This is the presentation I made at the PR for People meetup at Patricia Cameron Gallery in Seattle on 7/1/09. Crafted for a brief 10-minute presentation, it's meant to cover high-level topics of digital self-promotion.
TOPIC: How to use social media to create an intellectual footprint in the online space, with a goal of getting found and getting hired.
AUDIENCE: information workers
3. A brand is a PROMISE
The experience someone will always have
The benefit they’ll always receive
The unique difference that will always be there
A brand is strongest through clear messaging and
consistent delivery, crafted for the people who
will care, in a way that benefits THEM.
4. YOU are a brand
A promise to friends. To
future employers. To
society.
5. Trust is a basic requirement for biz
How do I minimize trust killers?
Be found or referred, rather than interrupting one’s search.
Demonstrate value, don’t just blather on about it.
How do I build trust with prospective customers?
Demonstrate intellectual capital: you know your stuff.
Demonstrate a vision for this profession or this market.
Show that others took a chance on you and benefitted.
Show that you’re ethical, easy to work with…trustworthy.
How do you empower others to spread their trust in
your offering?
Give customers a voice.
Amplify their words about you.
Make sharing your value effortless.
6. IDENTITY
Step 1: identify your unique
“business-applicable” traits
The most fascinating or remarkable
The traits that make you authentic
Think about your quirks, through a positive lens
Perfectionist = detail-focused
Scattered = multi-tasker
Aggressive = gets things done
Stubborn = determined
Honesty is always the best policy
Overshare? Not always.
7. DIRECTION
Step 2: determine your goals and
audience
What’s your vision for your career in 2014?
What do you want to be known for?
What kinds of people do you want to attract?
Green office specialist: office admins, Ops VPs
Art director: marketing directors, creative directors
Digital PR wunderkind: agency heads, marketing
teams
Where do those people “live” online?
8. MESSAGING
Step 3: determine what you’d say
…at a cocktail party, job fair or in an interview
Trustworthy? Hard-working? Funny? Flexible? Nice?
All about facts? All about ideas? All about details?
Leave the detail for later: what’s the one takeaway
you’d want to leave behind in an elevator ride
(besides “I’m available?”)
That single takeaway should be integrated in every place
you engage with people
“I am personable and people trust me.”
“I accomplish what I go after.”
“I have an upbeat passion about this space that is infectious.”
9. Step 4: determine how to engage
What do people have time for? Respect time
starvation. TMI is not a selling point.
Which media would best convey what you’re
about?
11. Consider traditional job-hunting
SEARCH AND ATTACK!
Spray-and-pray resume blasts
Getting a recruiter’s attention
Realities
Hundreds of resumes, sometimes per day
Recruiters not incented to look at every resume
Job boards often incented to keep filled positions posted
Recruiters turning to Google and contacts
12. The new jobhunt
…is about being found more than busting your way in.
The bigger intellectual footprint you have online, the
higher the likelihood of being found by the right people.
Be trusted and be recommended, rather than an intruder
on a mission.
In the interviewing process, your footprint is confirmation
of trust (or distrust). It seals the deal!
My last three jobs came from Google, a conference, and a
blog post!
13. SUGGESTIONS: bare minimum
LinkedIn
Use your Summary well
Write everything based on brand traits and messages
IMPORTANT: Ask for testimonials
Personal blog
Long-form thought about your profession, even if new
Written from a “hire me!” perspective
Facebook
Personal connections are The Money
Keep things mainly professional but show human side
14. SUGGESTIONS: mo betta
Twitter
Short-form thought
Carve out time to convey valuable news, events, insights
Slideshare.net
Share your thought leadership with downloadable
presentations that convey you and your vision
Trottr.com
Voice blogging: let people hear you!
Be clear, concise, short and sweet
15. SUGGESTIONS: extra mile
Tumblr/Vox/etc.: repost for SEO
BlogTalkRadio: short, tagged, topical interviews
YouTube: video conveys quickly
Use some decent camera skills and audio
Flickr: post your creative work
Delicious: helpful bookmarks, not just everything
16. Rules of Engagement
Be honest above all! Lies will be outed, publicly.
Be transparent – offer proof, everywhere
Be real and relatable
No need for extra formality
Extra informality can torpedo you – worth the risk?
Fluff, glitz and perfection are not required
But CLARITY, BREVITY and AUDIBILITY are!
THINK ENGAGEMENT AND DIALOGUE
The more dialogue, the more likely you will be found
17.
18. But I don’t have time
Make time. When jobs are scarce, your approach
will need to change.
Why not have a leg up on all the other (even
more qualified) prospects?
Spray-and-pray is DEAD. You know it. So open
your mind to you as a valuable free-agent
specialist, rather than a peg for a hole.
19. THOUGHT-STARTERS
Social marketing applications
BLOGGING AUDIO (podcasts)
Industry-related “found items” Storytelling
Design trends and insights Thought leadership
CEO media/investor relations Testimonials
MICROBLOGGING (Twitter) Sensory branding
Timely insights
Blog awareness WIKIS
Event awareness Event planning
Community-building Product development
VIDEO (one-off or vidcasts) Shared learnings
How-to’s Distributed work-in-progress
Personality pieces SOCIAL & TOPICAL
Company storytelling NETWORKS
Humor Brand awareness
WIDGETS Community/CSR discussion
Content distribution/sharing Community building
Feedback/testing/trials
20. Consider your lens.
Boomers/Tweeners Gen X/Millenials
Trained in formalities Formalities ignored
Don’t offend anyone More interested in finding those
Be the most acceptable to the largest with like minds than worrying about
number of people turning off others
Privacy highly valued Less privacy means more ability to
Interested in tech functionality but be found
often overwhelmed by speed of Digital natives – tech is ubiquitous
change and easy
Don’t do well with chaos Have grown up with “random”
GEN X should consider behavior
importance of PROPRIETY BOOMERS should consider
importance of AFFINITY