thebuzz101: Taking Time

I run rapid networking events. Why? Because I realized that much of the networking going on is glorified “grip, grin and grazing events” where cliques of people congregate. Email upon email and phone call upon phone call I receive questions of “how to break into a conversation”; “how to work a group”; “how to connect with what appears to be the good ole boy (or even good ole gal) cliques”. I like rapid networking because it takes all of that stuff out and sets up mini-networking meetings with people you might have never connected with in the general networking venue.

Here’s the rub — never fails that when I facilitate one of these events there is always someone who arrives late and they usually follow that “attention getter” with leaving early. THEN, they are the first ones to say — I didn’t get to really connect with anybody this didn’t work. Duh!!! If you only spend a few minutes in starting a relationship, do you think you’ve given people enough time to even connect with you?

Going to an event doesn’t mean that you get INSTANT TRUST AND RAPPORT with the people in the room. The event gives them time to sample your “character and competence”. How quickly someone will do business with you or connect with you is a matter of trust and that varies depending on profession, connection and opportunity. But, having an “ego bigger than Dallas” and expecting that people will FLOCK to you at an event really gives someone a “taste” of who you are.

Mind you, rapid networking is fast paced - only 5 minute meetings. It’s designed that way to start a conversation so that you can determine:

1. Do you want to continue this conversation?

2. Or, is this someone that you definitely don’t want to connect with further?

It’s a mistake to look at title alone when determining if someone will be a good connection. Much better to use your 5 minutes listening to them and understanding what drives them and who they are. People VALUE PEOPLE who they feel VALUE THEM. And, you give the impression that you value others when you LISTEN to them and HEAR what they said. For example, there was a mortgage lender at an event who just felt that he didn’t meet who he needed to meet and didn’t feel the event was something he would do again (of course, he arrived LATE - with some excuse AND REALLY we are all busy so no one person’s excuse is better than another’s), little did he know that there were TWO PEOPLE at the event, that he actually met and spoke with, that were decision makers on relocation with their company or organization. He sat in front of some influential people who would of been GREAT CONNECTIONS for him and totally missed the mark because he didn’t TAKE THE TIME to know who they really were and who they influence. Sad! (feeling guilty that maybe this is you?  Hold on - only you know that best — I do run lots of rapid events here, there and everywhere.)

Take the time to make connections. It really is the whole “quality” versus “quantity” mindset. Also, take the time to see if YOU are someone that anyone would want to connect with. Utilize the CONNECT-ABILITY CHECKLIST on this blog and see. If you really want to do great business, then you’ll focus on the relationship. Because ALL BUSINESS is personal and built on relationships. Avoid walking into an event expecting the masses to flock to you. Or, relying on your title and position alone to carry you.

I was speaking this week with a dear friend of mine, John Land, President, Frisco Chamber of Commerce and he truly is the MEMBERSHIP CHAMPION. He gives his members weekly opportunities to connect, supports them and is at every connection event and is so service oriented that talking to him is like a “cold drink of water” on a hot day! He is so “crazy busy” that it doesn’t make sense for him to take time for our weekly phone calls (and lately daily calls). But, he does. It’s because he WALKS THE TALK and puts value in the relationship. He lives his motto of being “built by association”. When you connect with someone like that, they’re not only VISIBLE, they’re MEMORABLE and they STAND OUT above the competitive clutter.

Stop “holding court” and start “making connections”!

People Are The Brand -

Coach Maria Elena Duron AKA The Champion of Connections

Buzz To Bucks Coaching & Connections: Personal Brand Coaching for Leadership, Career and Image Management

Buzz2Bucks: Word of Mouse

We’ve all heard the power of WORD OF MOUTH.  We’ll act and make decisions on someones recommendation and even allow something (or someone) that’s unknown to borrow from the credibility of the person that we know -the one who makes the recommendation.

Now, enter Gen X, Gen Y and the Millennials and we see not only the power of WORD OF MOUTH - we see the power of WORD OF MOUSE.  “Word of Mouse” is the conversational blogging, posting and reviewing conversations that are happening all over the web on company blog sites, employee personal blogs, personal blogs, and a host of social networks (myspace, Ryze, eCademy, Facebook, Naymze and LinkedIn).

How is your WORD OF MOUSE?

1.  Do you show up on the web (or are you invisible?)

2.  Do you write with a human voice - remember, it’s individuals who blog - not companies (kind of like the person that’s belly-to-belly with the customer IS the company, right?!)

3.  Do you read other blogs? Do you post?  Or are you silent (and unknown).

4.  When you post - are you transparent?  Remember, blogs are conversational NOT  monologue (or worse yet, corporate speak!)

5.  Do you link?  Post? Do you show up on websites? Just like NOT BEING at a networking event will surely get you know contacts - NOT BEING VISIBLE on the web will silence any good word of mouse.

Welcome to the future where now, more than ever, PEOPLE ARE THE BRAND!

Coach Maria Elena Duron AKA The Champion of Connections 

Buzz To Bucks Coaching & Connections:  Personal Brand Coaching for Leadership, Career and Image Management 

Mastermind Moment: Brand Equity

“Be accountable instead of positional” - Steve-ism

I read an article this past week in Forbes regarding Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) and brand equity. The article stated that too many CMOs are focused on brand equity which, according to the article, is not immediately measurable and so such a focus leads to the eventual demise of the CMO. It also mentioned that marketing is nothing more than selling and that CMOs need to get use to the fact that they are in SALES.

I agree that nothing really happens until a sale is made. Yet, I also believe that EVERYONE in an organization is responsible for sales - it’s not just the CMO. Take for example, Robert Kiyosaki, the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad - if you look at the front of his book he’s a “best selling author”. BEST SELLING because he did a great job selling his concept, his manuscript, his idea and his passion. He’s an author yet there are many authors out there who are “unread” and “unknown”. From the person “belly-to-belly” with the customer/client to the person in billing printing out the invoices, every person is “selling” to the customer. For example, the service may be awesome and if the billing department is rude, self righteous or aloof, they can “unsell” the client quite quickly. Yet, if the service is good and the follow-up activities, including billing, are stellar and exceptional, they have a great chance to “sell” the client.

This isn’t a piece of information that’s good for just “for profit” companies - think of the nonprofits who have a great cause and yet someone in the organization treated someone else badly and therefore that person and possibly their company has no association with that non-profit. That’s real world - and it happens! Suffice it to say that everyone is involved with the SALE.

Marketing, taken to the basic Marketing 101 info, is about the 4P’s - Product, Price, Place and Promotion.  If all those things do not “speak” to the needs of the client, who cares how much “positioning” you do.  For example, if you lead a group and you’re a “trainer”, yet you smell of smoke, sweat and are covered in dog hair of in any way do not look professional, I don’t care how many “feet on the street” you have speaking for you - the PRODUCT is faulty.    You could have the best thing since “sliced bread” and yet if it doesn’t provide anything of need for your client or provide a return, it doesn’t matter if it’s 1 cent or $1 million dollars - it’s too much - the price and product are not in alignment.

Often, when people speak of “marketing” they think immediately of “promotion”. That’s just one of the 4P’s.

Brand equity according to Wikipedia, is the value carried in a brand.  That comes from being accountable - being aligned with your brand strengths, and expressing and exuding that in every action, interaction, team development and product.  If you try to “position” yourself in brand equity, it is often like constructing a building on shifting sands.  Find out first what your strengths, attributes and valuables are,  they will tell you what your current brand is.  Brand’s do evolve yet first they must have a starting point of reference.  Much like Alice in Wonderland - you have to know where you’re going because if you don’t it pretty much makes no difference what path you take.

Your brand is SO MUCH MORE than your logo, your name or promotion.  In it’s simplest terms it is your reputation.  It is what your customers (whomever they may be) say about you - not what you say about you.

Happy Monday!

People Are The Brand -

Coach Maria Elena Duron AKA The Champion of Connections

Buzz To Bucks Coaching & Connections:  Personal Brand Coaching for Leadership, Career and Image Management 

Linked and Connected

I’m excited to participate in a seminar today about harnessing the power of LinkedIn.   I’m an expert and comfortable in real-world, in person networking and while I am a member of LinkedIn (and Ryze, Naymze, Facebook, ecademy and others) I’ve not utilized it as effectively as some of the members in my mastermind team.   So, I’ve decided it’s time for me to build a solid bridge between face to face (F2F) connections and those great digital connections that are growing exponentially.

In college, I was very active in my business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi.  It’s been wonderful that my fraternity has created a “myspace” type forum for past and present members.  It’s allowed me to re-connect with old frat brothers along with meeting others who lead companies who share the common denominator of Delta Sig.  How nice to know that that time investment, way back when, is still viable.  I’ve been able to pick it back up after all these years as if we just graduated!

How many of you really utilize your connections?  In sales they say, “do you leave money on the table?” and in networking we say “are you leaving TIME on the table?”  Time is even more valuable than money so when you invest it shouldn’t you expect some sort of great return?

Think for a moment:

1.  Where have you had membership and made some great connections but let the TIME GAP erode the relationship?

2.  What can you do to revitalize that relationship?

3.  What are you doing to do just that?

You might already be Linked and Connected and not even know it.  Can’t wait to share what I learn today….

People Are The Brand -

Coach Maria Elena Duron AKA The Champion of Connections

Buzz To Bucks Coaching & Connections:  Personal Brand Coaching for Leadership, Career and Image Management 

thebuzz101: Google Search Woes

I see problems with google searches. I don’t think they bring up the top results under your name. For instance, most of the articles I’ve written for magazines and newspapers are on the 3rd or 4th page of a google search under my name, but comments I’ve left for blogs are rated higher. - Dan

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Precisely, Dan. Unfortunately (or fortunately - depending on your view), people use Google - it is the top rated search engine. Much like we can’t stop people speaking of a negative experience that they’ve had, you cannot control the search engine that people favor or use. That being said - it’s foundationally important for anyone wanting to STAND OUT and BE REMEMBERED to BLOG and to post on blogs. True to its acronym- BLOG stands for “Better Listing On Google”. BLOGS are infinitely more effective than static websites. That is why if you have articles posted in the body of a static website - even for a major player - they will not post as high as a BLOG posting.

Every post - comment or your own post - is seen by the “search spiders” as a page in and of itself. The MORE pages about you the higher your ranking. If you want to STAND OUT, on the search engine that people are using — you’ll BLOG.

To make those articles that you’ve written - really WORK for you - mention them in your blog and then link to the site and vice versa. Watch your ranking SOAR!

Another great avenue that will help you - it’s not as effective as a blog and would not be my first recommendation (first - is BLOG) - is social networking sites online. To read a little bit more about the where and the how, Business Week magazine had a great article in their Small Biz Magazine - “Reach Out And Find Someone.”

People Are The Brand -

Coach Maria Elena Duron AKA The Champion of Connections

Buzz To Bucks Coaching & Connections: Personal Brand Coaching for Leadership, Career and Image Management

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Thanks for writing about this. It’s not just having your name on many websites, it’s having your name on the right websites that already have a high google page rank. - Dan

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Yes, you’re correct - you do want to “be seen” on those popular blogs. Popular on the web meaning that they are seen high in the rankings and on many pages when you “google search” them. Another terrific practice is to comment on books that have to do with your passion or what YOU want to be known for in Amazon (talk about a popular website). Reviews placed there (be sure to use your REAL NAME) place high in a google search.

-Coach Maria Elena

Buzz2Bucks: Identity Control

“Everybody has an online identity whether they know it or not, and a blog is the single best way to control it,” -Debbie Weil quoted in a Wall Street Journal article authored by Sarah Needleman.

Do you control your on-line identity?  Let’s find out:

1.  Google yourself - right now.  What comes up?  Is it you?  Is it you from a “past life”?  Is it someone who passed away who you share the same name sake with?  Is it some goof-ball doing some idiotic things that you share the same name with?  Or, WORSE are you invisible?  Invisibility is a fate worse than failure!

Hiring managers are googling you.  People who meet you for the first time are googling you.  People who have “heard about you” are googling you.  Prospective clients and future connections are googling you.

Here’s how to control your on-line identity:

1.  Enter your name in Google Alert.  Every time someone uses your name, mentions your name in an online article, website, online news - you’ll get an email from Google Alert “alerting” you to the posting.

2.  Blog.  While technically BLOG is short name for web-log, bloggers know it as an acronym for Better Listing On Google.  Blogs are like chapters of a book.  The more chapters of the story that YOU CONTROL - the more you control your online identity.

3.  Review books on AMAZON.  Do book reviews using your own name (who wants their prospective clients to know that they are “fluffybunny38″??) .  Review books and topics that are what YOU are passionate about - what is of interest or expertise for you.  The more books you review the more you control your identity as an “expert” in that subject.

Or, you could just pretend that all this “online identity” stuff is going to go away - like cellphones, microwaves and DVDS - I mean, they were all just FADS anyway, right?

Control your identity.

People Are The Brand -

Coach Maria Elena Duron AKA The Champion of Connections

Buzz To Bucks Coaching & Connections:  Personal Brand Coaching for Leadership, Career and Image Management 

Mastermind Moment: Working

“You know you have work-life balance when working is not working.” - Jennifer-ism

What do you do that makes working “not work”?  Are you having fun?  Passionate about what you’re doing?

Do you know that “knowing” that and extracting what that is, is CORE to your personal brand?

A friend from the CEO Mastermind table - who has successfully grown and sold NINE BUSINESSES (all for exceptional profits!), always asks the other CEOs around the table “are you having fun?”  And then advises, “don’t do it unless you’re having fun!”  Then, another CEO who heads up a large institution, chimes in “that’s right - you have to be having fun.”  And, another successful business owner of a large firm, throw in - “it’s true - and too many people waste their days - not having fun.”

Success breeds success.  Success also leaves clues.  So, get a clue this Monday morning - are you having FUN?

People Are The Brand -

Coach Maria Elena Duron AKA The Champion of Connections

Buzz To Bucks Coaching and Connections:  Personal Brand Coaching for Leadership, Career & Image Management 

thebuzz101: People Are The Brand

“Thank you and Bless You!” are always the last words as one drives off from a local fast food chicken establishment. And, you always drive off feeling good and valued.

His name is Will and he is such a foundation to this establishment’s brand. If you ever have to wait longer, he’ll make sure that you and whomever you’re with have a cold drink in your hands. If he ever makes a mistake, he asks “will you forgive me? It was my fault. What can I do to make it up to you?”

In this day, especially locally, when companies are clamoring for warm bodies, Will’s strengths shine even brighter.

Same day - I was in a local retail gift store and could loudly hear a male employee cussing as he related a personal story to a co-worker. When the co-worker said, “shh - there are customers in the store”, his response was “what are they going to do FIRE ME - they need the help - I can say anything I want!”

Remarkable night and day difference between these two businesses. As I left the business with the “cussing employee”, he told customers walking into the store that the store was closing and they needed to leave. One lady who was walking in “begged” to pick just one thing up for her son’s upcoming birthday and he said “no, I said we were closed”.

Now, contrast this with Will who says “I really do hope to see you here soon!” - and he means it! He’s not that way just with my family - he’s that way with everyone of his customers - delighted that they’re doing business with him.

Do your people make your clients feel “delighted”? Do you? If you’re not a retail establishment, HOLD ON, you’re not exempt. You have community “customers”, internal “customers” and connections that are including your attributes (the good, the bad and the ugly) into the foundation of the organization, company or even family you represent.

People Are The Brand –Now, here’s the key - don’t speak for those connections - really ask them, then be QUIET AND LISTEN, so you will really HEAR what they really think!

People Are The Brand -

Coach Maria Elena Duron AKA The Champion of Connections

Buzz To Bucks Coaching & Connections: Personal Brand Coaching for Leadership, Career & Image Management

Buzz2Bucks: Career Distinction

The “buzz” has started and it’s all about Career Distinction: Stand Out By Building Your Brand. A brand new book written by Kirsten Dixson and William Arruda - flying off the shelves today! Why is it “flying”? Click here to find out!

It is a WONDERFUL BOOK! It gives you the “how to’s” and “what to do’s” of extracting, expressing and exuding your personal authentic brand.

I was reading an article in the Chief Executive magazine and their conference this year that is strictly for CEOs -is highlighting the topic of “personal branding”. Amazingly, there are still people in the “stone age” who think that “branding” is about stores, logos, taglines and labels. Or worse yet, they think it is only product base. Get real! Join the rest of us in the PRESENT. Branding is personal. Stephen Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and author of new bestseller, “The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything”, even cites that authentic personal branding builds trust and when trust is high, there is better engagement. Specifically, the dividends (when trust is high), according to Covey are:

Increased Value

Accelerated Growth

Enhanced Innovation

Improved Collaboration

Stronger Partnering

Better Execution

Heightened Loyalty

Don’t you want all those things in your personal and professional life?

In this latest issue of Chief Executive, the editor covers “What Makes a CEO Stand Out?” Then goes on to say, that “companies want an authentic leader, someone who allows dissent and welcomes inquiry without feeling threatened.”

Branding is not about “positioning” it’s about tapping into your AUTHENTIC ATTRIBUTES, connecting those strengths in a way that you EXPRESS THEM and then EXUDING that in everything you do.

Take a step forward, into action in managing your personal brand. Check out Career Distinction - it the next step on the launching pad that Tom Peters started many years ago with the statement “Be Distinct Or Be Extinct”.

People Are The Brand -

Coach Maria Elena Duron AKA The Champion of Connections

Buzz To Bucks Coaching & Connections: Personal Brand Coaching for Leadership, Career & Image Management

Mastermind Moment: Brand Currency

“In the new world of work, your reputation is the only accepted currency.” - William Arruda & Kirsten Dixson, co-authors, Career Distinction - Stand Out By Building Your Brand.

My friend’s new book, Career Distinction, debuts on the book market today and I couldn’t be more ecstatic! We’re all a buzz here! It’s the first book on the market that not only addresses personal branding - it takes you step by step on how to Extract, Exude and Express your brand. And, that is so key nowadays. Even on online auction houses, your reputation (your ranking, your score) is your brand.

Here’s some things to consider -

Whether you are looking to move up the corporate ladder at your current organization, find a position at another company, make a major career change, or start your own enterprise, you will no longer be hunting for your next position. Instead, opportunities will come to you. Colleagues, hiring managers, clients, and recruiters will use Google as well as social and professional networks to find out about you and reach you. To thrive in this new environment, you must identify your personal assets and clearly communicate your unique promise of value. Your credibility and visibility will drive demand for your services. You must use who you are to affect how you earn. Determine how others perceive you, reshape those perceptions to achieve your goals, and communicate your message about your personal brand clearly and consistently. You’ll learn how to become the must-have professional by being yourself. Visit the Career Distinction blog for more on this!

Kudos to Kristin and William! Now, this Monday morning, do something for yourself - do YOU have a brand bio? A brand communications plan? Do you know your online identity? How about your 30-second story? Do you know what networks to belong to that enhance your brand - or evolve it?

It’s the “go slow to go fast” action, today, that will help you know “where you are” and “where you are going”.

Happy Monday!

Coach Maria Elena Duron AKA The Champion of Connections
Buzz To Bucks Coaching & Connections: Personal Brand Coaching for Leadership, Career and Image Management