Editor’s Note

By Peter Sterlacci

“Remember, ask not what your network will do for you”

William Arruda always reminds us, “Ask not what your network will do for you.” While these words seem simple on the surface we tend to forget to take them at heart. Personal branding is really about “giving” and not “taking”. Our brand credibility and visibility shines if we follow the advice of great people.

• “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill
• “For it is in the giving that we receive.” — St. Francis of Assisi
• “Give, but give until it hurts.” — Mother Teresa

Being Editor of a newsletter can be a demanding role. Given my other duties running my own business, being a family man, and sneaking in my bicycle rides, it can ‘hurt’ to meet 2 publication deadlines per month. Yet I am always motivated to give back to a community that has given so much to me. Just writing this column and preparing this next issue for you puts a huge smile on my face!

YOUnique has always been about giving back to you, the personal branding community. Our regular authors give their time to contribute amazing content in each issue. Actually, they make my job easier and I am grateful for their hard work.

I want to now expand this reach by announcing the start of a new column called “And Now a Word From…” This column will feature insight, ideas, and pearls of wisdom from a new author each month — people who are committed to personal branding and empowering others to embrace their unique promise of value for career and life success.

If you would like to give back, please contact me at peter at reachcc dot com and join the community of YOUnique Givers in this new column. Do not worry, I am not asking you to give until it hurts — just until it puts a smile on your face!

Thanks for reading, sharing, and giving!

Peter Sterlacci

Peter Sterlacci, founder of BeYB – Believe. Become. Be Your Brand, combines personal branding strategy with cycling imagery to empower on-the-move careerists in global companies in Japan to shift gears, get out of the saddle, and sprint to career success.

Getting a Handle on Your Finances for Career Change

Career change can require additional expenditures for professional development, joining professional associations, technical equipment, resume development and a myriad of other items. Add to that the worry about not knowing where you are heading, what type of salary you can make, and when you actually land and start collecting a paycheck. Here are a few things to do to help you prepare for the financial effects of this time of transition:

1. Know what you’re getting into: Find out how much you can make in your new career by checking www.salary.com, www.salaryexpert.com, and www.payscale.com. Also, talk to professionals in your desired field to determine what salaries are available and what the long-term prospects are for compensation and advancement.
2. Make a realistic budget: Start tracking your current expenses, and determine where you could tighten your belt. Then, start working at accumulating a three- to six-months cash cushion. Consider setting aside additional funds in case your reinvention period takes longer than expected. Taking on extra work (overtime, part-time job) could help you build up your savings.
3. Plan for training expenses: Estimate how much you’ll need to spend for training and professional development. Ask those in your target field how much they spent on training, and research professional associations in your new field to determine how much they charge for training and certificate programs.
4. Don’t overlook additional expenses: Membership in professional associations, attending professional conferences, and technology equipment and training all are potential extra expenses that you must plan for, as they can be essential for transitioning to that new occupation. Make sure you haven’t forgotten to plan for medical expenses that can be costly if you are between careers and coverage.
5. Take some extra credit: Consider obtaining a line of credit while you are employed in your present job and have steady income. This might help relieve some stress and will help you feel more comfortable knowing that you have emergency funds available.

Randi Bussin, a Career Reinvention strategist, guides executives and business owners towards a renewed sense of direction, an actionable career reinvention and personal branding plan.

Personal Brand Book Reviews
By Paul Copcutt
Wondering if you should read “that” book? A seasoned personal brand strategist offers his in depth reviews.

 
 Steve Jobs.

© 2011 by Walter Isaacson, 630 pages, Hardback

Steve Jobs

 

Steve Jobs’ Branding Manifesto

1. Focus
2. Do not sell
3. Launch
4. Memorable Messaging
5. Go one step further
6. Impressive service

5R Score: 28/35

On a scale of 1-7

• Relevance — is it right for personal branding? — 5
• Resonance — does it make sense to the reader? — 5
• Relation — is there a connection for everyone? — 5
• Remarkability — does it stand out, will it get noticed? — 6
• Real — does the personal brand come through? — 7

Would you pick it up?

At first glance you might think this a strange choice for a personal branding book review. However, Steve Jobs’ personal brand was the key factor in developing and growing the Apple product brand and ultimately the corporate brand has his stamp all over it – at least for now.

Another one for the must read list. The impact that the products and services from Apple have in our lives make this a fascinating read. It will appeal at all levels for all types – careerists, entrepreneurs, junior, senior and certainly for personal brand leadership.

Relevance:

Obviously being a biography, much of this book is all about personal leadership, which ultimately is Steve Jobs’ leadership brand. Before reading this book, your insight into his brand is likely from his public displays at product launches. Upon finishing the book, you will know him intimately – the author held nothing back, which apparently was Jobs wish.

This is as much a book that helps you understand the impact of negative brand attributes as much as positive. Jobs was by nearly all accounts a difficult person to deal with but his vision, passion and focus were the drive behind much of Apple’s and Pixar’s success.

Resonance:

Like me, you may be shocked when reading the accounts about how he dealt with people. It likely is not going to be the style you want to adopt for your brand. But many of the challenges he faced in business and life will resonate.

The brand manifesto list at the top of the article is what I gleaned from the book. While these are really focused at his approach to product development, they can easily be applied to your personal brand.

Relation:

The lessons from this book can be useful to anyone at any level. For those looking to develop their leadership style, this can be a manual for the right and wrong things to do in business.

Also for those of you with soon to be college and university children, this is a great book to pass on – although Jobs dropping out of school is probably not the message you want to send there are many other good take ways.

Remarkability:

I was impressed with the level and depth of this book. I am sure it will be an award winner. It was not written for personal branding or product branding, but in the end it can easily be a reference book for both.

Real:

In the plastic world of celebrity branding we can easily believe that we really know a brand by what we see. Steve Jobs would never have called himself a celebrity, in fact his minimalist lifestyle was in many ways anti-celebrity.

By reading this book I really feel that I know him as well as many of my clients, or actually even better! This book offers a rare and in-depth insight into one of the icons of the latter 20th and early 21st century – a genius for sure, but also many other things – some not so nice!

Paul Copcutt, Personal Brand Architect, is a sought after speaker and coach who uses real client stories and practical applications to help successful professionals and executives get clear about their uniqueness.

Commercial Break
By William Arruda
What can personal branders learn from TV advertisements? Take a break and take a peak.

L’Odyssee de Cartier

I love this commercial because: Quality. This is an extremely expensive, extremely well done, cinema quality ad. It is three minutes long. Clearly, it took a lot of Cartier’s marketing resources to create something so beautiful – and consistent with the brand. I also like the shots of Rue de la Paix in Paris – one of the most beautiful streets in the world – and one that I passed every day walking from my apartment to my gym when I lived in Paris.

This ad and YOUR personal brand: When marketing your brand, decide if it’s better to focus a major amount of your marketing resources on one high-quality initiative rather than squander your resources among many different (potentially less impactful) activities.

Community News
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Coming Soon: Ditch. Dare. Do! by William Arruda and Deb Dib
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Ditch. Dare. Do! will be published soon. Register to be notified when it’s available!

Privacy Notice: Your email information will never be shared with others.

Personal branding is increasingly recognized as a must-have skill in every executive and employer tool kit, providing—to both employees and employers—the sense of stability, empowerment, value-creation, and recognition so critical to success in an increasingly volatile marketplace. Yet, until now, there has been no definitive guide to personal branding from these combined perspectives.

Ditch. Dare. Do!, by Personal Branding Guru William Arruda and CEO Coach Deb Dib, is the quick-start guide and deep-dive instruction manual every executive and employer needs to leverage the power of personal branding. This groundbreaking book is designed for people who are serious about building their careers, professionals who seek to align who they are with what they do and how they do it, and companies that are serious about retaining and growing the best talent.

Ditch. Dare. Do! challenges long-held assumptions and habits, daring the reader with a ‘ditch’ (a mindset that must be shattered), a ‘dare’ (a challenge to up their game), or a ‘do’ (a critical action that must be taken to ensure success). Readers who take on these challenges will advance their careers, support the corporate brand, and deliver greater value to their companies.

Acknowledging the impact of Web 2.0, texting, Twitter, and the perennial distractions of multi-tasking, Ditch. Dare. Do! is deliberately bold and brief—a series of powerful stand-alone two-page vignettes of relevant, actionable, fun and fast tips covering all aspects of personal “career branding.” Together the collection creates a comprehensive roadmap for career success and fulfillment in the new and exciting world of work.

Ditch. Dare. Do! is the definitive (and irreverent) career and corporate success guide for defining, aligning, and living the power of brand!
 

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Join one of the upcoming Reach Personal Branding Certification Programs
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We’ve added a June 360Reach Certification training and a June CPBS Certification to our roster of upcoming courses!

Now is a great time to invest in Reach Certification! You be working on your own brand and ready with new, high-value offerings for your clients. Plus, our programs are approved for ICF continuing education units!
 

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Subscribe to William Arruda’s YouTube Channel!
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If you’re not already subscribed, head over to YouTube and become a subscriber to William Arruda’s YouTube channel. Please share it with your friends, associates, and clients too.

Thanks and see you there!
 

Strengths and Weaknesses

If you have heard me speak about personal branding, you know that I talk a lot about maximizing strengths. Strong brands become known by the things they can do better than anyone else.

Of course, it’s not all about strengths. If you have weaknesses that will impede your success, you need to resolve them.

I used Reach’s most popular tool – 360Reach – to learn about my brand (I do this every couple of years or so) – and in particular – my strengths and weaknesses. I wanted to see how my brand has changed since my last 360Reach report.

From the 360Reach feedback I received, I learned that one of my greatest strengths – my interest in creating new things – is also one of my greatest weaknesses — I am spread too thin and have too many things going on at the same time. This makes me less focused and less available. Clearly, I need to resist the temptation to constantly create new things and spend more time on fewer activities!

Because I use 360Reach with all my clients so they can get external feedback about their brand, I have seen this before. Sometimes, when we overuse a strength, it can be perceived as a weakness.

So, I am going to work on this in 2012. If you see me looking scattered, over-committed and in ‘new idea’ mode, give me a nudge so I can refocus!

Here is a link to a blog post with the top ten things I took away from my 360Reach assessment.

And if you want to see my complete, unedited 360Reach report, I posted it here – the good, the bad and the ugly!

Personal Branding Across Cultures
By Marcela Jenney-Reyes
How does personal branding “translate” around the globe in other cultures?

Getting to lands far, far away.

Whether you are trying to create your brand at home or beyond your borders, there is one essential fact: you must have an online presence, no matter where you are.

As a professional, you have to protect your online reputation, as it influences the decision-making process of your clients. You are being “watched” online. If you don’t exist on Google, chances are you won’t go very far – and even less if your target market is not at home. Google is the most commonly used search engine in the world. Being on the first pages of a Google search will definitely have an impact on your brand. However, people trying to communicate their brand across cultures, besides having a multilingual website, need to be aware that the results may differ from one geographical region to another. When individuals in other regions of the world “Google” for information, the results shown by Google are generally limited to their particular regions. This isn’t good if you are trying to reach beyond your borders into those regions. If you want your website or blog to be targeted to a very specific region, or to show content specific for that geographical location, Google offers a tool called “Geotargeting” to improve the positioning of your brand on the web.

This tool allows you to aim your content at target users in the geographical locations you want to reach, especially when you have a generic domain, like “dot com.” The quality of the search results in the country or region where you or your brand is being “Googled” are then significantly improved. “Tell me where you appear in Google results and I’ll tell you who you are.” In many ways you can no longer be successful unless you are visible. The more visibility you have, the more respect and credibility you will acquire, even “in lands far, far away.”

Marcela Jenney-Reyes is a global marketing expert, business coach and consultant with over 20 years of experience. Her clients include language service providers, entrepreneurs and business professionals from culturally diverse backgrounds.

And Now a Word from…
By Kimberly Bordonaro
A periodic column featuring posts from Certified Reach Personal Brand Strategists.

How to Connect with Industry Celebrities to Grow Your Brand

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to network with influencers with such finesse – gaining exposure credibility, and priceless connections — even if they were unknown to begin with? Find out how you can do it, too!

Perhaps you feel like Billy Joel in his hit song “Uptown Girl”. You want to genuinely win over the ‘out-of-your-league super model’ of your industry, but how can do it without looking like a creep?

“But maybe someday when my ship comes in, she’ll understand what kind of guy I’ve been. And then I’ll win.”

My clients and colleagues often ask me how I connect with A-list industry leaders with such ease. Is there some covert trick they don’t know?

Now, I’m not a name dropper, but I’ll give you an idea of what this level of networking has done for me and my brand in the past few months alone. Since February, I’ve connected with six of my “celebrity crushes” through the power of social media, resulting in:

• Great conversations with major players in my surrounding industries
• A shout out on Twitter for my article “The Beastie Boys Guide to Brand Storytelling” that blew up my blog traffic in 1 hour and increased my newsletter opt-in list by 15%
• A number of invitations to meet over coffee or lunch to get to know each other better
• Resources and introduction offers to help me land a book deal I am currently working on
• Agreements to appear as a guest expert on my monthly branding workshops

The truth is anyone can get their “Uptown Girl” by reaching out to the key people in your industry and using key do’s and don’ts to networking savvy.

The 10 Do’s and Don’ts of Connecting with Influencers:

1. Do be strategic. Identify the people with whom you’d like to connect with and why.
2. Don’t be manipulative. No-one likes an insincere person and will see right through your game.
3. Do your research. Find out who they are on personal level (hobbies, interests, causes, etc.) by visiting their blog and following their social media accounts.
4. Don’t wing it. Asking obvious questions is annoying and wastes everyone’s time.
5. Do have confidence. Poise yourself as a peer to gain respect.
6. Don’t be a blubbering idiot. Mention you are a fan but don’t go overboard or act foolish.
7. Do be helpful. Find ways that you can help advance their goals, be a resource, or add value for them or their audience.
8. Don’t be a leach. Asking for favors, exposure, or having preconceived expectations is a major turnoff.
9. Do be persistent. Influencers are busy and don’t always respond immediately. It’s okay to respectfully follow-up.
10. Don’t be a stalker. Use common sense: don’t be annoying or pushy, and know when to back off.

Kimberly Bordonaro is a personal branding consultant who teaches BrandspirationTM to creative entrepreneurs on how to define their brand and rock their success. She regularly blogs about branding with a lyrical twist.

Click on the microphone to download the interview >>>

The world is experiencing an increasingly volatile marketplace forcing significant change for both employees and employers. What could possibly offer both executives and those they lead the sense of stability, empowerment, value-creation, and recognition in this environment?

Personal Branding.

Most executives and employers who are serious about building their careers, have accepted this truth but they may find themselves struggling with how to live the power of their personal brand. They need a relevant, actionable, fun and fast career success guide that teaches them how to live their brand.

Look no further…your troubles have been solved!

Ditch. Dare. Do! is the quick-start guide and deep-dive instruction manual every executive and employer needs to leverage the power of personal branding. Deliberately bold and brief, Ditch. Dare. Do! is a series of powerful stand-alone two-page vignettes that create a comprehensive roadmap for career success and fulfillment in the new and exciting world of work.

Usually William Arruda, founder of Reach Personal Branding, is the one asking all the tough questions. But this interview will be a bit different. The Reach Personal Branding Interview taking place Thursday, April 19, 2012 at noon EST, William will be the one answering the questions! He and Deb Dib, co-authors of Ditch. Dare. Do! will share with us some personal branding secrets from their soon to be released book: Ditch. Dare. Do! Personal Branding GPS for 3-D Executive Success.

In this interview, which will be recorded, you will learn:

• How adopting a “Ditch. Dare. Do!” mindset drives 3-D executive success.
• Why continuous mind-shifting is so necessary for career success today—and how 3-D branding can help.
• Why “Ditches, Dares, and Dos!” are career propulsion for all executives—from innovation leaders to risk-averse traditionalists.
• Strategies even the busiest executives can use to create and execute a 3-D brand plan as their personal GPS for executive success.
• Why 3-D branding is good business for companies and teams.
• How coaches can use these concepts to help their clients increase success.

BIO: Deb Dib

Deb Dib, often called the career industry’s Resident Trend-spotter and Chief Innovation Officer, is an unabashedly ‘disruptive’ and passionate personal branding and career communications expert.

A Reach Certified Personal Branding Strategists since 2004, Deb pairs proven Reach methodology with her innovative ‘bold, brief, and branded’ career-comm to help colleagues and clients answer today’s mantra: ‘So what? Make me care! Do it fast!’

Deb is the co-author (with William Arruda) of Ditch. Dare. Do! 3D Branding for Executives, the first recipient of the Dick Bolles/Career Management Alliance Parachute Award, and winner of Career Directors International’s Career Innovation award (for co-authoring The Twitter Job Search Guide). She is the co-creator (with Susan Whitcomb) of The Academies’ Get Clear. Get Found. Get Hired! Coach program (The G3) and Why-Buy-ROI™ branding. She is the founder of C-Suite Career Catalysts, a consortium of top career pros focusing on C-level careers and issues.

Deb holds nine certifications and is featured in 30+ career books. Her advice has appeared in articles in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Daily News, Newsday, Forbes.com, Money.com, and BusinessWeek.com among others.

BIO: William Arruda

Dubbed the Personal Branding Guru by Entrepreneur magazine, William Arruda is the founder and President of Reach, the world’s leading personal branding consultancy with representatives in 30 countries. He is credited with turning the concept of personal branding into a global industry. One of the most sought-after speakers on career management and executive success, he has delivered hundreds of keynotes to audiences of five to five thousand throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. His corporate clients include Adobe, BP, British Telecom, IBM, L’Oreal, JPMorgan, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley and Starwood Hotels.

His private clients include some of the world’s most influential leaders. As a thought-leader, William is a spokesperson on personal branding and social media. He has appeared on BBC TV, the Discovery Channel and Fox News Live and he has been featured in countless publications, including Forbes, Strategies (France), Time Magazine, Veja (Brazil), the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. William is the author of the bestselling book, Career Distinction, and the upcoming book, Ditch. Dare. Do! He has lived in Boston, London and Paris and now calls New York City home.

LINKS:

Ditch. Dare. Do! Website: www.ditchdaredo.com

1st and Largest Multimedia Personal Branding Resource on the Web: www.personalbranding.tv

Deb’s Website: www.executivepowerbrand.com

William’s Website: www.williamarruda.com

DOWNLOAD HANDOUT: http://360rea.ch/HVapor

Audio File Now Available: DOWNLOAD INTERVIEW NOW

If you would like to sponsor an upcoming Reach Interview, please send an email to advertising@reachcc.com.

Community News
—————————————-
Coming Soon: Ditch. Dare. Do! by William Arruda and Deb Dib
—————————————-
 

Ditch. Dare. Do! will be published soon. Register to be notified when it’s available!

Privacy Notice: Your email information will never be shared with others.

Personal branding is increasingly recognized as a must-have skill in every executive and employer tool kit, providing—to both employees and employers—the sense of stability, empowerment, value-creation, and recognition so critical to success in an increasingly volatile marketplace. Yet, until now, there has been no definitive guide to personal branding from these combined perspectives.

Ditch. Dare. Do!, by Personal Branding Guru William Arruda and CEO Coach Deb Dib, is the quick-start guide and deep-dive instruction manual every executive and employer needs to leverage the power of personal branding. This groundbreaking book is designed for people who are serious about building their careers, professionals who seek to align who they are with what they do and how they do it, and companies that are serious about retaining and growing the best talent.

Ditch. Dare. Do! challenges long-held assumptions and habits, daring the reader with a ‘ditch’ (a mindset that must be shattered), a ‘dare’ (a challenge to up their game), or a ‘do’ (a critical action that must be taken to ensure success). Readers who take on these challenges will advance their careers, support the corporate brand, and deliver greater value to their companies.

Acknowledging the impact of Web 2.0, texting, Twitter, and the perennial distractions of multi-tasking, Ditch. Dare. Do! is deliberately bold and brief—a series of powerful stand-alone two-page vignettes of relevant, actionable, fun and fast tips covering all aspects of personal “career branding.” Together the collection creates a comprehensive roadmap for career success and fulfillment in the new and exciting world of work.

Ditch. Dare. Do! is the definitive (and irreverent) career and corporate success guide for defining, aligning, and living the power of brand!
 

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Join one of the upcoming Reach Personal Branding Certification Programs
—————————————-
 
We’ve added a June 360Reach Certification training and a June CPBS Certification to our roster of upcoming courses!

Now is a great time to invest in Reach Certification! You be working on your own brand and ready with new, high-value offerings for your clients. Plus, our programs are approved for ICF continuing education units!
 

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Subscribe to William Arruda’s YouTube Channel!
—————————————-
 

If you’re not already subscribed, head over to YouTube and become a subscriber to William Arruda’s YouTube channel. Please share it with your friends, associates, and clients too.

Thanks and see you there!
 

Editor’s Note

By Peter Sterlacci

“If it ain’t broke….”

Hello from Japan, or maybe I should say ‘Konnichiwa’! I am THRILLED to join the Reach Team as the new Editor-in-Chief of YOUnique. When William Arruda announced earlier this year that Rachel Gogos was passing the YOUnique baton after her 4 years as Editor, I dreamed of that baton being passed to me. Well the baton is now in my hands and with this first column I am off and running as your new Editor-in-Chief.

Thank you Rachel for the amazing job you have done bringing YOUnique to where it is today. Thank you William for bringing me on board and welcoming me as part of the Reach Team. Finally, thank you to all of you, the readers of YOUnique for being part of our community and spreading the word.

My father always told me, “If it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it!” My goal as Editor is simple: continue to give you the BEST personal branding newsletter in the world while growing our community! In my mind, YOUnique is a finely tuned machine — like one of my favorite bicycles that shifts and pedals so smoothly. While initially you will not see too many changes, definitely expect some cool upgrades in the future. Stay tuned.

Please help me as I carry this baton. Let me know what you would like to see more or less of, and share your thoughts so that YOUnique continues to be insightful, inspiring, and, well, unique! Contact me anytime at peter at petersterlacci dot com with your ideas or just to say hello.

Thanks for reading and sharing!

Peter Sterlacci

Peter Sterlacci, founder of BeYB – Believe. Become. Be Your Brand, combines personal branding strategy with cycling imagery to empower on-the-move careerists in global companies in Japan to shift gears, get out of the saddle, and sprint to career success.

Understanding Your Values

1. Your values frame how you perceive yourself and others. They are the standards against which you measure your feelings and behaviors/activities, as well as the behaviors of others.

2. Values are closely tied to your career and life goals. Whether the choice is about a career, leisure activities, or even a spouse, values-based decision-making will more likely lead to a satisfactory outcome.

3. When your values are in conflict with each other, it becomes more difficult to make confident choices. Coping mechanisms, such as procrastination, may arise.

4. Your values are essential for “best-fit career” decision-making. They provide criteria for you to use as benchmarks when evaluating possible career choices.

5. Try to satisfy at least two or three of your most important values when you choose a career or job. However, do not make a career choice only based on values. Other critical components include your motivated skills, interests and passions, personality type, non-negotiable needs, and professional and life goals.

6. Decision-making without consideration of your values is likely to go awry. In fact career dissatisfaction often results from values conflicts in your job function (role) and work environment.

7. When your values are in conflict with your career, work situation, or other people, negative emotions, such as stress, anxiety, frustration, anger, and depression, can abound.

8. Your values tend to remain stable throughout your lifespan. But some values may be more important than others at certain times in your life because of your changing life situations and life roles.

9. There are two kinds of values: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic values, such as Creativity and Ability Utilization, are inherent in actual activities. Extrinsic values, such as Economic Rewards and Prestige, relate to the outcomes of activities. Most often we possess a mixture of intrinsic and extrinsic values.

10. Top-priority values may be satisfied through one role, such as in your job, or via multiple roles in all aspects of your life. For example, if Economic Rewards, Altruism, and Creativity are your top values, your job may fulfill Economic Rewards, a community service role may satisfy Altruism, and a fiction-writing hobby could provide opportunity for Creativity.

Susan Guarneri, Career Assessment Goddess and Reach Master Branding Strategist, can guide you to your best-fit career options and help you land your Dream Job.

Personal Brand Book Reviews
By Paul Copcutt
Wondering if you should read “that” book? A seasoned personal brand strategist offers his in depth reviews.

One Piece of Paper - The simple approach to powerful, personal leadership.

© 2011 by Mike Figliuolo, 237 pages, Hardback

One Piece of Paper – The simple approach to powerful, personal leadership.


The Leadership Maxims Approach

1. Leading Yourself
2. Leading the Thinking
3. Leading Your People
4. Leading a Balanced Life
5. Making it Real

5R Score: 30/35

On a scale of 1-7

• Relevance — is it right for personal branding? — 6
• Resonance — does it make sense to the reader? — 6
• Relation — is there a connection for everyone? — 6
• Remarkability — does it stand out, will it get noticed? — 6
• Real — does the personal brand come through? — 6

Would you pick it up?

This book is an early front-runner as my 2012 book of the year and carries one of my highest ever ratings. It’s both that good and I believe a must for anyone looking to work on and clearly define their personal leadership brand.
I actually chanced on picking it up. The sub-title ‘personal leadership’ was what had caught my eye as this is a hot topic at the moment for requests for my speaking services from Fortune 500 companies. Once I picked it up I could not put it down or stop recommending it to anyone prepared to listen!

Relevance:

This book is all about your personal leadership, which ultimately is your leadership brand. Although the author does not make any direct reference to personal branding, the book is liberally sprinkled with many of the approaches, exercises and discussions personal brand strategists have with leadership clients.

Certainly going forward for any client wanting to communicate their leadership brand to their team etc., I am going to add this to the ‘must read and implement’ list.

Resonance:

For those not familiar with the personal branding term or approach they do not have to worry. This book and the recommended approaches are intuitively evident. In fact, it is likely that a lot of your leadership maxims are already in place. It is more of a case of being consciously aware of them.

Once you have your maxims then sharing with others becomes the easy part and communication naturally flows. It really is a simple but highly effective approach.

Relation:

Whether you are in a people management position or not, you can still be a leader. So that makes this book even more useful and relevant. You do not have to wait for people to report to you to define your current or future leadership style.

This book might be especially useful for those aspiring to be leaders but feel it is a few years away. With your leadership maxims defined now you can be ahead of the game and even start trying them out in less risky environments away from work.

For those of you who are solopreneurs, it could prove to be invaluable in helping you to be clearer about your thought leadership.

Remarkability:

I really loved the simplicity of the book and approach. Imagine being able to explain your leadership philosophy on only one piece of paper! Like an over-blown business plan, your leadership does not have to be described in an impersonal, lengthy and ultimately boring document that ends up sitting on a shelf.

The one piece of paper concept makes it easy to share, post, and refer to anytime. You could even reduce it down in size and make a pocket version of it if you like. I love the simplicity and quick ease of use and relevance.

Real:

Mike shares his own leadership mantras at the end of the book. Throughout the book he gives many personal and client examples to support his points and share the value in his approach.

But as he points out these are not like the 10 commandments — they are not set in stone forever. They can and will change depending on many factors. That for me really makes this book realistic and the process workable and actionable.

Paul Copcutt, Personal Brand Architect, is a sought after speaker and coach who uses real client stories and practical applications to help successful professionals and executives get clear about their uniqueness.

Commercial Break
By William Arruda
What can personal branders learn from TV advertisements? Take a break and take a peak.

Volkswagen South Africa Memories

I love this ad because: VW is taking one of their most iconic and differentiated offerings and reminding us that they were behind it. The ad tells us to think ‘innovation’ when we think VW because they have been an innovative car company.

This ad and your personal brand: How can you remind your target audience of some of your accomplishments from the past and connect those accomplishments to the value you will deliver today and in the future?

Community News
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Coming Soon: Ditch. Dare. Do! by William Arruda and Deb Dib
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Ditch. Dare. Do! will be published soon. Register to be notified when it’s available!

Privacy Notice: Your email information will never be shared with others.

Personal branding is increasingly recognized as a must-have skill in every executive and employer tool kit, providing—to both employees and employers—the sense of stability, empowerment, value-creation, and recognition so critical to success in an increasingly volatile marketplace. Yet, until now, there has been no definitive guide to personal branding from these combined perspectives.

Ditch. Dare. Do!, by Personal Branding Guru William Arruda and CEO Coach Deb Dib, is the quick-start guide and deep-dive instruction manual every executive and employer needs to leverage the power of personal branding. This groundbreaking book is designed for people who are serious about building their careers, professionals who seek to align who they are with what they do and how they do it, and companies that are serious about retaining and growing the best talent.

Ditch. Dare. Do! challenges long-held assumptions and habits, daring the reader with a ‘ditch’ (a mindset that must be shattered), a ‘dare’ (a challenge to up their game), or a ‘do’ (a critical action that must be taken to ensure success). Readers who take on these challenges will advance their careers, support the corporate brand, and deliver greater value to their companies.

Acknowledging the impact of Web 2.0, texting, Twitter, and the perennial distractions of multi-tasking, Ditch. Dare. Do! is deliberately bold and brief—a series of powerful stand-alone two-page vignettes of relevant, actionable, fun and fast tips covering all aspects of personal “career branding.” Together the collection creates a comprehensive roadmap for career success and fulfillment in the new and exciting world of work.

Ditch. Dare. Do! is the definitive (and irreverent) career and corporate success guide for defining, aligning, and living the power of brand!
 

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Join one of the upcoming Reach Personal Branding Certification Programs
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We’ve added a June 360Reach Certification training and a June CPBS Certification to our roster of upcoming courses!

Now is a great time to invest in Reach Certification! You be working on your own brand and ready with new, high-value offerings for your clients. Plus, our programs are approved for ICF continuing education units!
 

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Subscribe to William Arruda’s YouTube Channel!
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If you’re not already subscribed, head over to YouTube and become a subscriber to William Arruda’s YouTube channel. Please share it with your friends, associates, and clients too.

Thanks and see you there!
 

Cha-Cha Changes at YOUnique:
So Long Rachel, Hello Peter.

It’s hard to believe that Rachel has been the YOUnique editor for FOUR YEARS. She took charge when we moved to the new format and did an amazing job of creating a valuable resource for people who are looking to increase their success through the power of personal branding. She recruited excellent writers, developed systems and processes for getting the newsletter out on-time, shared some of her own personal stories and just kept the whole thing going issue after issue. She has had a major impact on the Reach brand community and is a treasured resource at Reach. Happily, she will continue to share some of her ideas and wisdom occasionally as a guest writer.

Rachel’s real job is running brandiD, a digital marketing company she founded 4 years ago that does everything from personal branding to logo and web design all the way to social media management. She can help you take your brand from A to Z. So if you need some of that, Rachel will have more time to support you!

Peter Sterlacci – who is based in Japan – offered to take the reigns from Rachel. And I am thrilled to have someone living half a world away as the new editor of YOUnique. After all, ‘global’ is one of Reach’s brand attributes. I had the pleasure of meeting Peter when he came to an event in New York City where I was delivering a presentation. His enthusiasm for personal branding impressed me; so I was thrilled when he wanted to take on the Editor-in-Chief Role for YOUnique. Over time, Peter will make his mark on YOUnique. So if you have any ideas for how we can make YOUnique more valuable to you, please let Peter know.

Please join me in saying THANKS to Rachel and WELCOME to Peter.

So Long but not Farewell

By Rachel Gogos

Just a quick note to say thank you to YOUnique audience around the globe for reading and for your feedback that has helped us continue to improve YOUnique – it’s been a pleasure to build this newsletter over the last 4-years. Two people who work behind-the-scenes to help bring you YOUnique are Tara Kachaturoff and Regina Walton. Working with the Reach team is never dull. William has been a wonderful mentor as he and Reach continue to lead the way in creating personal branding programs with substance and a proven methodology, not only pioneering the industry but keeping it cutting edge.

Looking forward to continuing our “writing relationship.” Thanks for reading through the years.

Enjoy!

Rachel Gogos is the Chief Brand Builder at brandiD, a digital marketing and web design firm specializing in building unique, attention-getting, online identities through personal branding, social media, and highly differentiated WordPress sites.

Why Pinterest?

Why am I choosing to write about Pinterest on my “Web to Work” column? Simply because Pinterest is driving more traffic than Google and for someone in a job search, it may prove to give your resume a more three-dimensional view of proof of performance.

Pinterest is unlike the other social media platforms in that it is an interest graph, not a social graph. It gained 10 million unique visitors in a month faster than any other social media platform – Facebook included.

If you are not on Pinterest, I’ve included a screenshot of some of my boards. You want to make sure you can include eye-catching photographs that will entice someone to follow your board. I’ve seen people who have a board named, “Hire Me – Graphic Designer” with not only an infographic resume, but also pictures from websites that showcase their work.

Here are 5 tips for using Pinterest in a job search:

1. Fill out your Profile – click the arrow beside your name and select “Settings” to write a keyword-rich profile in the “About” section.
2. On your Settings page, give a website where a person can learn more about you. Don’t have a website? Put your LinkedIn URL, Twitter URL, DoYouBuzz online resume URL, or a link to an article you’ve published through Ezine Articles.
3. Use keyword-rich titles and words in the Board Titles and in your descriptions. Look at Google Keyword Tool and in several job announcements that interest you and if they apply to your background and experience, sprinkle those keywords in the title and description of your pins to help people find you.
4. Tie your Pinterest account to Twitter. At this time, Pinterest only ties to your personal Facebook page, so if your Facebook settings are on private, you won’t be capturing outside attention to your boards.
5. Try to get your real name as your user name (under “Settings”). My vanity URL for Pinterest is www.pinterest.com/KristenJacoway. If you can’t get your real name, try a variation such as Kristen_Jacoway or include something for which you are known after your name, such as KristenJacowayMD (don’t I wish).

Kristen Jacoway is the principal of Career Design Coach and authored the book, “I’m in a Job Search-Now What???”

Personal Branding Across Cultures
By Marcela Jenney-Reyes
How does personal branding “translate” around the globe in other cultures?

Share YOUR Story – Connect Through Your Bio

In the business world, we summarize our experience, qualifications, education, skill sets and any other important aspects of our professional life – and sometimes even our personal life in a document called a résumé or curriculum vitae. This document may vary from one culture to another in length, format, style, information presented, etc. Nevertheless, it is an important component of our marketing kit, regardless of the culture we are trying to target. However, this tool does not really highlight all those personal characteristics that make us different from others.

There is another piece that should be part of our marketing kit that we tend to underestimate but which can be very powerful. That is a biography or “bio.” In a few words, a bio is simply the story of our life. And since there is just one of us, our story is worth sharing with others. Stories are fascinating. Stories engage and connect us with our target market through purpose and passion. Human beings, no matter their cultural background — love stories. We grew up listening to stories. Stories, especially those from different cultures, often encourage an awareness of the similarities between ourselves and others as well as highlighting our differences. Stories can create a powerful visual imagery that makes us and our message memorable and compelling.

We all come from somewhere. We have a background, roots, past experiences, values, dreams, skills and personality characteristics that make us unique. There are no two of us exactly the same in this world, no matter where we come from. That’s quite amazing. So let your human side shine through your story. Your audience wants to find that special connection with you. And there is no better way to “connect” than by sharing your story.

Marcela Jenney-Reyes is a global marketing expert, business coach and consultant with over 20 years of experience. Her clients include language service providers, entrepreneurs and business professionals from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Community News
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Register for April 2, 2012 Information Call to Learn More About Our Training Programs
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Join us on Monday, April 2, 2012 at 12 noon Eastern for a 1 hour information call about our upcoming 360Reach Analyst Certification and Certified Personal Brand Strategist training programs which begin April 12th. William Arruda, the founder of Reach Personal Branding and the creator of the programs, and Kirsten Dixson, the program facilitator, will also discuss the trends in personal branding and how it will impact your coaching practice. The call will be recorded and a replay link sent out to all who sign up to attend. To register, visit http://www.reachtrainingprogams.com

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Join one of the upcoming Reach Personal Branding Certification Programs
—————————————-
 
We’ve added a June 360Reach Certification training and a June CPBS Certification to our roster of upcoming courses!

Now is a great time to invest in Reach Certification! You be working on your own brand and ready with new, high-value offerings for your clients. Plus, our programs are approved for ICF continuing education units!
 

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How To Be More Confident At Work on Forbes.com
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William Arruda is quoted in “How To Be More Confident At Work” on Forbes.com.
 

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Innovation in Action: Take a look at the ICF’s first video ad — and it’s from Reach!

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Please enjoy the latest edition of ICF Coaching World! Scroll to page 9 and take a look at our advertisement in the lower, right-hand corner! We’re featured as their very first video ad!
 

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7 Personal Branding Trends for Job Search in 2012 on TheLadders.com
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William Arruda has a new article on TheLadders.com: 7 Personal Branding Trends for Job Search in 2012. In this article he talks about how job hunters can give themselves an edge to attract the attention of recruiters and hiring managers!
 

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Subscribe to William Arruda’s YouTube Channel!
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If you’re not already subscribed, head over to YouTube and become a subscriber to William Arruda’s YouTube channel. Please share it with your friends, associates, and clients too.

Thanks and see you there!
 

Editor’s Note

By Rachel Gogos

Three Sizzling Hot Trends on the Web

Each day the web is becoming more information packed. Social media is crowded, contents in all shapes, colors and sizes exist, websites are a dime a dozen (maybe even cheaper) and YouTube has enough video content for some unfathomable calculation (ie: enough video footage to circle the globe 10 times).

So, how can you stand out on the web? How can you make a lasting impression? I recently returned from an amazing Internet marketing conference run by Yanik Silver and learned about the latest and greatest ways to build your brand online.

Gamification – It’s all the rage. Millions and millions of games are downloaded daily. Think of ways to make things fun and entertaining – it makes things more memorable. Think about your day – those customer loyalty cards you’re using at your local coffee shop – gamifying your latte!

Video – We’ve been talking about video a lot over the past two years. In fact PersonalBranding.TV was launched over two years ago! Use video people – it’s the best way to build your brand online because it’s as holistic as you can communicate on the web.

Mobile – The iPad 3was released yesterday. Sales for iPads are through the roof, and Android devices too. Tablets and phones of all kinds are outselling computers already. Make sure your online content is “mobile friendly.”

SEO – Here’s a little bonus for you. It was discussed at the conference and then again yesterday on a webinar with Chris Brogan and Lewis Howes – get on Google+ — it’s a fantastic way to build your SEO (search engine optimization) and build your brand in a very smart way.

If you would like to know more about any of these tools and trends drop me a note via email at rgogos at reachcc dot com or send me a tweet @RachelGogos.

Enjoy!

Rachel Gogos is the Chief Brand Builder at brandiD, a digital marketing and web design firm specializing in building unique, attention-getting, online identities through personal branding, social media, and highly differentiated WordPress sites.

10 Questions to Help You Tap into Your Interests and Passions

1. Think about what energizes you — do you enjoy working with people, data, animals or things?

2. Are you more of a thinker or a doer?

3. Are there any particular industries that attract you?

4. What do you love to do in your free time?

5. What were the classes or specific subjects you enjoyed the most in school? (These do not need to be the classes in which you received the highest grade!)

6. If you could go back to school to study a new field, what classes or topics are of interest to you now?

7. If you could do any job in your life, what would you most enjoy doing?

8. Is there an activity or a cause you have been involved in or with on a personal level?

9. Are there areas where your friends and family perceive you as an expert?

10. When you go to a bookstore, what types of books and magazines do you gravitate towards?

Randi Bussin, a Career Reinvention strategist, guides executives and business owners towards a renewed sense of direction, an actionable career reinvention and personal branding plan.