10 WAYS TO BUILD YOUR PERSONAL BRAND

YOU KNOW YOU NEED A GOOD “PERSONAL BRAND”. BUT HOW EXACTLY DO YOU GET ONE? WE’LL TELL YOU 10 DIFFERENT WAYS.
People have always had “personal brands”—everyone who knows of famous women like Amelia Earhart, Gloria Steinem, or Mother Theresa can describe who they are, what they valued, and their life’s mission. Although the concept is not new, the term “personal brand” has become a buzzword only recently.

So what is it, exactly?

Your personal brand is how people see you; how they’d describe you—similar to how people describe famous people or companies. It is the set of values and characteristics that describe who you are and guide your choices—in work and in life.

Your personal brand is what makes you, you.

Being aware of, and ultimately in control of, your personal brand is an essential component of building a successful career. It’s essentially a guiding statement that can help you make personal and professional decisions. A solid personal brand helps people understand who you are, what you offer, what you value, and the quality of work they can expect from you.

It is essentially your reputation.

In the past, your reputation may have been familiar only to those you actually know, such as friends, family members, and colleagues. But the Internet has made everybody’s reputation that much more accessible.Wondering how to be proactive about building your personal brand? These tips are a great place to start: 

1. DEFINE YOUR BRAND

Take out a piece of paper and write down the words and values that people would use to describe you. Be honest and choose words that are positive and authentic to who you are.

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross has said (in one of my all-time favorite quotes): “We think sometimes we’re only drawn to the good, but we’re actually drawn to the authentic. We like people who are real more than those who hide their true selves under layers of artificial niceties.”  

I believe that you can only be happy when you are accepted for being who you really are. So, as you consider your personal brand, strive to be the best possible version of yourself, but don’t try to be someone you’re not.

2. HAVE A SPECIALTY

Specializing in a skill that is relevant to your field—and being vocal about that!—will help you stand out in the crowd. Companies call this a point of differentiation—consider how your brand (in this case, you) is different from everyone else “on the market”. Why should people choose you over everyone else?

If you can’t think of a skill that’s your specialty, then learn one. This usually means that you have to learn on your own, but that’s easier than ever before—take classes, read industry specific publications, add a passion project, and volunteer for projects that will help you develop your niche. My specialty is blogging and freelance writing and I primarily got my current job because they needed someone who could create and execute blog strategies for clients.

Everyone hopes to be indispensable at work and having a specialty is an excellent way to provide extra value!

3. WRITE YOUR BIO

Write a short bio—or update the one you have!—so you have it ready. A professional bio is a necessity for freelance writing gigs, networking events, speaking on panels, and keeping your LinkedIn profile up-to-date.

Your bio might include your education, work experience, any published writing or press hits, awards you’ve received, volunteer work, and possibly even some of your personal interests.

(I personally love it when people add something quirky at the end of their bio!)

Just make sure to tailor your bio to your audience!

4. CREATE A BLOG OR PERSONAL WEBSITE

When I started my blog, I never imagined that anyone other than my closest friends and family would read it. I certainly never imagined that my blog might help me get hired for new jobs—and yet, that’s exactly what happened.

Blogging is a great, and often free, way to showcase your creativity and non-academic writing. Even if you don’t yet have your dream job, you can write about your dream industry—whether it’s fashion or the environment.

Although many people find blogging to be fun, it can also take a lot of time. If you aren’t interested in blogging, you can still create a personal website, using your name as the domain name, and highlight your skills and experience there.

5. USE LINKEDIN

LinkedIn is yet another Internet home where you can promote your academic or career changes and achievements. It is, essentially, your digital, public resume.

Speaker and strategist, Kelly Hoey, has said: “If you don’t brag about your career and your achievements, who is going to do it? You need to own your expertise and you need to put it out there. If you don’t own your accomplishments, someone else will. It’s not bragging if you can back it up.”

LinkedIn allows you to put your accomplishments out there for the world (and future employers, partners, and connections) to see. Also, if you set up a LinkedIn profile, it will be one of the first things that people see when they search for you online, so it’s another easy way to exercise control over your digital persona.

6. BUILD YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Whether you’re shy or outgoing, it’s important to be able to communicate well—particularly about yourself—as you build your brand.

I recommend taking public speaking courses, writing courses, and simply practicing regularly. Learn how to tell your story. One way to do this is to practice both a personal and a professional “pitch.”

Before networking events, I always prepare a quick summary of my personal and professional interests and experiences. It is really helpful to be able to quickly and concisely explain what you do, why it is important to you, and your extracurricular interests.

7. PARTICIPATE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is a perfect—and free!—platform for positively promoting your brand. You can share articles, blog posts, and work-related achievements.

You might also follow people in your industry and jump into relevant conversations by using trending hashtags or those that are most popular in your industry.

Just make sure that everything you post on social media is a good representation of your brand. I follow what I call the “The New York Times Test”: If I wouldn’t want it to end up on The New York Times, I don’t post it.

8. BUILD YOUR NETWORK

In order to build and share your personal brand, you need to also be building your professional network—both in and out of the office. Networking isn’t just important when you are looking for a job. If I’ve learned anything from my career profile series, I’ve learned that you can consistently learn from other people’s career paths and insights at every stage of your career.

So take advantage of the opportunities in your city and your industry to meet new people. You never know how that new connection might be of service to you—or you to them—in the future!

9. SAY NO

Now that you have your personal brand in place, protect it. Say no to opportunities, projects, freelance work, or social media posts that are not aligned with your brand.

10. DO GOOD WORK & LIVE YOUR VALUES

Your work and actions speak volumes about your personal brand—and you, as an individual. You can say you hold certain values, but your actions, your experience, and your words have to embody them.

In my office, we have a 360 degree annual review, which means that both your manager and a selection of colleagues all contribute by answering a survey of questions. When I had my annual review, I got a lot of insight into my reputation at the company.

One thing that stuck out was that almost everyone said that I am passionate about both the company culture, client work, and my career. I’ve always thought that being passionate is part of my personal brand, and it became clear through my review that I actually embody that.
urs 
www.v4all.org

17 Ways to Have a More Organized Life

17 Ways to Have a More Organized Life - www.v4all.org

Nothing is better than a home that’s easy to navigate with belongings that are even easier to find. Don’t forget about your office, too—there are plenty of ways to keep your space neat for the most productive of workdays. Check out all of our resolutions for systemization, and get to organizing!

1. Throw away extra things you don’t need.

We’ve got a useful list of things to get rid of for a de-cluttered space.

[Related: How to Have the Most Organized Year Ever]

2. Create a goal list.

Keep yourself on track with our rotating goal list DIY. You can easily change and update your goals with Post-its for an up-to-date board.

3. Organize your closet.

All it takes is three simple steps to get your closet in tip-top shape.

[Related: How I Survived a 6-Month Shopping Cleanse]

4. Specify a daily junk basket.

Putting a basket in your home where you can throw items that you would otherwise scatter all over the house is a great way to keep your home or office feeling clutter free.

5. Make assignment lists for everyone.

If you live with multiples people—be it kids, significant others, or roommates—make sure you create weekly assignment lists so that everyone can play their part in keeping your home orderly.

6. Craft a pegboard.

Our ombré geometric pegboard is a no-brainer that can be put together in an hour, tops. It’s a stylish way to keep small items in their place.

7. Install bars on bathroom doors.

Nobody likes damp towels lying all over the bathroom. Install some sleek bars on the back of your door so you have a place to hang towels without taking up space on your walls.

8. Place dividers in your drawers.

You can buy plastic dividers at stores like The Container Store, or you can even cut up old cardboard boxes to create sectioned-off spaces in your desk, kitchen, or bathroom.

9. Print out a free calendar.

One of the most obvious tasks that people always forget is to get a calendar for the New Year. Luckily, we have a list of free printable calendars you can get a hold of right now!

10. Make these mason jar organizers yourself.

Our adorable DIY mason jar organizers will keep your kitchen in order as well as looking cute.

11. Organize your pantry by food group.

You will be able to quickly grab whatever you need.

12. Paint your keys with nail polish.

Color-code your keys by painting them with nail polish so that you can easily tell which key goes to what.

13. Use ice cube trays as organizers.

Bet you never thought of this one—ice cube trays are ideal for organizing small items like earrings, sewing materials, or office supplies.

14. Upcycle a plastic bottle for a charging station.

This DIY for a charging station will keep your electronics in accessible places.

15. Use washi tape on your planner.

Color-code you life by utilizing washi tape. It will stand out better than highlighters.

16. Make an emergency drawer in your desk at work.

Setting aside a space where you can grab items for any possible disaster will put you at ease and leave you feeling prepared.

17. Create these fabric-covered bulletin boards.

You can place these DIY bulletin boards all over the house for easy access to papers, documents, and schedules.

Six Verbal And Nonverbal Tips For Selling Products, Services Or Ideas.

If you think that these tips aren’t for you because don’t have “sales” in your job description, I’d ask you to think again.

I believe that the science and art of selling should be taught in every high school and college in the country. Because, regardless of what profession students eventually enter, a key factor in their career success will be the ability to convince people – to “sell” their ideas (and themselves when interviewing for a job) — as well as their company’s products or services if they’re hired into a more formal sales role.

So I turned to sales expert, Tom Hopkins for advice. Tom is the author of 17 books, including “How to Master the Art of Selling™,”and he has trained over 4 million people. I figured he’d given the subject some thought. More specifically, I asked him: What are the top 3 verbal and top 3 non-verbal mistakes salespeople make — and what can we all learn from those errors?

Cover of How to Master the Art of Selling

Tom’s reply: Since the salesperson’s mouth is the tool they rely on primarily in business, it’s essential that they learn first of all to use it in the proper proportion. We all have two ears and one mouth. In sales, it’s critical to master the ability to listen twice as much as you speak. When you get this proportion wrong, you will talk yourself out of more sales than into them.

Verbal Mistake #1 – Becoming too familiar too soon. That’s the stereotype for pushy sales people. It’s always better to err on the side of formality with people’s name. When you meet people named Robert and Judith, don’t call them Bob and Judy. If you hear them call each other those less formal versions of their names, you may ask their permission to use them.

Verbal Mistake #2 – Jumping in with a solution before you hear their entire challenge. Sales people are eager to please. Unfortunately, some don’t wait until the entire situation has been spelled out before saying, “I know just what you need. My product is the best solution for that.” When the buyer finally explains all of their issues, that original product is not the best answer and the sales person looks foolish. Even worse, they’ve lost credibility with the buyer.

Verbal Mistake #3 – Saying things that sabotage the sale such as “Let’s just jump forward here,” or “You don’t need to know that” when going through their visual aids. Skipped information leads to questions in the mind of the buyer. An uncertain or confused mind will almost always say “no.” Instead, customize your presentation or at least explain content that you feel is not relevant to the buyers’ needs.

There are also non-verbal mistakes a plenty in the selling world.

Non-Verbal Mistake #1 – Poor grooming. As a representative of your company or your product, you are always “on.” You are being visually and mentally judged the moment you come within sight of a potential client. Their perception of your competence starts then. If you are presenting to the staff of a high-level corporation, it would behoove you to dress the way they dress – or slightly better. The idea is to dress like the person your potential clients turn to for advice – because that’s what you want – to be perceived as an expert they can trust.

Non-Verbal Mistake #2 – Poor body language. Stop looking at your watch, playing with your pen and touching your hair. Those are all distracting from your presentation. They make your buyer feel like you’re either in a rush to be elsewhere or that you’re bored. Your goal is to make them feel important. Give them your full attention and they’ll give you their business.

Non-Verbal Mistake #3 – Not being well-prepared. I’ve had salespeople drop by my office who didn’t bother to find out what we do. Note: Most of them leave having purchased our sales training. Learn as much as you can about a company before approaching them, ensure you have business cards, pens, and something to write on with you at all times. When buyers see that you are well-prepared that translates in their minds that you are competent (competent to serve their needs).

The main point of this information is that when trying to persuade others, every little nuance counts. The science of selling involves every word you utter and every move you make. The art of selling is how you engage with potential buyers as a person. They have to like you first. Then, trust you – before they will listen to what you have to offer them.

Like I said, this should be taught in every school!

www.v4all.org 

Change Your Chicken Habits

Change Your Chicken Habits - www.v4all.org 

“I’ll have the CHICKEN please!” said the salesman.

Salespeople wanna make sales – and for the most part feel alone in the process.

One of the challenges all salespeople face is: What’s the best way? What is/are the way, the path, the words, and the actions that will lead me to the promised land? The sale.

Well, the one path that all salespeople want to avoid is the one that leads to “no.” Better known in the business as rejection, salespeople will go to great lengths to avoid “no.” Sometimes, many times, they will actually lose the sale by avoiding a situation where ‘no” is a possibility.

NOTE  WELL: I’m trying to be nice and write this in the third person, so as not to make you feel less than whole. But these conditions in the main refer to and apply to YOU. And I recommend that as you read them, you take specific notes as to how you can improve the weaknesses I’m addressing.

In no particular order, here are the examples and pitfalls of the actions you take or omit to avoid “no.” And here are the grim reality bites of what you will and won’t do:

•  Try to please everyone, without following the fundamental rules of salesmanship.

•  Willing to give a proposal without demanding an exact time and place for a face to face follow-up meeting to go over it with all decision makers.

•  Won’t ask to change or modify the terms of a bid or a proposal that would put you in a more favorable condition (years in business, video testimonials to prove your claims, financial worth).

•  Failure to get to a decision maker for fear of going around or over the person you’re meeting with. Sometimes you won’t go over someone’s head because you have nothing of value to give them other than your sales pitch.

•  Won’t start higher up the ladder on a sale, because you’re afraid to go beyond your comfort level of sales.

•  Accept the first no or I’m not interested as a final answer, and leave, rather than try to be rejected three or four times in the same call.

•  Call reluctant on cold calls instead of being prepared with a value message and confidence based on deep belief that the customer is better off having purchased from you.

•  Call reluctant on follow-up because you don’t want to get rejected. Reality: you have nothing of value to say or offer and just want the money.

•  Have five big customers but no ideas to call them with other than to ask for more business. So you don’t call (and you miss an opportunity that your competitor grabs).

•  Won’t call to confirm an appointment for fear it will be canceled. Because you have given no perceived value.

•  Won’t leave a voice mail. You know your call won’t be returned because you have/had nothing of value to say.

•  Will email when you should call, and wonder why it goes unreturned, or worse, unopened.

•  Will phone or email when you should visit. You think it’s “safe” when in reality it’s delaying the sale.

•  Taking the wrong approach. Looking for pain, because you don’t understand any other way. Why not look for pleasure?

•  Not using testimonials as final proof.

And then there are the 4.5 game changing elements of a sale that require your courage and intestinal fortitude. (Also known as having the guts to do, say, or pull it off.)

1. You won’t demand to be in on the final meeting – where the decision is really made.

2. You won’t call an angry customer back – and pass the complaint off to someone else, making the customer even angrier.

3. You will let accounting handle collections, and damage your relationship.

4. You don’t have the guts to tell someone “no,” when the situation just won’t work.

4.5 You don’t do what’s best for the customer. Offer a different product, a different service, even a different company, because you’re afraid to lose a sale or a commission.

Salespeople develop these “chicken” habits as they mature (or immature) in their career, based on their actions and reactions, and the actions and reactions of others.

• You walk on eggshells so as not to offend.

• You get stepped on and pushed aside by prospects.

• You take it on the chin from all people all the time.

• You try to mirror instead of harmonize.

• You’re scared to lose the sale (money) rather than doing the right thing, and helping the customer.

• You’re scared to ask for the sale for fear of rejection.

• You think you’re alone in the selling process.

• You’re asking for referrals rather than earning them.

Well, that’s enough evidence for you to change out of your chicken suit, and put on some designer clothes. Look the part, act the part, prove the part, and you’ll get the part – and the order.

key to mastering any kind of sales - a big sales principle

The key to mastering any kind of sales - a big sales principle - is switching statements about you – how great you are and what you do, to statements about them – how great they are, and how they will produce more and profit more from ownership of your product or service.

Here’s the Secret: Take the word “we” and delete it. Delete it from your slides, your literature, and ESPECIALLY from your sales presentation. You can use “I” but you can’t use “we.”

Here’s the Power: When you stop using “we,” you have to substitute it for the word “you” or “they” and say things in terms of the customer. How they win, how they benefit, how they produce, how they profit , how they will be served, and how they have piece of mind.

“We” is for selling. ”You” is for buying.

Mandate for Understanding: Go through your entire presentation and  record it. Listen to it actively – which means take notes. Count the amount of times you use the word “we.” Take out the “we,” and begin to make value statements instead of selling statements.

Here’s the reality in plain English:

1. The buyer, the prospect, and the customer expects you to have knowledge of their stuff, not just your stuff. To transfer that knowledge, the prospect needs to understand and agree with your ideas, feel your passion, feel your belief, and feel your sincerity beyond the hype of your sales pitch.

2. You have to know their industry, not just your product.

3. You have to know their business, not just your product.

4. You have to know what’s new and what’s next, not just your product.

5. You have to know the current trends, not just your product.

6. You have to know their marketing, not just your product.

7. You have to know their productivity, not just your product.

7.5 You have to know their profit, not just your product.

Yours 

www.v4all.org 

9790044225 

key to mastering any kind of sales - a big sales principle

The key to mastering any kind of sales - a big sales principle - is switching statements about you – how great you are and what you do, to statements about them – how great they are, and how they will produce more and profit more from ownership of your product or service.

Here’s the Secret: Take the word “we” and delete it. Delete it from your slides, your literature, and ESPECIALLY from your sales presentation. You can use “I” but you can’t use “we.”

Here’s the Power: When you stop using “we,” you have to substitute it for the word “you” or “they” and say things in terms of the customer. How they win, how they benefit, how they produce, how they profit , how they will be served, and how they have piece of mind.

“We” is for selling. ”You” is for buying.

Mandate for Understanding: Go through your entire presentation and  record it. Listen to it actively – which means take notes. Count the amount of times you use the word “we.” Take out the “we,” and begin to make value statements instead of selling statements.

Here’s the reality in plain English:

1. The buyer, the prospect, and the customer expects you to have knowledge of their stuff, not just your stuff. To transfer that knowledge, the prospect needs to understand and agree with your ideas, feel your passion, feel your belief, and feel your sincerity beyond the hype of your sales pitch.

2. You have to know their industry, not just your product.

3. You have to know their business, not just your product.

4. You have to know what’s new and what’s next, not just your product.

5. You have to know the current trends, not just your product.

6. You have to know their marketing, not just your product.

7. You have to know their productivity, not just your product.

7.5 You have to know their profit, not just your product.

Yours 

www.v4all.org 

9790044225 

Tools Of Successful Selling

One of the most powerful keys to success in selling is your own expectations! When you confidently expect positive results and good things to happen, you will be amazed at the results you get.

Part of it is how we see ourselves—our beliefs! Great athletes understand 100% the importance of their own beliefs! Great salespeople do as well!

Our expectations also have a major influence on the people around us (including our prospects).

5 ways to Improve Your Expectations:

1. Have written goals and review them daily (or multiple times a day).
2. Visualize yourself succeeding (daily) and hold on to that vision even when times get tough.
3. Read and listen to self-improvement and motivational material. Being a student creates confidence and skill!
4. Have mentors who have succeeded and can help encourage you along.
5. Change how you talk to yourself and others. Step back and become more aware of your own attitudes and words. Then make a conscience effort to be more positive.

Expect greatness!

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