Tag: personal brand

Professional Growth From Home

Clairemont InternBlog, Professional Development, Public Relations, , , , , ,

I’ve always had an exceedingly long list of new skills I’ve wanted to learn, books I’ve been meaning to read and writing pieces that I’ve had every purpose of finishing. More often than not, many of these well-meaning goals have never left the ground, either because I could never find enough free time or because I had no idea where to start.

Over the past few months, I’ve discovered that continuing to learn and grow can happen anytime, especially when you might be finding yourself at home with a bit of cabin fever. If you’ve had an irresistible itch to try something new, you’re in luck! With the worldwide web at our fingertips and plenty of untapped resources, time on our hands can open up the doors for growth – even if it’s when you’re plopped on the couch in your favorite yoga pants. 

Here are a few ways to get started: 

Take an Online Course

Whether you’ve always dreamed of being a whiz at coding or you’re seeking to learn a new skill, there’s an online class for that. As an aspiring full-time writer, I’ve found myself popping over to the plethora of related courses available on LinkedIn Learning more than once. SkillPop is also a fantastic resource for a wide variety of interesting and inexpensive classes. Intriguing subjects like podcasting essentials and Crayola calligraphy? Sign me up!

Master an Online Tool

Amidst the Zoom meetings and “work from your laptop” atmosphere of 2020, mastering online tools can spruce up your resume no matter your field. Canva, Google Analytics and Instagram Analytics are a few kick-off points to start fine tuning essential workplace skills. Canva offers its own courses on how to utilize tools for social media, workplace presentations and websites. Looking for more? LinkedIn Learning is a hotspot for courses on everything from Microsoft Word to Photoshop. 

Read a Book

While this might be one of the oldest tricks in the book (See what I did there?), there’s a reason why reading is a tried-and-true method of self-improvement or education on just about any subject. Want to learn a new language? Dive into the world of analytics? Develop yourself in your chosen craft? There are probably several books about it. 

Even if you’re simply seeking a thrilling page-turner or light-hearted beach read, studies show that reading consistently not only gets your brain’s creative juices flowing but also reduces stress and increases awareness of others’ feelings. That’s the good news you might have needed to hear today; rereading the Harry Potter series would be good for your health. Whether you’re reading for pleasure or immersing yourself in a nonfiction manual, diving into a book is both a fun and productive time investment. 

With apps like Hoopla, books, podcasts and audiobooks are free and abundant. Leafing around for more options? Here are a few resources for endless online book access without even having to step foot into the library.

Hone Your Personal Brand

The ability to tangibly define your goals and the steps you’re taking to reach them is valuable no matter what your career or life stage. These goals, career choices and skills all form your personal brand. Intentionally built or not, we all have one. As Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, said, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” 

Take the time to identify what messages you are emulating and what you hope to emulate to those around you. Consider these questions:

→ What are my strengths? How do I want to use them to make my impression?

→ Which characteristics make me one-of-a-kind?

→ Who is my target audience?

→ What is my career goal?

→ What brings me joy?

For more detailed tips and tricks on developing your personal brand, give this insightful article a look or check out Clairemont’s personal branding guide.

On the hunt for more professional info? Check out the Interview Tips section of our blog.

By Clairemont intern Anna Beth Adcock, a rising senior at NC State.

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Getting Personal: Building Your Brand

Kelli FletcherBlog, Marketing, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, ,

In the digital age when everything from cars to cats has an Instagram account, a Facebook page and even a Twitter handle, it has become obvious that branding isn’t just for businesses anymore. Branding, it seems, is necessary for anyone (or anything) with a public presence.

Carefully cultivating your personal brand is important. It allows you to control your narrative both visually and verbally, which is critical in a time when first impressions are often in the form of a Google search. In fact, in a survey last year, it was found that a whopping 70 percent of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process.

When you consider that big companies put a hefty amount of money and time behind establishing a brand, you may think you don’t have what it takes to create your own. But really, it’s a lot easier than you think. Simply put, your personal brand is what you do, how you do it and why. Which means, it’s nearly impossible to fake. And building your personal brand will do for you what it does for big businesses: make you stand out from the crowd.

We’ve rounded up a few easy steps that will assist you with establishing your personal brand and getting it up and running.

Know Yourself

Push past your passions to dig a bit deeper. What are your strengths? Values? What is your expertise? But keep in mind that (ironically) building your personal brand isn’t actually all about you. Think about your friends, family and coworkers – all the individuals in your circle. What are their needs and wants? What frustrates them? More importantly, how can YOU help, and how is it different from anyone else?

Know Your Audience

From their jobs to what brings them joy, study your audience. Where are they located? What makes them happy? But even more, get to know what they value and the challenges they face.

Once you identify them, reach out to connect to further explore what makes them tick. Begin creating content that aligns with each of these points to capture their eyes. Perhaps it’s an article with valuable tips on how to save time or money. Or maybe it’s simply a tell-all about your personal approach to an issue (anything from a design challenge to a parenting problem).

Know Your Message

Make it short. Make it simple. Make it strong. These things will make it memorable.

Position yourself as a person familiar with your audience’s interests, tastes and outlooks. Transfer this message across all your profiles – personal and professional. Most importantly, embody it in nearly everything you do. Doing this will help your message gain momentum and further make your mission clear.

Stay on Mark

Now that you have these three pillars in place, make sure you stay consistent with both your content and your cadence. Doing this will not only help you retain your audience (while also attracting new followers), but it will also keep you sharp and skilled, ready for interactions – on and offline.

Want to learn how we can help you build an authentic and strong personal brand? Send us a note!

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Becoming a Thought Leader

Cherith AndesBlog, Professional Development, Public Relations, , , ,

When I worked as the communications director with the YMCA of the Triangle, Chip and Dan Heath held celeb status in our halls.

We had never even met the duo. But the Y staff had poured through their book, “Switch,” discussed it in fervent (sometimes overly caffeinated) groups, storyboarded its concepts and penned strategies of action.

“Switch” served as a catalyst for systemic change for the Y — all 13+ branches in our region. The Heaths’ three-step process for inciting transformation at all levels — staff, members and the community — proved radical.

The Heaths had successfully positioned themselves as thought leaders. 

Thought leaders aren’t just experts. They are the “expert of experts.” After demonstrating valuable contributions to a specific field, thought leaders rise as the “go-to” resources, the keynote speakers, the daily bloggers.

As you develop your influence as a thought leader, fuel your journey with these six steps.

1. #Inspo: Find Your Why. 

This crucial first step will serve as the foundation for the next five steps. Determine for yourself why you want to pursue this specific niche of expertise. Is there social change you’d like to encourage, people you’d like to help, a business you’re dreaming to start? A deep, specific conviction serves both to focus your strategy on an end goal while also keeping you inspired over the long haul.

2. #Niche: Specify your what. 

What is your area of expertise? Since specificity is key, define not just your field but also your niche and your stance on that niche. For example, Clairemont works with Newland Communities, the country’s largest private residential real estate developer. We worked with one of its executives who was a thought leader not in real estate, not in mixed-use real estate (although we’re getting closer) but in the authentic mixed-use development inspired by natural habitats and heritage. Newland’s mission propels the company to develop communities based on the culture, heritage and natural topography of the land to foster the area’s culture. See how this is much more specific than “real estate”?

In this phase of discovery, remember that you need to offer something new. Perhaps you’re taking a new stance on a topic or adding a new angle to accepted rhetoric. Either way, proffer something fresh to the pot. Once you’ve fleshed out your particular brand of cool, hone it to a four- or five-word phrase that cleanly portrays your value as a thought leader.

3. #Proof: Build your credibility. 

Create a profile that showcases why you’re a thought leader on a source. This could include a list of accomplishments and experiences in this field, works you’ve written, awards won, organizations to which you’ve contributed or research you’ve conducted. Build proof why your followers should look to you as the quintessential expert.

4. #Authenticity: Hone your voice.

People don’t follow ideas. People follow people, which is a wonderful invitation for you to unveil your personality, style and voice. Take the opportunity to develop your personal “boilerplate” or your story that led you to your expertise. What spurred you, what obstacles did you crush, what change did you witness? Be forewarned: our culture has a strong radar for heavy-handed sales tactics. So undergird your writing and thoughts with transparency without asking for anything in return.

5. #Connected: Use your tribe.

When setting up your strategy, consult a team of trusted advisors, like your colleagues, fellow board members or your PR agency team. Share your why, what, proof and credibility points. Ask for feedback and expand ideas together: topics you could address, events or panels on which you could speak, workshops to teach or social media strategies. Define your outlets and plan of attack. Will you solely provide blog material? Teach workshops? Are you writing a book? Your team can provide invaluable direction; don’t go it alone!

6. #Indispensable: Be a resource.

Once your strategy is in place, here’s where the proverbial rubber meets the road. All of your knowledge doesn’t mean bupkis unless your followers find it useful. Since you’ve established a stance on a topic (see #2) backed by data (see #3), spotlight your golden discoveries.

Articulate a common problem that your field faces and offer your solution; share ideas in approachable, actionable terms. Stay apprised of the very latest developments and news in your industry to weigh in with your advice. Diversify your input across several types of mediums (such as videos, infographics) and platforms (like reddit and LinkedIn) to connect with varied audiences. Offer consistent content, and above all commit to quality over quantity. Your audience will learn to trust your counsel and follow your strategies.

At Clairemont, we love to help our clients explore their full potential as thought leaders. Want to learn what that means for you? Us too! Drop us a line. 

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