the gift of your brand

It’s the end of 2008 and I’m getting to live my dream of more family time. It’s a blessing to see the many gifts strewn throughout the house- the physical ones. Yet, the real blessing are those unseen gifts - the talk over hot chocolate with my baby sister; the walk with my sister through a desert oasis; falling asleep on the chest of my son as we watched “Jailhouse Rock” together; and high-fives with my husband as we getting some gaming time in! Those are the moments that make my life what it is.

Too often we focus on the physical gift -when the unseen is really what matters most. As I witness the massive traffic and lines of people returning gifts, I often wonder if they realize that the ‘real gift’ is the fact that they were THOUGHT of. It doesn’t matter what the material gift is - who cares if it’s not your style or just adds to clutter - the fact is the THOUGHT is the gift. I would rather have my life ‘cluttered’ with those who thought of me in a caring way than cluttered with anything else.

As we put a happy ending to 2007, what can you do in 2008 to deliver the gift of your brand? People will invest their time and money in what they feel gives them more than their time and money’s worth. Do you deliver that?

Happy Endings To 2007!

Maria Elena Duron - The Champion of Connections Coach

Buzz To Bucks Connections | a personal branding agency

“buzz: compelling others to speak positively on your behalf”

brand goal setting

It’s that time of the year when we’re scrambling for last minute gifts, packing for much anticipated trips and when we’ll connect with those that matter most!

Hopefully, in the “down time” of the holiday season - you’ll spend some time making connection with yourself - your dreams, goals and aspirations. Remember, this is NOT a listing of what you DON’T want yet rather a listing of what you WANT. Some of us have buried that so deep within us that we don’t even know how to open the “door in our mind” where all those answers are kept.

If changing your BRAND perception (remember PERCEPTION is REALITY), is important to you - then spend some time knowing what is authentically your strength and auditing what your current brand perception is right now amongst your close contacts.

Then put out some SMART goals to changing that! If you would like a FAST explanation of SMART goal setting in personal brand goal setting then… Click here to listen!

Cheers to a blessed Holiday!

Maria Elena Duron - The Champion of Connections

Buzz To Bucks Connections | a personal branding agency

“buzz: compelling others to speak positively on your behalf”

brand commitment

Commitment is much more powerful than compliance.

When I’m called to come in for coaching or to coach someone with their personal brand, they usually share that their intent is to compel others to speak positively on their behalf.

I always ask “what result do you want” and “how will you know when you’ve gotten there”. So, as their coach, I’ll know what needs to be evident for me to see that they have achieved their own personal definition of success. And, while those questions reveal much, the most important question I ask is WHY they want to get there.

If you’re identifying your strengths and discovering your current personal brand attributes and you realize that a “brand shift” is necessary or important - then WHY is it important. If you’re doing it to COMPLY with what your boss said; or your supervisor; or the company; or you spouse; or because that’s what everyone else is doing - then there will be no sustainable improvement of change.

Commitment is much more powerful than compliance.

So, if you haven’t done anything meaningful to manage your brand but you have “intended to” or maybe you’re “fixin’ to do something” but life’s gotten in the way, It might be time to evaluate if this is something that you are SOLD on doing or were you TOLD to do it?

The biggest “sale” you make is to yourself everyday. And, as my friend, Jim Smitherman, would say, it’s that MAN IN THE MIRROR that you really need to answer and be accountable to.

Another friend of mine, Ruby, is spending the holidays to focus, evaluate and plan. That’s hard for “fast-paced” people to do yet it is the thought of “slowing down to evaluate” that will help her GO FAST in 2008. Go slow to go fast — and commit!

People Are The Brand -

Maria Elena Duron - the Champion of Connections Coach

Buzz To Bucks Connections | a personal branding agency

“buzz: compelling others to speak positively on your behalf”

 

 

brand: more than a product or service

Our “cowboy room” tells all - yes, we’re Dallas Cowboy fans. Whatever you think of “America’s Team”, they have done a stellar job at putting forth a powerful brand.

Sitting at Texas Stadium yesterday, braving the cold with only a few thousand other souls, I had to take a deep breath as I looked around the sold-out stadium and saw the sea of blue and silver.

The tailgate parties alone show just how “branded” this product (team) is. The “blue parking” (the only parking area I want to be at and would recommend!) is filled with tents donning the silver star logo, painted faces, painted vehicles, millions of jerseys, koozies, logoed barbecue pits, blankets, Santa Claus hats in blue and silver, and yes, for the first time ever, I saw a Dallas Cowboy sombrero, yesterday!

What this successful brand has done is MOVED PAST THE PRODUCT and made it an EXPERIENCE and a part of fan’s lives. That is key to personal branding. Branding, by definition, is the emotion or image you have tied to a product. Today, YOU are the product. In every interaction and transaction for yourself, your company or your business, you are a “piece” of the product. Sometimes, especially in service industries and associations, YOU are the entire product.

Okay, if you’re not a cowboy fan (heaven forbid!) think of Harley Davidson. People don tattoos with their logo. It’s a lifestyle experience more than “just” a motorcycle. Can you, your personal brand, be more than product or service based?

The answer is YES - in fact, if you manage your brand to be more than that you get passed “transactional” or “commodity relationships” which are solely built on price alone.

So, how do you manage to do that? Here’s how -

#1 - Focus on what you’re good at

Whether you’re doing this for a company or for your self, focus on what is your strength and what you want to be known for. Be sure that this is a TRUE strength and not something “positional” or that you’re “imitating”. If you’re doing any of those things, you’re integrity level will plummet when they see that you actions are incongruent with your words.

#2 - Give Them What They Want

Heed the caution that this is not about positioning yourself, at all. People want to feel included, valued, a part of the process, to make a difference, and to feel important so make sure that in the things that you do - you GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT. Having said this, you won’t please everyone. You are seeking to stay in contact with those who give you the most pleasure and profit (understanding that profit doesn’t always mean dollars - what else do you like in your life and from the people you connect with that would help you live “richly”?) Provide opportunities for them to be included in your brand (for example: my clients utilize a 360 brand feedback that provides them inside and makes their connections feel included, valued and apart of the process.). This is where many people “self studying personal branding” go wrong. Be cautious of being a “people pleaser” and remember Abraham Lincoln’s words, “if you try to please everyone you’ll end up pleasing no one.”

I can go on, and will, in future posts about having a good story, making your connections apart of the story, timing’s major involvement in personal branding, etc. And, that’s for future discussions.

For now, do one thing to bring emotion and engagement into your personal brand.

People Are The Brand-

Maria Elena Duron - The Champion of Connections Coach

Buzz To Bucks Connections | a personal branding agency

“buzz: compelling others to speak positively on your behalf”

new audio posted: managing your brand environment

Click here to listen to the 2-minute recap of the business tip shared on CBS7 Thursday morning.

Click Here!

Do you have a question that you would like addressed either on the air or on the blog?

Visit www.askmariaelena.com and log in your questions!

top 3 tips to reading your audience

A great connection of mine and fellow writer at the Personal Branding Magazine is Scott Bradley. You see him frequently post and comment here at thebuzz101.

Recently, I wrote a post about reading your audience. He commented with a question that he wanted other thoughts on. His comment was “do you think being able to read your audience is something that is innate - something that you’re born with rather than something learned?”

I believe you can LEARN it just like you can any other communication skills. I do believe it difficult to learn yet with time, practice and coaching it can be done.

What are the best things you can do to LEARN how to read your audience?

1. Focus on your strength area and speak about what you know.

If you are faking it, you’ll use all your energies to fake or imitate someone which means you won’t have any other energies to “listen to” or “read” your audience.

2. Know what you’re talking about so that you can stop the mind clutter.

If you’re always working on trying to remember what you’ll say next, or what’s the next subject, you’ll have too much mind clutter to focus on anything BUT you.

3. Practice reading your audience.

Like any good skill - it gets better with practice. Learn what different body language movements mean (then check in the with person to make sure you “read it” correctly); listen to tone and pauses; connect with the other person’s energy.

Know that you must be solid and well grounded in who you are before you can make a solid and good connection (or “read”) of anyone else. If you don’t, the static interference might “jumble” the message.

People Are The Brand -

Maria Elena Duron - The Champion of Connections

Buzz To Bucks Connections | a personal branding agency

“buzz: compelling others to speak positively on your behalf”

wall hanging philosophy

I was looking around at the wall in my office and there are some sayings that I feel compelled to share. I hope they touch your life journey in some way.

“You can’t make footprints in the sands of time if you’re sitting on your butt. And who wants to make butt prints in the sands of time?” - Bob Moawad

“Sometimes you just have to take the leap, and build your wings on the way down.” - Kobi Yamada

“Dreams come a size too big so that we can grow into them.” - Josie Bissott

“Our life is a gift from God. What we do with that life is our gift to God.” - Anonymous

“Are you making a living or creating a life?” -Anonymous

And my absolute favorite wall hanging -

“Mommy, you’re the best!”

It answers all the others!

Have the courage to make your dreams and live the best version of you that’s possible. Then, and only then, will you be your authentic brand and be the best for whom you’re meant to connect with!

People Are The Brand -

Maria Elena Duron - The Champion of Connections

Buzz To Bucks Connections | a personal branding agency

“buzz: compelling others to speak positively on your behalf”

event review: hispanic chamber christmas mixer

“Don’t tell me what you’re going to do - show me what you’ve done!”

 

The Midland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is one of the organizations that I’m proudest to be a member of. It is because they “walk the talk” when they say the are small business advocates. Never, at any other local chamber, have I seen such a commitment to advocating, promoting and supporting small businesses. They are accessible to the small business owner, supportive, and proactive in doing things that are GREAT for small business.

 

They recently had their small business Christmas mixer and even in their holiday festivities they’re AUTHENTIC BRAND permeated everything!

 

Here’s what they did right:

 

 

1. As a small business advocate, they promoted LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS.

They booked their event at a local small business venue, the toy and toiletry drive focused on the giving season and supported a local cause, they utilized a local business for food and they highlighted local entertainment. Everything was local - as a true LOCAL chamber should do - give their business and support to their LOCAL members. Kudos to you for fighting off those who wanted you to do something “more grand” and staying true to your brand!

 

2. Members could MIX and NETWORK with other members.

Chamber members were able to meet, greet, visit and connect with other chamber members. The music wasn’t too loud that people couldn’t carry on a great conversation and the evening didn’t steer away from the BRAND of the chamber to “support and promote small businesses”.

 

3. Chamber staff made sure to welcome all attendees and introduce members to members.

Kudos to this small team! They made sure that members were not just “out there” fending for themselves to make introductions. They were active CATALYST in making sure that introductions and connections occurred. What we, as members, do with that connection is entirely up to us yet they did their very best to provide us a great successful start to a connection.

A large, red velvet sack full of BUZZ POINTS to this team! They lived their BRAND, supported their members and created a great, festive, connective atmosphere!

I mean think about it - REALLY - why did you join a chamber of commerce for?

Well done!

People Are The Brand -

Maria Elena Duron - The Champion of Connections Coach

Buzz To Bucks Connections | a personal branding agency

“buzz: compelling others to speak positively on your behalf”

 

 

new audio posted: manage your brand

Join in on the 2-minute tip!  A 2-minute recap of the discussion between Krista Escamlla, CBS 7, and Coach Maria Elena.  Missed the Thursday morning early show - here’s the scoop!

Click here! 

If you have a question you would like addressed on the air, then ask right here!  Click here! 

live your brand strongly

In her book, “Brazen Careerist”, Penelope Trunk shares that time and work/life balance is more important than money.

I appreciated her book, by the way. It is truthful, it is “now” and it is foundational. Reading it reminded me of when my father and mother made the decision for quality of life as opposed to quantity of wealth.

My father is a cardiologist specializing in cardiac surgeries. As a specialist in Chicago, he was paid well and we lived well. Big home, a stellar security system that virtually called out the swat team (I know - as a young girl I set it off MANY times), parties galore, recognition and friends of the same caliber. In that time of my life, I was a country club gal. Mom and Dad had us enrolled in tennis lessons and swim lessons. And, when we wanted a snack, meal or party we just “put it on our membership” at the country club.

My friends drove Porche’s (I wasn’t of driving age yet but there were Mercedes Benz’s and a Volvo in the garage). They had 18K gold trash cans (can you believe it?!), electric gates to their estates, pools, tennis courts, music rooms, revolving shoe closets (Imelda would be speechless!), and even toilet bowls that were “hidden” as planters that would reveal themselves at a push of the button. We would shop in the largest malls in Chicago - hitting Marshall Fields, Saks Fifth Avenue and never looking at the “sale racks” (gads!)

I never saw my father - he was gone before I woke and came home after I went to bed. They would have wonderful parties and I’ll always remember when some dollar coins feel down an air-conditioning vent located on the floor and one of my parent’s friends said “who cares -it’s only money!”.

Then, my father gave us what I thought, at the time, was the worst news of all - he joined the Air Force. We moved and all of the sudden he could attend our school functions, make our recitals, spend time with us. No longer members of a country club, we still enjoyed the amenities of the Officer’s Club (or the “O” club as we brats would say!). Most importantly, when he joined I got to spend time with my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins - that I never had the opportunity to spend time with before. I got to see where my parents grew up. They came from meager beginnings, focused on a vision of what success meant to them, then worked hard to get it. I spent some great time with my mom and dad and felt as if we were given a second life!

Fast forward to now: I’m not the richest person if you measure me by money - I’m probably average but I’m rich beyond my wildest dreams is so many other things!

My friends parents are dead. They worked themselves to death and died long ago - before they had a chance to see all of their children married; before they had a chance to play with grand-kids.

My parents are alive and well. We spend every summer and Christmas with them. My boys call them on their cell phone to tell them of great news and happenings in their lives. I spend time with my children and they know they can always count on my husband and myself to put them first before business and before friends. In fact, my best friends are my sisters and my husband - why in the world would I need anything more?

As we begin the most reflective part of the year, the holiday season, I wish you much clarity in defining what YOU want from life. Even if your goals are not grand to some (like a trip to Cancun or a new luxury vehicle), as long as they are ALL YOURS that’s all that counts. Are you living for yourself or are you allowing someone else’s definition of you to be your life work?

Live your brand strongly.

People Are The Brand -

Maria Elena Duron - The Champion of Connections

Buzz To Bucks Connections | A Personal Branding Agency

“buzz: compelling others to speak positively on your behalf”