No one ever wants to be compared with a used car salesman (not that there is anything wrong with being a used car salesman) because it has always been shorthand for someone who is slick, dishonest, shallow, and self-interested. These qualities have never been considered attributes but in today’s world where connecting is an integral part of doing business, this type of behavior would be self defeating. Did you ever consider that you might be coming across differently than you think?

Recently I received a phone call from a stock broker pitching his company’s service. My name was on a prospect list made up of past clients. During our brief conversation he went into a monolog of the products and services his company offered and how I might benefit from them. The one thing he never did was connect with me. He seemed nice enough but I could just as easily have found the information he was giving me on the internet or the company’s website.

I wouldn’t say he came across as slick or dishonest, but he didn’t come across as expert, caring, personal, or unique. Rather than try to start a relationship which requires an investment of time he was focused on SELLING 101.

I know you are probably sitting at your computer reading this and saying “I don’t make cold calls so this doesn’t apply to me”. Have you ever attended a cocktail party, a conference, a networking event, a new client meeting? Do you whip out your business card after a few minutes? How do you break the ice? What do you talk about? Do you connect or do you sell?

Success in business is based on relationships. And relationship building is not only good for business; it’s fun if your intentions are genuine. So have fun and remember to:

1. Be Authentic – People have to like you. You may be selling the best product or service in the world, you may be the smartest person out there. If you don’t get people to connect with you on some level, to like you, you won’t get the business or do the deal or get the job. Be honest about who you are and let your personality show through. Connections are made memorable by sharing your stories, experiences, and passions – in other words, your personality.

2. Be Real – People have to trust you. I want to believe that you “care” about me and what I need and that you are not out to just close the deal or get the job. It’s a simple as Making Friends 101-  be curious and get to know them rather than sell them on you.

3. Be Giving – Generosity of spirit is integral to building relationships and of course, to being liked. Real relationships are not based on a quid pro quo. Give help, provide value without expecting anything in return. “Giving is it’s own reward.”

4. Be Consistent – Don’t change gears on me. I have to trust that if I decide to befriend you or hire you, you will consistently deliver on that promise of value.

5. Take Your Time - Make your goal getting to know them, not closing the deal. And that takes time. Lead times are long if you are building real relationships.

You never know, letting people you might not  consider “friend worthy”  into your life in an authentic way may yield some surprising results.

So let’s get to know each other and form some real relationships. Let me know what you think about this post and if there are topics you would like more information on – shout it out.

Utilizing her experience of over 25 years Mary Rosenbaum helps careerists and entrepreneurs position themselves so they can stand out from the competition. Get her free report Top Strategies for Getting Visible and Getting Ahead.

Follow me on Twitter @Careersguru

Your personal brand is a great weapon in today’s economy. If you are looking for a job it helps to distinguish you in a crowded universe. Knowing your strengths, talents, values and passions helps you identify and achieve your goals. When you know where you want to go then you can more easily articulate what you offer and why you would be a great hire. Identifying your specific areas of expertise enable you to more easily promote yourself to your desired target audience.

There are common mistakes people make because they believe that casting a wide net will open up opportunities while specificity will limit their chances of securing a position. Here are some things to avoid when involved in a search:

1. Presenting yourself as a jack of all trades (and therefore master of none). Generalists are not memorable and therefore not easily remembered. Stand for something and identify a speciality or differentiating quality so that you stand out. You are not a commodity so find your unique talents and strengths and shine a spotlight on them.

2. Cover all your bases and make sure your resume includes every responsibility you ever held so that nothing slips through the cracks. A resume that has too much information is as bad as one that has not enough. A resume filled with more than what’s needed is asking the reader to pick and choose what he/she deems important. Instead a resume that highlights the skills and talents you want them to see puts you in charge of how you are viewed. The focus should be on the job you want, not the one you had 15 years ago. So take control of what they think, point them in the direction you want to go, and the odds of being singled out increase.

3. One cover letter will do because most people don’t read them anyway. As a former executive recruiter I can say that I read cover letters and often forwarded the contents to potential employers. A cover letter provides the reader with a reason for meeting you. The letter connects the skills they want, the experience you have and the successes you achieved using those skills. It allows you to show personality and to illustrate the knowledge you have of the industry and of them. This is an opportunity to let your differentiating qualities come through and let you personal brand be more visible.

So don’t bury your personal brand in favor of being all things to all people. Instead use the resources that are in your control to spotlight the differences.

Are there other myths or beliefs that should be dispelled when looking for a job or making a career change? Please share them with us.

Utilizing her experience of over 25 years Mary Rosenbaum helps careerists and entrepreneurs position themselves so they can stand out from the competition. Get her free report Top Strategies for Getting Visible and Getting Ahead.

Follow me on Twitter @Careersguru

What type of reaction do you get when you introduce yourself at a conference, meeting or networking event? So much has been written about the elevator pitch yet most people still have a hard time making it sound compelling and authentic.

I attended an event a few weeks ago and was surprised at how people, when asked about their job or business, described themselves. It was as if they had memorized a speech – not a long one of course because this was their elevator pitch, but it sounded canned and well rehearsed. I kept wanting to ask them: Where’s the PASSION? Why are you doing what you are doing? Why is it special?

If you are doing something you enjoy and are good at, describing it to anyone else should be easy; it should flow. And even more importantly, it should excite or create interest in the listener. Instead these descriptions sounded as if they were reading a label describing the contents of some packaged food product.

As I have stated many times, your personal brand is about ALL of you. Your elevator pitch should incorporate your personal branding statement – WHY you do what you do and for whom. It should elicit further questions not only about your service or work but about you as well.

There are some basic rules about what should be included in your elevator pitch. Your pitch should provide the following information in a few sentences:

- What you do?
- Who you do it for?
- What are your deliverables (the pain points you eliminate)?
- Why should I hire or use you?

Your answers to the above questions have more resonance if they include not only what you do and the value you provide but how the passion, vision and values you bring to your work make you the person I want to hire, promote, or get to know. You are providing a reason for WHY I would have an interest in hearing more about you, your business or profession.

In crafting your introduction or elevator pitch think about the following:

- What am I passionate about?
- How does my work help me feed that passion?
- How has my experience enabled me to be successful in the work I do?
- How does the work I do satisfy my clients’/company’s needs and goals?

For example, I am passionate about helping people gain greater control over their lives. My experience of over 25 years in executive recruiting, career coaching, and personal branding has prepared me well for the work I do: helping professionals and entrepreneurs gain a greater understanding of their vision, passion, values, skills and talents. It’s only when they have that understanding that they can more effectively communicate their worth, their value added, and then – achieve their desired professional goals. It’s been my experience that having control over their professional lives gives people more choices resulting in greater satisfaction and control over their personal lives.

This is not a canned introduction. I change the way I introduce myself every time I have the chance. That way it’s more authentic, does not sound memorized, and can be geared specifically to the audience I am addressing. By trying out different introductions or pitches I get a much better sense of what works and what doesn’t.

Now give it try and put more of yourself into your introduction or pitch.

Any other thoughts on how to get the passion into your description of yourself? Please share them with us.

If there are topics you have an interest in learning more about please contact me and let me know.

Utilizing her experience of over 25 years, Mary Rosenbaum helps careerists and entrepreneurs position themselves so they can stand out from the competition. Get her free report Top Strategies for Getting Visible and Getting Ahead.

Follow me on Twitter @Careersguru

If you are like me you have probably received countless birthday or christmas gifts that were not what you wanted or even needed. What did you do with those gifts, put them in the back of your closet, returned them if you could, re-gifted them to someone else? One thing is certain, you didn’t use this gift or benefit from it in any way. In fact, you probably forgot about it as soon as you put it away.

If you want people to read your blog or newsletter you have to think of these communications as a gift. All too often I receive newsletters or blog postings that either rehash old news or reword something either they or someone in the industry has already written about. What they don’t include is anything of value for me. Value can be defined in many ways. For example, it can provide me with a new way of looking at something, or a new approach I can apply to my business or life, or even a story I can relate to.

If you have read my past posts on the value of a strong brand, writing a blog and the rules of blogging then you know that providing your target audience with some added value is more important than just getting something out there with your name on it. Your blog or newsletter should convey your opinions in your area of expertise. One of the benefits of writing a blog is to communicate your thought leadership (your personal brand) in a way that exhibits your expertise in a “show” and not “tell” fashion. Distributing a blog or newsletter that doesn’t provide valuable content can only hurt your personal brand – your reputation. Why? Because people will immediately delete your emails based on their past experience with you.

Just like everyone else, my email inbox is filled with newsletters, email blasts, and blogs. With the limited time we have and the surplus of information we receive make sure the communications you send out are worthwhile. Let’s make sure the delete button is reserved for someone else. If you follow these rules they just might help you keep your audience and grow your following.

1. Know what your target audience wants and needs. Look at the responses (if any) you get from your postings and determine how they can be better focused to improve the content you provide and the engagement you develop with your audience. Research the work of other thought leaders in your industry. Read the comments they receive, see how you can address some of the issues that are being raised, but with a different point of view.

2. Make sure you are not underestimating your readers’ sophistication or knowledge. There is nothing worse than providing information that is so “been there, done that, old hat”.

3. Are you addressing the right target audience? I know I receive emails from companies and individuals providing valuable information on hi tech products for large businesses, classes on becoming a fashion designer, and courses on passing the bar exam, among others. Just because you have someone’s email address it doesn’t mean they want to receive your gift of communication and knowledge.

4. Don’t overuse the send button. Unless you have something worthwhile to write about, don’t write. I know I have said in the past that consistency and constancy in communication builds credibility as well as a following. You should write at least one time per week to maintain that following. But having said this, there is nothing worse than writing just to publish – because you dilute the value of your blog and of your brand.

5. Connect with your readers in a way that resonates with them not only on a business level but on a personal level as well. The more authentic you are in your writing, the more your ideas will resonate with your audience.

Having the right formula – original ideas and content, well written text, reader connection and engagement, – will result in a growing targeted following.

What tools do you use to keep their finger off the delete button? Please share them with us.

Utilizing her experience of over 25 years Mary Rosenbaum helps careerists and entrepreneurs position themselves so they can stand out from the competition. Get her free report Top Strategies for Getting Visible and Getting Ahead.

Follow me on Twitter @Careersguru

If you were to ask three colleagues, three friends, and three family members to describe your attributes, strengths, and abilities do you know what they would say? Would they all say the same things? There has been much written about personal branding, in fact, I have written and spoken a great deal about it as well. But have you thought about what it actually means?

Personal BRANDING is the process by which you determine how you want to be viewed by others and then go about BRANDING the words you want them to use when describing you. You are in effect BRANDING your “reputation” in the minds of others.

How do you do this?

1. Find out what others think of you? Have a conversation and ask them the questions that would bring out how they would describe you to others. If you want more detailed information, a 360 assessment is a great tool to use because it offers anonymity and that ensures a higher degree of honesty and accuracy.

2. Do a Strengths, Weakness, Attribute, and Talents analysis (SWAT) using information they provide and include your own self analysis. Once you have this information determine which skills, talents, abilities, attributes and strengths are ones that will further your career. Those are the ones you want to highlight. If there are weaknesses that might prevent you from attaining your goals, think of ways you can ameliorate them (take courses, connect with those who can help you overcome them, partner with people who can fill in your gaps). If they are not road blockers, just forget them and move on.

3. Do a comparative analysis of the skills and abilities you bring to your work. Try to determine how you are the same and what makes you different than your competitors. What gets you in the game – education, years of experience, similar skill sets – should be the same. What makes you different is a combination of what others think of you, special talents and skills you bring to your work, and the way in which you provide your service or do your job.

4. Develop an elevator pitch or personal branding statement that provides the listener with information on what you do, why you do it, what your differentiating qualities are, and the value you provide. You don’t have to be looking for a job or pitching a client to develop a strong personal branding statement or pitch. The reason you are doing this is so that you can “brand” this description into the minds of all you meet and already know.

5. Make sure your messaging is clear and consistent. Everyone should understand what you do and the value you provide. And it should be consistent for everyone you meet.

6. Always be on brand. Make sure that the work you do and the way you present yourself, on and off line are always on brand. It takes a great deal of time to build a reputation, to solidify your brand in other peoples’ minds. It takes considerably less time to destroy it.

Are there other ways you have in identifying your unique promise of value, your personal brand? We would love to hear about them.

Utilizing her experience of over 25 years, Mary Rosenbaum helps entrepreneurs and careerists position themselves so they can stand out from the competition. Get her free report Top Strategies for Getting Visible and Getting Ahead.

Follow me on Twitter @careersguru

I thought this was an interesting read in light of my previous post on the importance of having a vision in developing your brand. Understanding your vision provides you with a direction for your business and your career. This article on how to develop your and your company’s vision statement in 24 words should help in developing your thought process. Let me know what you think.

Utilizing her experience of over 25 years, Mary Rosenbaum helps entrepreneurs and careerists position themselves so they can stand out from the competition. Get her free report Top Strategies for Getting Visible and Getting Ahead.

Follow me on Twitter @careersguru

When I started up my executive recruitment business in the early 80’s the only way to expand and develop my business was through real world marketing and by extension, word of mouth marketing. Much time was spent meeting with prospective clients, candidates, and those who influenced the decision makers. My marketing plan was centered almost exclusively on in-person meetings and presentations. Although my business grew over the 20 years I spent building it, I can only imagine the growth I could have achieved had social media marketing been around in those early years.

Real world marketing is still vital to growing your business and making those sales. However, in today’s world you must incorporate social media marketing in order to obtain many of the in person meetings and presentations that help you close the deal. Because consumers are inundated with messaging coming at them from all directions, they have developed screening mechanisms preventing old world marketing tools from being as effective as they once were.

What are the benefits of social media marketing?

-         Build trust, credibility and relationships in the virtual world in far less time than in the real world.

-         Reinforce your personal brand in ways that demonstrate your expertise – build brand recognition.

-         Find and build a like minded community that enables you to learn new tools and share ideas.

-         Engage your target audience across geographic borders without leaving the comfort of your keyboard.

-         Convert virtual relationships into real world contacts easier than through cold calling or other previously relied upon methods of spreading the word – they already know you and what you can provide.

-         Gain visibility in a more focused targeted way.

How do you start participating in the social media world?

-         Create a blog that reinforces your brand and demonstrates your expertise – this is where you give away information that your potential clients/customers WANT to know about. Crafting your blog so it markets your expertise rather than sells your service is the key to success.

-         Join Linkedin, Facebook, and Twitter to engage and communicate with your target audience as well as your like minded community. Use these networks as a way to disseminate your blog postings, share ideas with others in your field, and respond to questions in your area of expertise. This will help you will increase your universe of potential clients, get the word out and create word of mouth buzz.

-         Participate and comment on other blogs that relate to your area of interest and expertise – demonstrate generosity as this often results in reciprocity.

What social media tools do you use to get the most visibility in your target market? Please share your ideas and comments with all of us.

My next posting will focus on how to write a blog that helps expand your following and your business.

How would you like to charge more for your services or products than your competitors? With a strong personal brand, you can. If you don’t believe me visit your local drug store. There are generic drugs available at pennies a piece sitting alongside a branded generic product, a more expensive version of the same exact product with the difference being the name of a major drug company somewhere on the box. Companies know that consumers prefer buying brands and as a result, are willing to pay more for the PROMISE of quality.

A strong brand takes pricing out of the equation. David Avrin in his book, “It’s Not Who You Know It’s Who Knows You” says that the 4 most dangerous words to hear when pitching a client, asking for a raise, or selling a product, are: “All things being equal”.  If you hear these words then you haven’t differentiated yourself from your competitors; you haven’t effectively communicated the PROMISE of quality or unique value. Instead, you are now competing on price, location or any other factors that have nothing to do with the value of the service or product you provide.

Branding isn’t limited to corporations. Are there any entrepreneurs, small businesses or professionals who would rather focus on pricing issues when making their pitch instead of on the quality of their offerings? With a strong personal brand, a reputation that is substantiated by results, the focus will be on your differentiating PROMISE of value. (See an earlier post that can help you in defining your personal brand at bit.ly/56nIeA)

Here are some defining characteristics that are the underpinnings of a strong brand.

1. Quality – It’s what clients value and are willing to pay a premium for if it is what they can expect. Think Toyota and how the brand has been hurt by the quality control issues affecting accelerators on their cars.

2. Reliability – Delivering results as promised and as expected each and every time builds credibility and brand loyalty. Negative surprises hurt your brand. Part of Toyota’s brand has been the safety of their vehicles. The recent events have called into question their reliability in delivering safe cars to families who have relied on them for decades.

3. Consistency – Clients like knowing what to expect from you and what value you provide. Staying on brand all the time and being able to clearly and consistently describe your unique PROMISE of value is key to developing and maintaining a strong brand.

So, if there ever was a question in your mind about the value of a strong personal brand for your business or your career take a look around at your local drug store or grocery store and see how your purchasing decisions are affected by strong brands, brand recognition and brand loyalty when the same products are available at a lower cost.

Are there other examples that you can think of where strong brands command premium prices for products or services that are not considered premium?

If you own a car you know that like it or not your car will need to visit the shop for a tune up sometime this year. Whether your car is a 2009 BMW or a 1995 Dodge for it to function at peak performance the engine has to be checked out and cleaned, the oil changed, the tires rotated, and the windshield wipers replaced. When was the last time you gave your business a tune up?

If you want your business to operate at maximum efficiency – getting new clients, getting former clients to come back, getting the type of word of mouth that helps generate revenues as well as buzz – then it’s probably time for a check up. Here is a check list I use periodically to help ensure that the time I spend growing my business is time well spent.

1. What is your reputation – what are people saying about you and your business?

Is what you hear in line with your brand, with what you expect others to think about you?

This is a great time of year to check in with your former clients to gain a better understanding of :

- whether you delivered on what you promised

- how the work you did for them impacted their business or their lives

- what needs they currently have and how you can help

This should provide you with some good information (possibly some great quotes to use in the future) as well as demonstrate your concern and follow through with your clients.

In my experience following up with past clients has always resulted in new business – either repeat business from my client or a new referral. Additionally, continued input on how you are performing is always a prerequisite to continued success.

2. Is the message you are sending still resonating with your target audience?

Have the needs of your audience changed? Even if it’s a slight shift are you capturing the need in your pitch, your presentation, your power point, your blog, your tweets, and your website? Try to look at your website with new eyes. In fact, ask others to review it to see if it’s still current. A website has to be dynamic and change with the changing times; as does the messaging you put out through social networks or through any formal presentations you make.

3. Are you using the right tools to get your message out? Are you in the right places?

Yes, marketing in general and social media in particular can be very time consuming but if done properly it can provide a lot of visibility for you and your company. That’s why targeting the right audience and focusing your message on that audience makes it easier for you to get your hands around where you should be spending your time selling. The world is a big place, but a laser focus enables you to figure out where you have to be to get in front of those people who need to know about you. So take a look at where you spend your time speaking, blogging, tweeting, linking in. What return have you gotten on your investment of time? As I said earlier in this blog, change can be good and is often a necessary part of growing a business. A constant review of your communications plan is vital to ensure that you are reaching the right people at least most of the time.

So even if the service light doesn’t come on and you think you are firing on all cylinders, get that tune up so that you are working more efficiently with better focus and better results.

Today more than ever we live in a world where differentiation from your competitors is key to getting the business or job you want. Malcolm Forbes once said,

“Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.”

What does that mean to you? To me as an entrepreneur and a coach it’s very simple, develop a strong personal brand and get the word out. Understand your value added and communicate it clearly, consistently and with some constancy. Don’t try to be all things to all people because if you do that you will end up being perceived as a jack of all trades and a master of none. So keep this to-do list for a strong brand.

1. Pick an area to work in that you enjoy and are good at and focus all your energy on growing that particular specialty. When you enjoy your work and believe that you excel at it then you tend be more excited about what you do and that excitement communicates well; it becomes contagious and often has a magnetic affect on others.

2. Create the back story of why you are good at it and why people should use you – the pitch. Identify the attributes that enable you to do the best job possible and use them as the starting point for your pitch. Be specific in selecting these attributes and don’t use generalizations like good listener or problem solver. Think of your past successes and how your experience, education, temperament, and skills played a role in these achievements.

3. Develop the success stories that highlight how you work, what you achieved, and why you were able to get those results – your Problem, Action, Resolution stories. Stories provide the picture and pictures sell far better than slogans, tag lines or promises.

4. Be the expert and earn that status – blog, write articles and newsletters, write a book, comment, speak on topic. Pick a few ways that you are comfortable with to communicate and reinforce your expert status and make sure you do something all the time. Make your communications relevant to what your audience wants and needs so that your message resonates with them and eventually moves them to action – contacting you.

5. Stay current – take classes, stay connected to professional groups, read, get certifications/degrees. To stay competitive always stay on top of the curve because if you don’t someone else will.