Make it a great Monday - Become a little bit famous - 21.1

Sally,

The eleventh (out of twelve) major point that Kaputa makes in her book about the brand You is to become a little bit famous. It is impossible to become a brand without visibility. She says that we must seek some fame on some level -- be famous in your industry or in your company or in your school. And be famous for something -- an idea, a belief system, a point of view, a major achievement, an area of excellence.

I am going to take a few days to discuss this topic this week. In the meantime, think about this from William Shakespeare:

Have more than thou showest.

Speak less than thou knowest.

Make it a great Monday,

Dad

Fit as a Fiddle Friday - Think outside-in and soft power - 20.5

Sally,

Rule of thumb number 5 for emotionally engaging your audience is to think outside-in. Rule of thumb number 6 is to attract through soft power. Thinking outside-in is an interesting concept. Kaputa says, "Think first about what reaction you want to get from your target audience (outside), then figure out what you have to do to get that reaction (inside)." So in dad's case, I am building my brand thinking about the fact that I first and foremost need a technology company in the education business to hire me to be their dynamic sales leader.

'Soft power' is a term used to indicate that we can use our values, style, and point of view to attract others to us. The phrase was coined by Joseph S. Nye in a book about how to attract people to your ideas in the arena of world politics. I believe this is what I am trying to do by using my writing project, Releasing the Churn, as part of my self-branding strategy. The idea is to highlight the fact that I am not just a guy with a nice resume and a successful sales career, but rather someone who can lead and motivate others to find their place on this planet.

Stay fit,

Dad

P.S. If I get to Yoga today, it will make 30 days of yoga in the past 34. My goal is 80 visits to my mat in 90 days.

Colloquial Thursday - Listen more, talk less - 20.4

We are looking at six rules of thumb for helping the brand You build an emotional engagement with your target audience. We have covered rules 1-3. Rule number 1 was prioritize your target market. Rule number 2 was create loyal customers. Rule number 3 was develop a clear value proposition.

Rule number 4 is build an emotional brand. The goal for a self-brand is to have people say good things about you because they have strong feelings about you. One simple suggestion that Kaputa makes is to listen more and talk less. Listening is an art that few people have mastered. Who are the best listeners you know? For me, I would put Aunt Dianne at the top of the list. She just knows how to make you feel like she is listening to your every word. Your mom is also a great listener. That is one reason why she has so many friends.

Since it is colloquial Thursday, I looked up the term 'rule of thumb'. Interesting stuff . . . I like the reference to the term 'folk etymology' - what happens when somebody tries to invent something to make sense of a traditional phrase.

Be a good listener,

Dad

Women Power Wednesday - Loyalty and Clarity - 20.3

Sally my daughter,

Yesterday we looked at rule of thumb number 1 (of 6): Prioritize Your Target Market. Today, let's look at rule of thumb number 2: Create Loyal Customers and rule of thumb number 3: Develop a Clear Value Proposition.

Kaputa says, "To build a community of loyal customers for the brand You, you must understand what makes the people you are targeting tick." So what makes my primary target market (executives in the educational technology market) tick? I believe they are looking for creative sales leaders, who can both sell products or services to schools; and also motivate or inspire others to sell products or services to schools.

What about a clear value proposition? It's Women Power Wednesday, so check out this really cool chic, Danielle Laporte, and read how she has built her self-brand. I love the look and feel of her Website and I also love the unique name (whitehot truth) and her tag line, 'Because self realization rocks.'

Powerful stuff,

Dad

Stay Whole Tuesday - Prioritize your target market - 20.2

Sally,

How goes the speech writing? Did you decide to speak on how Hyline shaped your life leading into college? Back to branding and the subject of identifying your target market . . .

Rule 1 for helping you identify your target market is to 'prioritize' your market. Kaputa says that you want to pay the most attention to the people who can have the most impact on your brands success. She encourages you to think in terms of both a primary target market and a secondary target market. She says, "The primary target market are the key people who are the most important to your self-brand and who will deliver the best results for your brand." For dad, I have decided that my primary target market are executives in the education field who need creative and innovative help driving the sale of their products or services.

The secondary target market are people who also might have some impact on your brand and could become more important in the future. For dad, I have decided that my secondary target market are the sales professionals who would benefit from my leadership, mentoring, and motivational capabilities.

Stay whole,

Dad

Make it a great Monday - Think in terms of target market - 20.1

Sally,

Congratulations on your initiation into Chi O!

Moving into the next part of Kaputa's book, she turns the focus on helping you identify your target market for your personal brand. In my case, I want to build a brand geared towards the education and/or college sports market and more specifically a mission of helping companies who sell products or services into that space. She outlines six rules of thumb:

1. Prioritize your target market
2. Create loyal customers
3. Develop a clear value proposition
4. Build an emotional bond
5. Think outside-in
6. Attract through "soft power"

This week I will take a look at these six rules of thumb more closely.

Make it a great Monday,

Dad

Fit as a Fiddle Friday - For I know the plans I have for you - 19.5

Sally,

In my Friday morning Rudy's 360 Bible Study, I shared my plans to create the Website, www.churnOn.com and I showed my buddies my visual layout for the Website and Blog. They liked it and they cheered me onward. My friend Jerry Ellis found some scripture for the occasion and it is from Jeremiah 29: 11-13.

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Stay fit,

Dad

Colloquial Thursday - Visual Identity - 19.4

Sally,

Today let's review Kaputa's ten guidelines about visual identity.

1. Think of clothes as packaging: Use clothes to enhance, not undercut, your brand message.
2. Have a signature item: Think of a trademark that people associate with you.
3. Look different: You don't want to look like everyone else. You want your own vibe.
4. Look the part: Fulfill expectations of your role and the style of the institution or target market to which you are appealing.
5. Use hair as a branding device: Think of Dolly Parton, Anna Wintour, and Donald Trump. Each has an unmistakable branded hairstyle.
6. Make your look consistent: Don't send mixed messages. Everything should tie together for a consistent visual identity at business, casual, and formal events.
7. Have a signature color or palette: Build your wardrobe and brand marketing around a related palette of colors for maximum effect.
8. Have a strong presence: How you stand and carry yourself gives you presence and helps make you memorable.
9. Leverage your height, shape, or profile: Build your visual identity off who you are.
10. Stay relevant and fresh: Let your brand evolve and stay up-to-date.

What are your thoughts on Dad's visual identity? Seth Godin has a great blog on marketing and check out what he does with his bald head on his site! His glasses are kind of unique as well.

Love,

Dad

Women Power Wednesday - Self-Branding Actions - 19.3

Sally,

Below is the list of the ten self-branding actions we are studying from Kaputa's book. We had worked our way into number six before the break. You will remember we were talking about the power of words and we discussed how your name, Sally Singletary, has a nice ring to it.

I have been trying to decide what to call my personal, brand-building Website, as I begin the process of reinventing myself for this next phase of life. I have settled on the URL: ChurnOn.com, with a subtile, All things G. Page Singletary. This site is going to allow me to feature materials relevant to who I am; and what I have done in both my professional life and personal life. It will also serve as a launch pad for some of my writing projects and for my Blog which will be titled 'The Churn'. From the Blog, I will be able to connect to my LinkedIn account where I can show examples of my work, make observations on trends, or point out insights on others' good works. Do you like this idea? What do you think of the URL: ChurnOn.com?

1. Celebrate yourself and your uniqueness: Do a self-brand audit. 2. Keep tabs on the big picture: Do a SWOT analysis. 3. Don't avoid the competition: Go to school on your competition. 4. Find the sweet spot: Focus on the right strategy for achieving your goals.

5. Harness the power of self-presentation: Learn the principles of visual identity.

6. Tap into the power of words: Learn the principles of verbal identity.

7. Think in terms of markets: Engage in and respond to the market.

8. Expand your network and your visibility: Become know for something by somebody somewhere.

9. Execute a self-brand action plan: Develop specific tactics and implement each as scheduled.

10. Stay relevant: Measure how you are doing.

Women power,

Dad

Stay Whole Tuesday - Back to Branding - 19.2

Sally,

As the semester officially kicks into gear, let's move back to our study of Katherine Kaputa's book, You are a Brand! To get us back on track, I will use the rest of this week to review some of the key points we looked at before the break. Today, please reread my executive summary of Chapter One from my post on December 2, 2010.

The summary of the summary goes like this. This book is about helping you develop an effective self-branding strategy that works in achieving professional and life goals but also is true to you - that brings more of you into the equation. Have you ever met someone and just asked them, "So what are YOU all about?" "What makes you, you?" "What makes you tick?" "Come on, give me something unique?" These are important questions.

Stay whole,

Dad

Fit as a Fiddle Friday - Rest = Rust - 18.5

Helen Hayes, American Actress and winner of Academy, Emmy, Tony and Grammy awards, says:

"If you rest, you rust."

Stay fit,

Dad

Colloquial Thursday - Look for work, not a job - 18.4

Sally,

I read an interesting post on a blog by a guy named John Fees. John is a professional acquaintance and a successful entrepreneur in the fields of affinity, collegiate and partnership marketing. The topic of the post is 'look for work, not a job'.  It reminds me of the Personal Branding discussion we were having before the break.

John encourages anyone in today's job market to take the following steps (taken directly from his post):

1. Name your work - buy a URL and use it for your email. Don't expect to get work with a Yahoo or Gmail account.
2. Create a website that describes your skills, interests and capacity to contribute to an organization. Use the Blog and connect it to LinkedIn - and start promoting what you can do for others - examples of your work, observations on trends, insights on other good work.
3. Order business cards that will give you an identity - perhaps more important than a resume.
4. Update and maintain a LinkedIn profile in order to build your network of contacts.

Another way to say all of this, is 'control your own destiny' rather than let the job market dictate what your options will be.

Hope you are well,

Dad

Women Power Wednesday - Marie Curie - 18.3

Sally,

I love yesterday's quote from Marie Curie and (repeating myself) I want all of my girls to memorize it. Be sure to read about Marie Curie, the first two time winner of the Nobel Prize!

"We must believe that we are gifted for something, and this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained."

I once heard these four questions, that are related to this quote:

1. What does the world need?
2. Do I have the skill to meet the need?
3. Would I value doing that?
4. Can I make a living doing that?

Some food for thought,

Dad

Stay Whole Tuesday - Our gifts - 18.2

Sally,

This is powerful. I want all of my girls to memorize this quote.

"We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained."

Marie Curie (1867-1934)
French physicist and chemist
two-time Nobel Prize winner

I will have more to say about this tomorrow and we will celebrate Marie Curie on Women Power Wednesday.

Stay whole (and warm),

Dad

Make it a great Monday - Welcome back - 18.1

Good morning Sally,

Sounds like it is cold and wet in Georgia? Here is a quote to get us going again, on the subject of patience.

"Patience is necessary. One can not reap immediately where one has sown."

Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
Danish philosopher and writer

After I work through some computer transition issues, I will pick back up on the topic of Personal Branding.

Until then . . .

Make it a great Monday,

Dad