1. Timeless Personal Branding in
Our Digital World
Carmen Turner
Northwestern University Black Alumni
Association – January 23-25, 2015
Ft Lauderdale, FL

2. About Me
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Marketer
Digital at The Weather Company
Spelman Alumna
Kellogg Grad
Memphis Native

3. Key Points
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
● What is personal branding?
● Why personal branding matters
● The O.P.E.N. Branding Approach
● Opportunities to establish your brand
● Your passion at the center of your brand identity
● Why education is the key to your brand’s relevance
● Networking and making branding happen

4. Personal Branding
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
A personal brand is what the
world thinks of you (and you
of yourself) – your identity.
Personal branding is the way
you get the world to identify
with you the way you want
them to.

5. Personal Branding
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Why personal branding matters:
• Gives you self-identity
• Gives your career direction
• Opens up opportunities
• Gives your passion a process
• Gives your learning an outlet
• Gives networking a precise
purpose
Instant Exercise:
Tweet 3 words that describe yourself with hashtag
#TimelessBranding

6. The O.P.E.N. Branding Approach
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Components for personal
branding excellence:
OPPORTUNITY
PASSION
EDUCATION
NETWORKING

7. Opportunity
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Opportunity: (noun) a set of
circumstances that makes it
possible to do something

8. Branding Opportunities
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Why: For the increasing awareness of/for your
business/ministry/mission
Where: At work, school, online/social,
networking functions
When: Whenever you walk out the door
Just remember that eyes are always on you

9. Insert embarrassing photo
here.

10. Snowball Opportunities
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Snowball Opportunities:
Tiny Opportunities That
Grow Into Large
Opportunities
Characteristics:
Easy to spot – Easy to lose
Seem to come out of
nowhere

11. Snowball Opportunities
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
How One Opportunity Leads To
Another:
1. Being 100% Present
2. Overcoming Shyness
3. Possess Skills of Value
4. Learn More Skills
5. Move (Network)
6. Share Your Knowledge
7. Remain Humble

12. Passion
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Passion: (noun) an object of desire
or deep interest

13. Your Passion
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Passion is the glue of the
O.P.E.N. brand framework
Connect your career to
your passion
Passion must shine through
your work in order for you
to achieve authentic
career excellence.

14. Finding Your Passion
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
What do you enjoy within and outside the scope of
your current job?
You know you’ve found your passion when…
-Work doesn’t feel like work
-Resistance doesn’t stop you
-Resistance actually becomes the way to excellence
-Learning curves flatten
-Networking opportunities increase

15. Passion Meets Opportunity
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Leverage passion to seize opportunities by:
1. Finding and embracing your passion
2. Confidently, respectfully push through being told “no”
3. Humbly display what you know during the opportunity
4. Do the work
5. Network like crazy while the opportunity is still present!

16. Passion
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Opportunity is the engine.
Passion is the fuel.

17. Education
(Beyond Degrees)
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Link Your Education and Your Passion
(and your brand excels).
Why?
1. Work is more enjoyable.
1. Your focus is increased.
1. Helps your brand innovate.

18. L.E.A.R.N.
(And Keep Your Brand Relevant)
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Listen: A mark of wisdom is being able to learn from others.
Engage: Consider new sources for learning new things.
Acquire: Collect information from your learning sources.
Reflect: Imagine what you can do with your knowledge.
Nurture: Share your knowledge with others.

19. Networking
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Gives legs to the previous
branding components
Networking = New Career
Opportunities
Networking = More Opportunities
to Find and Express Your Passion
Networking = More Opportunities
to Learn and Give Value to
Others (Education)

20. Social Media and Your Brand
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
How Social Media Boosts Your Brand:
1. Extend your reach
2. Distribute your content
3. Create more relationships
4. Learn more

21. Social Media and Your Brand
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Twitter
-The news feed of the Digital Age
-Great platform for automated
content sharing
-Easiest social network for creating
new connections
Follow me at @Carmen_C_Turner

22. Social Media and Your Brand
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
LinkedIn
-More than a network for finding a
new job!
-Create and share brand-building
content
-Leverage social proof & increase
authority

23. Social Media and Your Brand
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Quora
-The Best Q&A Network
-Show your smarts and build
authority
-Learn more by asking
questions

24. Network with me!
Timeless Personal Branding in Our Digital World
Carmen Turner
Twitter
@Carmen_C_Turner