By, Nadene Cherry
Your Personal Brand is no longer only about your career- it’s about everything and everyone you touch on a daily basis! Your clients and your boss know your brand, but so do your Mother-in-Law, local barista and gym buddies. In case it has been a while, here are 3 ways to easily update your brand:
Become a Follow-Up Queen
How long do you typically wait to send a follow-up note to clients after a meeting? How about a handwritten Thank You card after a friend sent you a birthday gift? Waste no time and make it a priority to send a note the same day. Why? You eliminate the task immediately and let your client or friend know your appreciation while still fresh in their minds. Tip 2? Order yourself stationary! Opening a handwritten note is like opening a beautifully wrapped present- it will catch the receiver off-guard and goes farther than an email. (Check out www.erincondren.com for fun paper goodies)
Practice DOD
Deed of the Day! Move your brand above and beyond what is expected by little, easy, and FREE deeds. Certainly you have a peer at work who works extra hard to help you out and you’ve been meaning to tell her how much you appreciate it. Write to her boss. What boss wouldn’t want to hear about a top-performer who has exceeded her duties? Plus, when your buddy catches wind of your note, she will become even more attentive to your needs. Do you send Thank You notes to your friends or family after they have you to their home for a meal? You should! How about a little hand-written note JUST BECAUSE? Surprise people and make their day. It will make your brand.
Clean Up Your Profiles
Bite the bullet- Google yourself. Did that hurt? The truth is other people are “Googling” you too. Job Interview? Google. You are someone’s new client? Google. Old high school or college friends? Google. I don’t think you want a new potential client seeing your bachelorette pictures on facebook. Use my SEE-E-O trick: Would you want your company CEO to SEE-E-O this picture? Exactly. Are there additional websites you are listed on but you don’t want to be? Email them and ask them to remove you. Hey- it’s your brand.
It’s not about becoming someone else. It’s about updating to the 2.0 version of yourself while keeping your brand unique, thoughtful, and memorable. Go work it!