Last month we brought you 100 Social Media tips that you need to carry with you to 2011; this month it’s all about Personal Branding. 50 of those are quotes and tips from branding experts and the rest are based on our experience. So without further adieu, let the countdown begin:
100. Don’t plagiarize your identity, dare to be different
99. You are immortal, Take control of your legacy
98. Define your Personal Brand DNA – it’s what makes you unique!
97. Communicate your brand – it’s all about engagement
96. Brand Identity is very different than Brand Perception – the closer they are, the stronger your brand position.
95. Vanity is certain suicide to any personal brand
94. What does your personal SWOT analysis look like?
93. Prepare you elevator pitch
92. Monitor what’s being said about your brand
91. If I google your name, would I find you? Where would you be – top 3 results, 1st page, 2nd or 3rd? What will I find?
90. Learn to listen
89. Learn to give
88. You’re role is not to blend in, but stand out
87. Stop whining and start fighting
86. The only person worth comparing yourself to is your previous self!
85. There’s no room for the shy!
84. Your online and offline brand are one and the same – they should reflect YOU
83. Don’t stop learning
82. Online you have nowhere to hide, so you should have nothing to hide! Transparency is the new currency.
81. You can’t take a break from being the real YOU
80. Personal Branding is for everyone – the CEO, the student, the mother, the sitter, the chef, the writer, the celebrity, the geek, the priest … EVERYONE had a brand – it’s time you put it out there!
79. Stop being afraid – YES YOU CAN!
78. Learn to tell a great story
77. Don’t beg, bug, or buy attention – EARN IT
76. Think of yourself as a brand; are all the marketing elements in play?
75. “Be the real you because everyone else is taken and replicas don’t sell for as much” @DanSchawbel
74. “I get to play golf for a living. What more can you ask for – getting paid for doing what you love.” @TigerWoods
73. “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head; if you talk to him in his language that goes to his heart.” Nelson Mandela
72. “It’s loyalty to peers in your industry and not to a hierarchy. You have to develop a Rolodex obsession, building and deliberately managing an ever-growing network of professional contacts.” Tom Peters
71. “Your personal brand is a promise to your clients… a promise of quality, consistency, competency, and reliability.” Jason Hartman
70. “In the end, it’s about being smart. Present a good face, but know that your reputation will ultimately be decided by the actions you bring to bear, not the consistency of your presentation. At best, the presentation will only get you a shot to be on the stage. Your performance is the ultimate barometer.” Geoff Livingston
69. “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” Gandhi
68. “Know what you want. Great minds have purposes; others have wishes.” Washington Irving
67. “You are your own 24/7 billboard and interactive ad campaign. Every day, in everything you do, you tell the world about yourself, your values your goals, and your skills.” @WilliamArruda
66. “Patience and passion are personal branding virtues.” Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee)
65. “Find out what you want to do every day for the rest of your life and do that – you can find a way to monetize it.” Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee)
64. “It’s your life, Own I” @WalterAkana
63. “Personal branding is not about being all things to all people or trying to please all of the people all of time; it’s about taking a stand and being comfortable knowing that some will not agree with your point of view. Of course, this does not mean being contrary for the sake of it, either. You must be clear about what you believe and willing to express those beliefs.” @WilliamArruda
62. “Commenting on other people’s blogs builds awareness fast.” @ChrisBrogan
61. “Your digital identity defines who you are and in this genre of Web-savvy content creators and purveyors, your online reputation does indeed precede you.” @BrianSolis
60. “Visibility creates opportunities.” @DanSchawbel
59. “Companies have to connect with their audience as individuals and individuals have to behave as companies.” @DanSchawbel
58. “Your personal brand separates you from the nameless masses” James Adam
57. “Whether you’re a student, currently employed, seeking a new job, a brand ambassador or the official community manager of a company’s social media strategy, your activities online contribute to and ultimately shape your identity and lay the foundation for your reputation.” @BrianSolis
56. “While building your personal brand, allocate 85% of your time to behind-the-scenes work and allow 15% for public-facing activities.” @RyanRancatore
55. “More than anything else, I think prospects, customers and citizens watch what you do more than they listen to what you say.” @SethGodin
54. “Branding is no longer for Fortune 500 companies and Madison Avenue agencies with excessive budgets and inadequate tracking. Personal branding is about managing your name — even if you don’t own a business — in a world of misinformation, disinformation, and semi-permanent Google records …” Tim Ferriss (@tferriss)
53. “I have learned this at least by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Henry David Thoreau
52. “STOP asking what’s in it for you and start giving gifts that change people. Then, and only then, will you have achieved your potential.”@SethGodin
51. “As a personal brand you engage your community, perspective employers, customers, and future business partners through a series of brand impressions that can be leveraged through your online community.” @HajjFlemings
I know you’re expecting 50 more, but @Maltaee stole them from me … don’t worry, I got you the link, but please don’t tell him I gave it to you! It’s our little secret!
I’m certain Mohammed will claim that I was the whole the remaining 50 from him, but who are you going to believe … Think About It!
Are you Connor MacLeod? If not, then #99 has to go.
Hey Danny,
I can assure you that I wasn’t referring to chopping my enemies’s heads off to gain immortality – the mere fact that we have sent an a single innocent email in the span of our life makes us immortal in ones and zeros … I elaborated on that thought in an earlier post “You ARE Immortal – Take Control of Your Legacy” – I invite you to share your thoughts on that, as i’m always interested in your point of view! Besides, it’s the basic idea behind the book I’m writing, so I can certainly use your insights into this.
thanks for sharing Danny!
I’ll certainly check it out John, cheers 🙂
I gave #91 a try, and I showed up on the first page though results #4 and #7 are the ones pertaining to me. Guess I did make significant strides in putting myself out there.
Name is Yasser Masood!
Congrats buddy. Here’s a small tip, consider unifying your online handle – this would certainly help you Google ranking. I noticed, while googling your name that there are at least 3 Yasser Masood on LinkedIn – this is called digital identity confusion and might hurt your brand. Try adding middle initials to your name, or some tag that would set apart from the rest – and make sure you use and promote it across all social networks.
I also recommend taking the “Online Identity Calculator” by Reach360 (William Arruda) – it’s a free service that allows you to understand your online presence better and gives you advice on what you need to be doing.