Personal Branding For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Book description

The simple guide to managing your personal brand, a vital element of success in the professional world

Personal Branding For Dummies, 2nd Edition, is your guide to creating and maintaining a personal trademark by equating self-impression with other people's perceptions. This updated edition includes new information on expanding your brand through social media, online job boards, and communities, using the tried and true methods that are the foundation of personal branding. Marketing your skills and personality, and showing the rest of the world who you are, gives you a competitive edge. Whether you're looking for your first job, considering changing careers, or just want to be more viable and successful in your current career, this guide provides the step-by-step information you need to develop your personal brand.

Distinguishing yourself from the competition is important in any facet of business, and the rise of personal branding has evolved specifically to help candidates stand out from the global talent pool. Establishing a professional presence with a clear and concise image, reputation, and status is a must, whether you're a new grad or an accomplished executive. Personal marketing has never been more important, and your personal brand should communicate the best you have to offer. Personal Branding For Dummies, 2nd Edition, leads you step by step through the self-branding process.

  • Includes information on how to know the "real" you

  • Explains how to develop a target market positioning statement

  • Helps you make plans for your personal brand communications

  • Instructs you with ways to make your mark on your brand environment

  • The book also discusses continued brand building, demonstrating your brand, and the 10 things that can sink your brand. A personal brand is more than just a business card and a resume. It should be exquisitely crafted to capture exactly the image you wish to project. Personal Branding For Dummies, 2nd Edition provides the information, tips, tricks, and techniques you need to do it right.

    Table of contents

      1. Introduction
        1. About This Book
        2. Foolish Assumptions
        3. Icons Used in This Book
        4. Beyond the Book
        5. Where to Go from Here
      2. Part I: Why Is Personal Branding Important?
        1. Chapter 1: Showing the World Who You Are
          1. Discovering Personal Branding
            1. Know your brand
            2. Communicate your brand
            3. Control your brand ecosystem
          2. Figuring Out Who You Really Are
            1. Shedding others’ ideas and expectations
            2. Getting to know the authentic you
            3. Knowing what you need
            4. Shaping your identity
            5. Considering your life circumstances
            6. Defining your meaning for success
            7. Heeding your call
          3. Owning the Business of You
            1. Spotting your target audience
            2. Identifying your competitors
            3. Synthesizing what you stand for
          4. Communicating Your Brand
            1. Telling your story
            2. Putting your identity in writing
            3. Tapping into social media
          5. Thriving in Your Brand Ecosystem
            1. Polishing your personal image
            2. Connecting with your network
            3. Living your brand at work
        2. Chapter 2: Appreciating the Power of Branding
          1. Eyeing Corporations: Your Initiation into the Purpose of Branding
            1. Realizing why companies invest so heavily in branding
            2. Crafting a positive, unique brand image
            3. Differentiating from competitors
            4. Connecting with customers emotionally
          2. Considering Elements of the Most Successful Corporate Brands
            1. Visual elements: Colors, fonts, and logos
            2. Language elements: Slogans and taglines
            3. Auditory elements: Songs and sounds that stick in your memory
          3. Examining How a Few Famous Brands Create Connections
            1. Disney princesses
            2. Apple
            3. Trader Joe’s
            4. Starbucks
            5. Target
          4. Embracing the Idea of Marketing Yourself
            1. Feeling confident that you can set yourself apart
            2. Seeing your market potential
            3. Investing upfront to reap benefits down the road
        3. Chapter 3: Case Studies in Personal Branding Success
          1. Measuring the Brands of Media and Business Moguls
            1. Oprah Winfrey
            2. Howard Stern
            3. Kathy Ireland
            4. Simon Cowell
          2. Studying How Sports Figures Brand Themselves
            1. Tony LaRussa
            2. Cal Ripken Jr.
            3. Shaquille O’Neal
          3. Creating an Entertaining Brand
            1. Lady Gaga
            2. Meryl Streep
          4. Putting Public Figures in the Spotlight
            1. Kate Middleton: The humble princess
            2. Jimmy Carter
            3. Barack Obama
            4. Brené Brown: The vulnerable brand
          5. Big League Executives: Mirroring a Corporate Brand with a Personal Brand
            1. Steve Jobs: “Think different”
            2. Mark Zuckerberg
          6. Watching Famous Personal Brands Take a Dive (And Sometimes Rebound)
            1. Joe Paterno
            2. Anthony Weiner
            3. Magic Johnson
            4. Martha Stewart
      3. Part II: Knowing Your Brand
        1. Chapter 4: Defining Who You Are
          1. Identifying What Matters to You
            1. Knowing your needs
            2. Defining your values
            3. Focusing on the things you love to do
            4. Determining your place in the world
            5. Outlining your vision: Taking your mission out into the world
          2. Realizing What You’re Naturally Good at: Your Strengths and Uniqueness
            1. Studying your strengths
            2. Remembering your weaknesses
            3. Analyzing your strengths and weaknesses (SWOT)
            4. Spotting your freak factor: What makes you unique
          3. Figuring Out What Else You Bring to the Table
            1. Letting your personality shine
            2. Highlighting your educational accomplishments
            3. Placing a value on your work experience
            4. Realizing what makes you proud
          4. Gaining a 360º View of Yourself
            1. The 360Reach assessment
            2. Conducting a self-analysis
            3. Asking for insights from friends and family
            4. Getting feedback on the job
            5. Reacting when people see you differently than you see yourself
          5. Bridging Who You Are and What You Want
            1. Setting goals to enhance your brand
            2. Investing in yourself
        2. Chapter 5: Spotting Your Target Audience
          1. Recognizing Who You’re Trying to Reach
            1. Imagining your ideal client or workplace
            2. Focusing on potential employers
            3. Using the ACE method
            4. Targeting future customers
            5. Keeping your eyes on the company you work for
          2. Researching Your Targets
            1. Searching for information online
            2. Going straight to the source (if possible)
            3. Attending conferences and trade shows
          3. Aligning Yourself with Your Target Market
            1. Catering to the psychographics and demographics of your market
            2. Appealing both rationally and emotionally
            3. Highlighting your benefits to your market
            4. Creating an emotional bond: Investing in relationships
          4. Developing a Target Market Positioning Statement
        3. Chapter 6: Knowing Your Niche — and Your Competitors
          1. Owning the Business — of You
            1. Identifying the sweet spot in which you want to compete
            2. Owning your niche
          2. Differentiating Your Brand
            1. Finding your potential competitors
            2. Determining how you and your competitors differ
          3. Understanding Contenders for Your Target Market
            1. Comparing, not competing, for the same dollars
            2. Overcoming your fears in the face of competition
            3. Defending your brand
            4. Asking for advice from colleagues
        4. Chapter 7: Crafting Your Personal Brand Profile
          1. Compiling Your Personal Brand Profile
            1. Gathering your stepping stones to success
            2. Creating a personal brand profile table
          2. Developing Your Unique Promise of Value and Personal Brand Statement
            1. Identifying your unique promise of value
            2. Moving from your promise to your personal brand statement
            3. Summing up your personal brand in a tagline
            4. Test-driving your personal brand
          3. Gearing Up for Your Personal Brand Strategy
            1. Figuring out the finances to take your brand to market
            2. Scheduling your successes
        5. Chapter 8: Writing Your Story
          1. Why People Like Stories
            1. Crossing all cultures
            2. Realizing how brains create and use stories
          2. Using Storytelling to Illustrate Your Life
            1. Finding the plot in your story
            2. Creating trust through stories
            3. Keeping gossip out of your brand
            4. Making your story memorable
          3. Crafting Your Personal Commercial
            1. Avoiding common mistakes
            2. Building your personal commercial
            3. Aligning your message with your brand promise
            4. Honing your personal pitch
          4. Practicing Your Pitch
      4. Part III: Communicating Your Brand with the World
        1. Chapter 9: Branding Your Traditional Communication Tools
          1. Setting Yourself Up for Success: Branded Job Search Documents
            1. Showcasing your talents in writing
            2. Meeting a case study: The story of Daniel Perlino, by Kelly Welch
            3. Creating a branded resume
            4. Penning your branded biography
            5. Writing letters of introduction
            6. Compiling a printed portfolio
          2. Taking Your Message Public
            1. Reaching a wider audience with articles
            2. Mastering public speaking and presentations
            3. Developing your personal brand on TV
        2. Chapter 10: Communicating Your Brand Online
          1. Determining Your Online Message
          2. Attracting Your Audience to a Profile Hub
          3. Setting Up a Website
            1. Decisions, decisions: Create your own site or hire a pro?
            2. When you decide to do it on your own . . .
          4. Becoming a Blogger
            1. Considering the merits of blogging
            2. Creating an online ecosystem
            3. Getting started
            4. Sharing your wisdom
            5. Repurposing your blog content
          5. Showcasing Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn
            1. Controlling first impressions
            2. Optimizing your snapshot: Headline and photo
            3. Crafting the summary section
            4. Considering a case study: Daniel Perlino’s LinkedIn profile
            5. Filling in the other basic information on the profile
            6. Links: Using custom anchor text
            7. Gathering recommendations
            8. Pruning your endorsements
            9. Aligning privacy settings with your goals
            10. Completing a LinkedIn profile worksheet
          6. Bonding with Facebook: Key Factors for Building Your Reputation
            1. Considering your big-picture strategy
            2. Optimizing what everyone can see
            3. Deciding on your privacy settings
            4. Populating your Facebook profile
            5. Sharing your personal brand story one post at a time
          7. Getting Connected with Google Plus
          8. Tweeting on Twitter
            1. Extending your Twitter reach
            2. Following back your followers
            3. Creating a Twitter list
          9. Pinning Your Brand on Pinterest
          10. Publishing an Electronic Newsletter(Or Not)
            1. Selecting a newsletter tool
            2. Designing your newsletter’s look and feel
          11. Posting Videos
          12. Podcasting
          13. Measuring Your Online Reputation
          14. Combating a Regretful Online Identity
        3. Chapter 11: Planning Your Personal Brand Communications
          1. Laying the Groundwork for Your Communications Strategy
            1. Figuring out your area of expertise
            2. Filling in your slices
          2. Setting the Strategy
            1. Considering a sample communications plan
            2. Building word-of-mouth support
          3. Achieving the Three Cs
            1. Clarity: Crafting a clear message
            2. Consistency: Presenting the same message every time
            3. Constancy: Designing a plan so that people hear your message frequently
          4. Establishing Yourself as an Expert
            1. Using your niche to find your uniqueness
            2. Staying authentic
            3. Preparing a personal press release
          5. Creating an Experience for Your Audience
      5. Part IV: Controlling Your Brand Ecosystem
        1. Chapter 12: Fashioning Your Image to Match Your Personal Brand
          1. Realizing How Much Appearances Matter
          2. Branding Your Attributes to Look Like You
            1. Choosing clothes based on your personal brand characteristics
            2. Aligning your style with your work goals
          3. Have You Got the Look? Focusing on Clothes and Grooming
            1. Career dressing for men
            2. Career dressing for women
            3. Styles for your body type
            4. Grooming tips
          4. Recognizing That You’re Always on Display
            1. Getting your body language to be on message
            2. Voicing your brand
          5. Having Headshots and Other Photos Taken
          6. Developing a Professional Presence
          7. Quiz: Your Image Is Showing
            1. Answers
            2. Scores
        2. Chapter 13: Your Visual Identity: Making Your Mark on Your Brand Environment
          1. Writing an Effective Design Brief
          2. Leading with Your Personal Logo
          3. Choosing Fonts for Your Personal Brand
          4. Creating a Color Palette
            1. Spotting color in the corporate world
            2. Choosing colors that suit you
            3. Considering the meanings of colors
            4. Using your color(s) everywhere
          5. Selecting Images That Tell Your Story
          6. Building Your Brand Identity System
            1. Creating business cards
            2. Generating stationery
            3. Designing brochures
            4. Printing postcards
            5. Preparing PowerPoint slides
          7. Applying Your Visual Identity Online and with Media
            1. Securing the right online addresses
            2. Piecing together your e-mail signature
            3. Carrying your identity into your website
            4. Personalizing your social media sites
            5. Building a video library
          8. Branding Your Workspace
            1. Aligning your office environment to fit your brand
            2. Personalizing your workspace
            3. Messaging your business tools
        3. Chapter 14: Focusing on Special Populations
          1. College Students: Getting on Brand Straight Out of the Gate
          2. Young Professionals: Conveying Energy and Professionalism
          3. The Middle Years: Strategizing for Success
          4. Branding a Second Career
          5. Executives: Presenting Confidence and Control
          6. Service Professionals: Selling Your Personal Brand to Each Client
          7. Entrepreneurs: Connecting Your Personal Brand with Your Business Plan
          8. Women: Highlighting Strengths
          9. Community Volunteers: Merging Mission and Meaning with Community
          10. Having a Personal Brand around the World
            1. Relocating abroad: Doing initial research
            2. Assimilating your style across cultures
            3. Giving the appearance of being global
            4. Crafting your international bio
        4. Chapter 15: Building and Nurturing Your Network
          1. Defining Your Brand Community
            1. Identifying who you know
            2. Getting out of your comfort zone
            3. Nurturing your contacts
            4. Choosing a networking group
          2. Starting the Conversation
          3. Hitting the Conference Circuit
            1. Making the most of a conference
            2. Giving out business cards
            3. Working your brand into the conversation
          4. Using Social Media to Build Your Network
            1. Minding your manners online
            2. Establishing your professional network on LinkedIn
            3. Supporting your efforts on Facebook
            4. Extending your reach on Twitter
            5. Socially connecting in the neighborhood
          5. Networking within Your Workplace
            1. Playing politics
            2. Being meeting-savvy
          6. Amassing Referrals That Can Sell Your Brand
            1. Building your brand ambassadors
            2. Believing in reciprocal action
          7. Expanding Your Network with a Mentor’s Help
        5. Chapter 16: Personal Branding in the Workplace
          1. Moving toward a Personal Branding Mind-set on the Job
            1. Casting for the Hollywood gig model
            2. Engaging in lifelong learning
            3. Adjusting your loyalties
            4. Exercising your personal brand career strategy
            5. Identifying your boss(es)
            6. Choosing your own job title
            7. Thriving in a competency-based world
          2. Selling Your Brand to Your Internal Market: Your Boss and Coworkers
            1. Building credibility
            2. Forging a strong relationship with your boss
          3. Aligning Your Brand with the Company’s Brand
            1. Intertwining your brand with your company
            2. Being authentic in what you do
            3. Finding the ideal situation
          4. Standing Out in a Likeable Way
          5. Should You Stay or Should You Go?
            1. Redesigning your current job
            2. Highlighting your personal brand when negotiating
          6. Succeeding during the First 90 Days of a New Job
      6. Part V: The Part of Tens
        1. Chapter 17: Ten Key Benefits of Personal Branding
          1. Granting Permission to Be Yourself
          2. Gaining Confidence
          3. Building Credibility
          4. Showcasing Your Specialty
          5. Leaving Your Mark
          6. Connecting You to Your Target Audience
          7. Distinguishing Yourself from the Competition
          8. Getting the Support You Need
          9. Focusing Your Energy
          10. Letting Yourself Be Lazy
        2. Chapter 18: Ten Ways You Can Sink Your Brand
          1. Letting It Go Stale: Taking Your Brand for Granted
          2. Neglecting Consistency
          3. Speaking Before You Think
          4. Exhibiting Bad Behavior
          5. Being Unresponsive
          6. Ignoring the Politics
          7. Having an Unprofessional Online Image
          8. Not Telling the Truth
          9. Being Inauthentic: Looking Like a Phony
          10. Losing Focus
        3. Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Demonstrate Your Brand
          1. Being Authentic in All That You Do
          2. Standing for Something
          3. Having Consistency in Your Communications
          4. Building Character Online: Creating a Signature Look
          5. Leveraging LinkedIn
          6. Going Viral on Twitter
          7. Facebooking the Right Friends
          8. Marketing Your Materials and Business Cards
          9. Engaging in Community Involvement
          10. Highlighting Your Brand Daily
        4. Chapter 20: Ten Things You Can Do to Continue to Build Your Brand
          1. Implementing Your Personal Brand Strategy Plan
          2. Staying Relevant
          3. Continuing to Evaluate the Competition
          4. Producing Genuine Value
          5. Working on High-Profile Projects
          6. Setting New Goals
          7. Aligning Your Time with Your Brand
          8. Keeping Up with Technology
          9. Nurturing Your Network
          10. Being a Confidence Emitter
      7. About the Author
      8. Cheat Sheet
      9. More Dummies Products

    Product information

    • Title: Personal Branding For Dummies, 2nd Edition
    • Author(s):
    • Release date: July 2014
    • Publisher(s): For Dummies
    • ISBN: 9781118915554