambassadors, validation, live the identity & culture

ceoVision, contribution, validation & culture

Figure 3: Personal Branding in Organisations.

33

• Business Development Teams: Your people are your greatest asset, right? If the product you have is similar to others, how are you positioning your team to be the thought leaders in the industry? People buy from people, and they buy from people they know, like and trust. What are you doing to help your team stand out from the crowd? How are you training your managers to lead by example?

• Leaders: A leader’s customer experience can make or break a team and collectively impact on the business. Leaders are the most highly leveraged people in your business to achieve results. In a leadership context, Personal Branding is about what they do to engage, influence and inspire others to achieve results. Leaders are increasingly challenged to build their ability to bring out the best in their people and to increase their levels of motivation.

• Graduates: As the workforce ages, our leaders are getting younger. What can new graduates do to embrace early leadership roles? For graduates, Personal Branding is about setting off on the right foot with your career. It’s about understanding how positioning works within an organisation, how to manage your professionalism, build networks, and progress your career while managing your reputation and the impact of your personal brand.

• Teams: The challenge for teams that are stereotyped is to change that perception. For example, HR may be seen as “soft and fluffy”. Procurement as “transactional, process driven, bureaucracy, inflexible cost/price focus, blockage, restrictive”. Being able to change the brand and internal perception of a team can mean better influencing and getting results faster.

CEO

As a CEO, chances are you’re probably thinking, “Personal Branding isn’t really for me. That’s for my staff and I just have to focus on my game.” You might even be thinking you’re above it and that you don’t want to stand out because you’ll be harassed by job seekers.

Chapter 3: Why Now?


In your case, the purpose of your Personal brand is different. Your role is to ...

• Keep the vision and purpose of the organisation alive.• Attract and inform investors.• Maintain the brand of the organisation.• Remove roadblocks.• Be part of the sales funnel.• Represent the business in crisis situations.

Most CEOs that I have worked with believe social media is a waste of their time and adds no value. My belief is that there is a very efficient way for CEOs to leverage their position with their online presence to benefit the company overall.

Alternatively, most CEOs don’t want the attention that personal branding brings. They don’t want to seem like they’re out looking for a job or trying to push their personal agenda, and rightly so. The choice of how much to brand is a personal one, and will require further attention as we approach the very near future.

Case Study:

In 2008 Bank of Queensland had only 11% share of the Queensland banking market. Unprompted awareness of BOQ in Queensland was only 33% and people didn’t know a lot about Bank of Queensland. Of those surveyed, 46% claimed they didn’t know the bank or had never heard of them. The bank’s positioning in the market was one of confusion. The marketplace didn’t know that the Bank of Queensland had owner managers, which was its Unique Selling Point (USP). At the time a new campaign was launched every 6 months and focussed on promoting what people don’t like about other banks rather than focussing on what made the Bank of Queensland different. All of these campaigns failed to have an impact.

By 2010 a new campaign was launched by Brand Council that took almost two years to prepare for. It put the owner managers in the

35

spotlight in all advertising and focussed on local marketing and local people. It became about putting that person’s face in front of the brand rather than behind it. The owner managers were the face of the bank in their regions and the Bank of Queensland became about real people. As a result the Bank of Queensland:

• Increased personal and business openings by 12%.• Increased their personal service score by 9% year on year.• Became the #1 bank known for the “Owner Manager”.• The percentage of customers likely to recommend the bank went

from 28% in 2008 to 48% in 2011 (net promoter score).

The campaign went on to win numerous industry accolades and continues to maintain its presence as a

Consultants and Solopreneurs

If you’re already being hired as an expert, Personal Branding is now about how can your leverage your positioning and thought leadership. This is about creating an insurance policy around your profile so that when times are quieter, you can do direct approaches to market that don’t feel sales-y.

Case Study:Kylie Chown, Master Resume Writer, www.kyliechown.com.au

Why did you decide to use your name as your business name over any other name?

When I was working under a business name I found that it was hard work to find and secure new clients. After having coaching with Jane, I decided to rebrand

using my name and everything became so much easier. Since working using my name as my business name, I feel like the business is more of an extension of me. I can work in a way that aligns with my values and attributes. This means I attract and can work with the clients I like to work with!

Chapter 3: Why Now?


How do you know that has been a great decision?

It has saved me time, money and I get to work with my ideal client. When I started my business I was using a company name. I found that I was spending a lot of time and money on advertising like Google AdWords. I would get client enquiries, but the people who called me just seemed to be interested in the price – the cheapest price! It was a very transactional service. I spent a lot of time trying (often unsuccessfully) to convert sales calls from clients who weren’t my ideal client.

Since rebranding to using my own name, I am attracting my ideal client – a client who wants to work more collaboratively and is much more interested in their return on their investment, not just the price. I can easily go the extra mile if needed without it impacting on other clients.

When a potential client calls now I don’t need to sell them on price (which is a good thing because I was not particularly good at it anyway), I can talk about how I can help them. I am saving money as I am not paying for advertising and saving time as the clients I talk to understand me and my service before we even talk, and want to work with me. I have more collaborative relationships with clients and have a much strong referral client base.

What advice would you give someone who is feeling nervous about putting themselves out there in the business world under their name?

I was nervous too – although it might not seem like it now, it really does make things easier.

Before, when I was working under my business name, I found sales were harder as it was more price driven. Now, I feel like clients are more confident in me. Sometimes they have decided they want to work with me before we even talk - I don’t need to “sell”. The trust factors is so much higher than before and this makes securing new clients so much easier! It is also easier to add in / change services – with a company

37

name I was tied to one area, but working under my name, I can add to / change my services to meet client’s needs.

I get a lot more referral clients as well, I have spent a lot of time and money on certifications lately and feel that these are viewed with more weight by clients since changing from working under my company name.

How do you leverage your personality to retain clients, staff and attract potential ones?

One of the main things about working under my own name is that it has been easier to build relationships as people are connecting with me as a person.

I think one of the great values of working under your own name is that you can be authentic, and I believe that clients appreciate that. I find I get more direct approaches as people can find out about me before we even talk.

Because I am working under my name in a way that aligns with my own values and personality, I am connecting with people that are similar to me and are very easy for me to work with.

If you had your time again what would you do differently?

I would have done it sooner.

As a Country

“To become an academic expert takes years of studying. Academic experts are experts in how and what others have done. They use case studies and

observation to understand a subject.”~ Simon Sinek

The challenge as a nation is the belief that we have choice when we hear, “Well, there aren’t that many jobs out there so I have to just take when I can get.” As Australians, we often don’t take action until things get

Chapter 3: Why Now?


really bad. As mentioned earlier, we have a “she’ll be right” attitude. As a nation we have a lot to offer the global economy, but our “Tall Poppy” culture will hold our productivity back as a nation.

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but there has been an increase in the expertise field of late. Ever since the American Idol franchise and with reality TV launched, there has been a rise in the words “coach,” “mentor” and “expert,” so we’re now seeing more shows like:

• Masterchef• Coaches for X Factor• Gordon Ramsay

Many years ago, people like Brian Tracy, Bob Proctor, Zig Zigler, Larry Wilson and Jack Canfield were the dominant forces in authority marketing. That is they were speakers, writers, authors, coaches, mentors and experts in professional and personal development. They were the leaders in packaging their expertise in a way that people would buy. The only way to do this was to build massive databases, products and direct marketing, which required a lot of investment.

Nowadays, regardless of what your background is, you too can become an expert or authority. A new era of marketing has become prominent in the age of social media and that is one of Authority Marketing. You are an expert in something, whether it be accounting, running small business, systems, efficiency. You have some kind of expertise that someone out there wants.

With advances in technology, it means that you have become more accessible to people. You can build your blog, podcast, social media content strategy, products, webinars, coaching, mentoring, training and speaking business. The funnels of income are so broad and the medium now exists to do this easily through social media channels. It has naturally been the next step from the barrage on information and content.

And you don’t have to do it all on your own. Sites like www.expert360.com, www.popexpert.com, www.elance.com, www.odesk.com

39Chapter 3: Why Now?

and www.guru.com have turned up and you can now tap into almost anyone’s expertise around the world. You can learn from an award-winning flamenco Guitarist in Spain or be coached by a strategy expert in New York, all because the technology exists to do so.

I recently spoke with someone who had their business logo designed by a senior executive at a global branding firm who had listed himself on oDesk. He said he often missed getting his hands dirty and working on the frontline, so he occasionally pitched to do projects he found interesting on the side. He didn’t give up his day job, he simply included a way to make money off his skill and ability through a distribution channel that would not normally be available or affordable to the average person.

In the United States, Brendan Bouchard has created the Experts Academy, teaching people how to package and sell their expertise. Matt Church in Australia has created Thought Leaders Global to help people package and sell their expertise and is rolling out globally.

So what does all this mean and have to do with branding?

Branding is a way to stand out and one of the ways we’re seeing that happen is with the “rise of the expert”. Experts show up as mentors and coaches and masters at what they do. You can find them here:

• Expert360.com: A website where MBA graduate consultants apply to be listed for global consulting work. The site acts as a broker for services.

• Fiverr.com: A website where talented people will do a variety of things from design business cards to websites, all for five dollars.

• oDesk.com: A variety of people from around the world will do whatever you need from web development, blog writing, book keeping, administration support for a project or on an ongoing basis.

• Elance.com: Much like oDesk, these are people who sell their skills in either an ongoing or project capacity.

The great thing about building expert status is that you can do it while


you’re still in an organisation and have job security. The only challenge is getting the organisation to get over the fear that you might leave.

The reality is that not every organisation has the ability to help every person to feel like they’re achieving their potential, so finding ways to support employees and help them achieve their potential and stay in the organisation can actually be possible. In fact, the organisation can benefit by showcasing how they are committed to developing talent within the organisation to this level and use it as a PR exercise.

A good example of this is Trudi Grant, Partner and Surface Lead at Microsoft and a mentor at Thought Leaders Global. Trudi works for Microsoft as an executive and has been involved in the thought leader’s movement. She promotes thought leadership in Microsoft by delivering thought leadership mentoring for internal thought leadership and building the profile of leaders within organisations. She speaks at conferences and events on her field of expertise and, as a bonus, makes Microsoft stand out!

Another relevant thought leader is Bernard Salt. He is the founder of the consulting firm KPMG. He is a demographer and futurist and through his brand has essentially become the rainmaker for the firm. He is an author and speaker regularly featured on television and at conferences around the world.

How People Find You

When I first started working with my mentor I remember thinking, “Where on Earth have you been for the last four years?” I wish that I knew he existed. I didn’t know about him or his business. He just kept within his stream of current clients but didn’t do very much social media marketing.

For a Gen Y/X like me, that’s where I hang out, so why did it take me so long to hear about him? It wasn’t until someone who was being mentored by him reached out to have a coffee with me to learn more about what I do. He told me about his mentoring and I went, “Wow, that’s exactly what I’m after.”

41Chapter 3: Why Now?

So, from a sales perspective, times have changed. We have moved into an era of the information superhighway. The challenge with this model is that there is so much information and marketing that, unless you really know what you need, it can be hard to know what do to with it all. So you either procrastinate and do nothing, or buy what you think you need and then waste it because it wasn’t really what you were after. Cut-through is so important to connect with the right buyer for your business or for a recruiter.

Due to oversupply of content and information, it’s become harder to work out the age old question: who can help me solve this problem? My experience is that people do the following when needing help, whether they’re aware of it or not:

Figure 3.1: How People Find You.

There are really two key overarching messages that need to be taken away from this graph:

1. One is the message of how to use your Personal Brand to PULL, or magnetize, people to you.

2. The other is to PUSH and get in front of the right people.

So here, then, is a comparison of the Push and Pull philosophies:

IMPACT: How to Build Your Personal Brand in the Connection Economy42

The Pull Method

In the Pull Method, this is typically what happens:

1. Someone needs help.2. They ask around, they do a Google search, they put up a request to

their LinkedIn or Facebook connections, etc.3. After learning about you, they go to your website or LinkedIn

Profile and look at your photo while scanning your title and profile description for various keywords that matter to them. If those aren’t there, they typically leave your profile without acting/reaching out.

This information is relevant in a Network or Search and you require good Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, in your LinkedIn and website to get this to work. So stand out in your website or profile using the Pull method, follow these three simple steps:

1. First impressions count. You need instant rapport and trust on your landing page, i.e. wherever you typically send them from your profile, blog posts, articles, social media, etc. The basic “fight or flight” response will kick in immediately. This new information is processed in less than three seconds.

2. The second most popular page on your website will be your “About us” page. If you’re in the people business (ie. a service-based business) your customer is buying you first, not your product.

3. Storytelling has incredible pull power provided it is in the right spot. The key is to match the emotions in the story to match the emotion in the buyer. Depending on how relevant your story is to each of the offers you have, you may use it in your “About Us” page. Alternatively, if you have shorter relevant stories you might use them within some of the product pages.

So, that’s the Pull method. Now lets’ examine the Push.

43

The Push Method

In a push strategy you would typically do the following:

Soft Push Hard Push

Networking: In this case, if you have good networks, you have better clout so you don’t need to rely on your collateral as much. You need to have a good sense for what people know and say about you.

Educate: Content management, blogging, speaking, writing, commenting, etc. In this case it’s a blend of Push and Pull. You draw people in as you share and educate. The more you can use the Pull Method, the more the client or customer will feel in control of the decision.

Awareness: Networking, face-to-face online speaking.

Targeted Approaches on LinkedIn: Search and connect, direct in mails.

Referrals: This is when you have asked if they know of someone who you might be able to help and they have given you their details.

Follow up: Follow up after meeting somewhere online or face to face. This is a direct approach with a specific purpose in mind to do business.

The main thing to keep in mind with the Push Method is that you will still be validated. People will still try to find you online to check out you’re who they’ve said you are, if you know someone they know. So a Pull strategy is still very much part of the Push process.

I believe businesses now need to leverage their team’s networks to build the awareness of what they do to cover all angles. Accessibility, visibility and continuity is key.

If you’re thinking about branding for your teams at an organisational

Chapter 3: Why Now?

IMPACT: How to Build Your Personal Brand in the Connection Economy44

level then the challenge is to thinking both like a marketer and a human resource manager. So if you’re in either of these departments you need to think like the other. Personal Branding is the conduit that brings these two departments together. It is a two way street- the brand lives through its people and customer experiences. Vice versa, the people in your organisation can now be at the forefront and your brand lives and breathes through them. If you don’t take control of your Personal Brand then someone else will. If you donlt take control you will become a commodity like toothpaste on a supermarket shelf and blending into a sea of fluoride. The only thing that will stand out is your price. Remember, people buy from people and they buy from people they know, like and trust. This book is about taking you from being someone forgotten about to someone people love and recommend!

Coaching Questions:

• How well do you think you attract clients to you?• What activities are you doing to push your message to your

audience?• What are the trigger events that make people need your help?

Documents

JANE ANDERSON · the baker in town became Tom Baker, and the Blacksmith, whose name was Billy, became Billy Blacksmith, and while the cook called Mary became Mary Cook. And so the