Personal Branding Weekly and Using Your Status - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Weekly and Using Your Status - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career PERSONAL BRANDING WEEKLY Editor’s Note:   This week we welcome a new contributor to the Personal Branding Author team. Henrieta Riesco joins the Perosnal Branding Blog and is founder of Intentional Career. As a Career Coach, she collaborates with students and professionals on creating a fulfilling career. Her brand-building journey took her from being a teacher and a corporate trainer in Slovakia to the US where she spent 10+ years working at Microsoft as a customer advocate and a training consultant. The core of her impact lies in meaningful conversations. The goal is to empower professionals to become aware of new possibilities and to feel energized to take action in the desired direction. We also say farewell to Jacob Share.   Jacob is one of longest contributors sharing his insights for the last four years. We are so grateful for all your wonderful insights and your generosity in sharing those with our many readers through the years. We will miss you, Jacob! This week our articles included: Network with the Right People and They Will Lead You by Deborah Shane Use Resume Real Estate to Amplify Your Personal Brand by Phil Rosenberg 10 Killer Strategies for Getting a Job by Nance Rosen 7 Personal Branding Tips for Entrepreneurs by Heather Huhman 3 Pitfalls to Avoid to Increase Sales by Elinor Stutz Building a Lasting Personal Brand by Roger Parker How to Take Credit for Your Great Work by Aaron McDaniel Lights, Camera, ACTION! Video Job Interviews Moving into Mainstream by Skip Freeman Podcast #6: Creative Titles, Gaining Self-Confidence and Phil Simon by Dan Schawbel Your Branding Super Bowl of Super Bust? by Kristen Fischer 3 Tips to Making Great Video at Conferences by Manoush Zomorodi 5 Things The Super Bowl Can Teach Us Preparation by Jeff Shuey The International Crisis of Lance Armstrongs Brand by Peter Sterlacci 4 Ways Using Your Review Improves Your Brand by Michael Spinale Branding Yourself as the Applicant Everyone Wants by Ken Sundheim This next week we’ll cover your personal brand and power outages, the power of we and how crisis in the workplace creates opportunity. We look forward to your thoughts and comments! USE YOUR STATUS FOR STATUS LinkedIn has much to offer those developing their brand’s professional image. One of the most underestimated is the classic status update, which when used properly, can help elevate your brand’s status. Topics matter Are you sharing something that’s relevant to your target audience?   Regular updates can often consist of URL links to valuable information sources such as your blog or articles that would be interesting to your audience. If it isn’t relatable, it isn’t applicable. Asking the right question Rather than asking simple or common questions, use questions that target your own present situation. What are you in need of? Is there an issue that you’re facing right now? Ask questions that can help build connections necessary and will attract other problem solvers within your community. You’d be surprised at what you can find out from others by asking the right questions. Take a moment to mention Consider the advantages of mentioning others within your status. Did you recently make a new contact? Has your brand been influenced by others within your community. These endorsements can help to improve brand authenticity and further the engagement of others. In most cases, those who are mentioned will reciprocate and mention you, boosting your word of mouth marketing strategy and brand awareness. Social etiquette   While special occasions can be the exception, be sure that you aren’t “spamming” feeds with updates. You’ll go much further with your updates utilizing them as listening tools and following Stephen Covey’s habit of “seeking first to understand; then to be understood”. Storytelling Rather than updates asking for opportunities or selling your wares or services.   Use your updates to tell a story of a problem you solved and how that benefited a client or a connection. Linkedin’s status may seem like a simple place where you can post content, but it can be so much more than that. The next time you update your status, be aware of what type of content you’re posting and the context in which it’s displayed. If you can keep your audience updated with a well-worked status, you provide them a great opportunity to sample their character and competence. Author: Maria Elena Duron, is managing editor of the Personal Branding Blog, CEO (chief engagement officer) of  buzz2bucksâ€"  a word of mouth marketing firm, and a professional speaker and trainer on developing social networks that work. She provides workshops, webinars, seminars and direct services that help create conversation, connection, credibility, community and commerce around your brand.   Maria Duron is founder  and moderator of  #brandchat   a weekly Twitter chat focused on every aspect of  branding  that is recognized by Mashable as one the 15 Essential Twitter Chats for Social Media Marketers.