What’s our personal brand’s 3-30-3-30?

I work in the financial services industry. It’s not sexy; but it’s fast-paced and surely pays the bills. As a creative person, it can be a challenge though. The left-brained thinkers just don’t “get” what I do.

I am often asked, “What do you do?”

I reply with, “You name it. I do it. Web. Writing. Technology. Graphics. The works. I’m a utility player.”

So, all of this got me to thinking about personal brand, which I’m sure you’ve heard of right?

Developing a personal brand helps you differentiate yourself from your peers and, in some cases, your competition to “claim” your job. According to Dan Schawbel, an accomplished marketing professional and personal brand spokesman, personal brand is “your total perceived value, relative to competitors, as viewed by your audience.” In my case, those are my internal clients, coworkers, and peers.

Personal brands should not be thought of only when begin looking for a job or something you develop at 2:00 a.m. when you’re scared you’re going to lose your job. It takes some serious thought and brainstorming to come up with your unique value proposition and differentiator.

The Differentiator

Let’s look at “the differentiator” for a second. What does that mean? Well, it’s the value proposition or unique benefit you provide to your audience. This might be graphics, web design, being a utility player like myself. It could be your masterful expertise in writing.

Only you can define that for yourself, but you must at least think about it. Ask your friends and colleagues to help you if you get stuck. They know you well and can offer insight that you might not have. Then begin to build your brand.

Some other things to consider about your brand are:

• Who are you? – What kind of information is online about you? Are you giving off a professional image? Google your name a few times a year to see what employers and clients might find out about you. You might be surprised.
• Personal Appearance – What kind of look do you want to have and show the world? How will that look be perceived in the environment in which you want to work?
• Personality – Everyone has one and some people have enough for two people. Seriously though, think about your own personality and do some self-reflection. What kind of person are you throughout the day? I, personally, prefer to work at night. However, my workday begins around 8:30 a.m. and I’m up at 5:30 a.m. and online by 6:15 a.m. to gather information and to do some “freelance” writing. Knowing this about myself helps me to better understand what my peak energy times are and when my slow times are. You should also be aware of your introversion and extroversion tendencies. Just because you’re a creative pro doesn’t mean you like to be around people all the time. Case in point—me!
• Competencies – You must know what you’re good at. What you want to learn. And what you can offer to clients and potential employers. Don’t lie about it either. It will be discovered eventually.
• The Differentiator – What do you bring to the table that sets you apart from your competition? Me. I’m a utility player. I can do a lot of different types of things and manage a lot of projects. But most of all, I also have the skill to be a visionary and strategic thinker, and can play by the corporate rules. I also lead people extremely well. So, I know what my differentiators are. Do you know what yours are?

3-30-3-30

In today’s fast-paced environment, you never know when a great opportunity might present itself. So, you have to be prepared with your 3-30. That’s three seconds, thirty seconds, three minutes, thirty minutes of conversation about what you do; who are you; and, knowing your value proposition. Granted you cannot fit all that into a three-second introduction, but you can certainly fit it in to all the other time frames.

When to use a 3-30

Consider the three- and thirty-second speech for the elevator. If you live in Manhattan or another urban setting, you might have a fairly long elevator ride where a 30-second speech might be perfect. This is also great at networking events when everyone is milling about asking each other what they do.

Three- and thirty-minute speeches are much more detailed and usually serve you well at a cocktail party, event, or keynote speech-type setting.

Here’s an example:

3 Second – Someone asks you what you do. Rather than trying to fill in all the details of your job description, respond with something as simple as, “I work in the in-house creative department at [insert company], where I focus on [insert one high-visibility item you focus on, such as web development and architecture, marketing and communications, editorial, etc.]. I used one of my three-second pitches at the top of the article. “You name it. I do it. Web. Writing. Technology. Graphics. The works. I’m a utility player.” My “hook” or differentiator is that I’m a utility player.

30 Second – This serves you well at cocktail parties, long elevator rides, coffee shops, or places where conversations take place, but on a brief scale.

3 Minute – Much like it’s shorter counterpart the thirty-second pitch, the three-minute pitch is great at networking events, introductions at events, the script for your biography, and when meeting a new team member, boss, or potential client.

30 Minute – Save this long-winded pitch for things like a keynote speech. This longer pitch can also be broken into parts and can be effectively used during an interview or client presentation. Be sure to write this one down and bring it with you. Break it into relevant sections that can also be used as part of your other 3-30 pitches.

Remember, keep your personal brand relevant and fresh throughout your career. Put some time and energy into it. Think about those 3-30 moments and how you can make the most of them. And best of all, be prepared. You never know when an opportunity might arise.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about personal brand and what you might consider a 3-30. Send them along and let’s keep the conversation going.

Ciao!

Becky