The Importance Of Intentional Personal Branding

August 11, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Don’t look now, but your brand is following you.

When most people hear the word brand it conjures up names like Nike, Apple or Coca-Cola, but brands are not just for corporations. They are for people too and not only for the likes of Oprah or Kim Kardashian. Each one of us has our own unique brand.

For all we hear about brands, however, a lot of people are still not totally clear on what a personal brand is or why it’s important. Don’t be fooled, your personal brand is critical if you want to create a fulfilling career. It doesn’t matter if you are an entrepreneur, a corporate executive or a government employee; personal brand management is one of the most important jobs you have on your journey to success.

So what exactly is a personal brand? In short, it is your reputation. Your brand is comprised of everything about you, your expertise, personality, work ethic, the way you dress and even the way you communicate. Basically, it’s everything you put out into the world that represents who you are. However, that’s only half of the equation. The other half is the perception of you held in the minds of your audience. If that audience is your boss or a potential client you can see why it’s so important to be thoughtful about your personal brand management.

People make assumptions and judgements about each other all the time. You want to be sure the assumptions people make about you are the ones you want them to make. You want to have as much influence as possible on the perception others have of you. Cruise control works for cars, but is detrimental to careers. You want to be in the driver’s seat of your brand.

There is a misconception out there that personal brand management is about putting on a shiny, fake veneer to impress or intimidate your audience. This is a false interpretation. It is instead acting with a clear and focused intention so you can reach your potential in a way that make you feel excited and grounded in who you. It is expressing your best, most authentic self in a way that is alignment with your goals.

Of course, you want to impress people, but you want to do it from a place of integrity and personal power and there are few things more empowering than having a clear and confident sense of who you are. The problem is, most people don’t know what they want and if they do know, they don’t know why they want it so they blithely go down a career plan that often leaves them feeling dissatisfied and frustrated.

We don’t want that to happen to you, so here are some key tips to keep in mind when thinking about your personal brand:

Clarity Is Key:

The first step to a powerful personal brand is awareness. You need to take the time and space to think about yourself. It may sound a bit “new-agey,” but it’s called a personal brand for a reason. This is about you, you career, your happiness.

No one can answer the questions to the deeper motivations for your brand better than you. When you do allow others to think for you, you give away your power and create a default brand that may not be in your best interest. You must give yourself permission to ponder the more thought provoking questions.

Here are few to get you started:

What do I care about?
What do I value?
What are my passions?
What are my unique strengths?
What kind of work am I doing when I feel most alive and empowered?
What kind of impact do I want to make in my field or even on society?
What do I want my career to look like 10 years from now?
What kind of environment or people do I want to be surrounded by?

This may not be something you can or should do in one sitting. These are big life questions, so be patient with yourself if the answers don’t immediately pop to mind. If you sit with them for a while, eventually what feels most true will gurgle to the surface.

Declare Your Position:

Once you’ve answered some of these questions, it’s time to decide what path you want to pursue and declare who you are in terms of how you want to be seen in pursuit of that path. This declaration can be in the form of a personal manifesto or simply statements made about who you that are sewn into your brand communications in places like your social media channels, professional bio, website copy or even in media interviews.

It may sound lofty, but making a declaration about who you are is very useful not only for you to define yourself, but also for those around you to be able to recognize, remember and most importantly, refer you. You begin to take up a unique space in the minds of your audience and differentiate yourself from the crowd.

By committing to a specific direction and point of view, you begin to refine and strengthen your position as a leader which then opens up more prestigious and profitable opportunities.

Remember, great brands are narrow and deep, not ambiguously wide and unfocused.

Take Consistently Aligned Actions:

Once you are clear on what you desire and have clearly articulated your unique value, you need to take action, but not just any action. From this point forward, you want to be sure your actions are in alignment with and accentuate your desired brand perception.

For example, if you want to be seen as C-suite material, you need to consistently look, act and sound like someone who could take on that role. Do you dress like a leader? Do you speak with confidence? Do you make bold and valuable contributions to your company? Does your professional bio paint a vivid picture of your expertise? Are you stepping up for leadership responsibilities?

If you are an entrepreneur, does your website have a clear message? Do you have good visual branding with your logo, fonts, colors etc.? Do you know how to communicate your unique value in a way that is immediately obvious to your potential clients? How do you show up on social media? You need to be consistent across all platforms.

These pieces either build or damage your brand equity. If you want to accelerate your success, you must create a clear, cohesive and consistent brand presence with everything you do professionally. It is a noisy world and if you want to stand out, you need to find and project your own unique voice and keep it out there long enough to get noticed.

Heather Poduska is a brand strategist, business coach and opera singer who helps entrepreneurs and small business owners create client attractive brands, polished brand images and brand communication strategies to increase their visibility and impact in the marketplace and grow their businesses. You can find out more about Heather by visiting her website at www.clearvoicebranding.com or connecting with her on social media at www.facebook.com/ClearVoiceBranding.

Filed Under: Bold Branding, Brand Building, Brand Management, Careful Packaging, Entrepreneurial Success, Finding Your Voice, Leadership, Personal Branding Tagged With: , , , , , ,

How To Successfully Pitch For Big Money

April 8, 2015 By Leave a Comment

This week I had the chance to attend the Boston Women’s Venture Capital Summit. It was an amazing experience to see and hear both successful entrepreneurs and angel investors talk about what it takes to attract big money into your business.

During the summit, eight entrepreneurs had a chance to pitch and get feedback from 2 panels of investors. I was so impressed by the entrepreneurs, each one giving a thoroughly prepared presentation in front of two hundred people. Talk about pressure. They all did very well, but not all of them nailed it. There was a clear distinction between those who scored and those who didn’t.

What was it that made one presenter stand out over the others…?

It was CHARISMA baby!!!

Definition: compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others. “she enchanted guests with her charisma” Synonyms: charm, presence, personality, force of personality, strength of character; magnetism, attractiveness, appeal, allure

It was their ability to “hook” the audience which in this case was the angel investors. Hooking them meant the difference between potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars…. or nothing.

It is absolutely crucial to create an emotional connection with your audience. You could have the most beautiful power point in the world or the most convincing business plan, but if you cannot communicate your personal value, you’re not gonna get the gig. Sorry, but just isn’t going to happen.

I asked the angels on break what they looked for most when deciding to invest in a new venture and consistently their answer was “It comes down to the person or the team. I would take an A person with a B market any day over a B person with an A market.” Whoa, that’s intense. “We have to know why YOU are the right person to solve this problem and you better make a compelling case.”

It just shows that people bet on people, not models. There has to be a connection, a STORY, your story. And that story had better highlight your strengths and unique value. And, and, and… you need to be able to tell that story in a clear, confident and compelling way. You know why….?

Because you only get one shot and there is someone right behind you waiting to give his pitch! Maybe he has his story down cold, is going to melt the audience and end up with their big fat check in his pocket.

Of course, you have to do your homework, you do have to have a killer business plan and know your numbers, but if you don’t set the stage, you will never have the chance to let your brilliance shine. Whether you are pitching to an angel investor or a potential client, you must be able to demonstrate you are the perfect person for the job.

Here are a few tips to help you become more charismatic:

1. Smile. Ok, this is a no-brainer, but it’s so important. There is all kinds of research that shows people who smile are perceived as being more attractive, more confident and more likely to get promoted. If it does not come naturally to you, especially under pressure, make a conscious effort to do it. Practice in the mirror if need be, but remind yourself to do it even if it feels uncomfortable at first. You will soon relax as you see others smiling back at you:):):)

2. Use humor. Don’t be afraid of seeming unprofessional by using appropriate humor. The more people like you, the more favorably they will view your presentation. People like people who make them feel happy!

3. Connect the dots for your audience. Know your story and how it connects with your idea. The connection may be obvious to you, but not your audience. You may have to spell it out. I have been asked many times about the connection between my operatic singing background and my branding/business consulting. The connection is obvious to me (sopranos are great at telling other people what to do;) see, made you laugh!

4. Be real. You may not be the most polished person in room. Maybe you are naturally shy or reserved. You don’t have to do a soft-shoe routine to get attention, just be yourself. One of the presenters at the summit was very pregnant and very out of breath. Instead of trying to be stoic, she pointed it out and went on with her presentation. No need to put on airs. If you really lean into who you are, it will be quite charming.

5. Practice. Come on, you knew this was coming. The more you practice, the more confident you will get. Practice if front of as many audiences as you can. You will get invaluable feedback from doing this, not just about your presentation skills, but about your whole pitch, the offer, the product, the market etc. You may hear one idea from someone that could change the whole course of your company.

Do not be fooled into thinking your performance doesn’t matter, that you can get by on your intelligence and talent. There is just too much competition out there. You have to find a way to connect and make an impact. Not doing so could cost you millions.

If you want to nail your next pitch, I can help. For a Complimentary Consultation, click here: http://bit.ly/1Oj2qmC

 

 

Your feedback is music to my ears!

What makes you most nervous about pitching to potential clients?

Post your answers below in the comments or find me on Facebook.

If you would like to use this article on your website or ezine, feel free! Just be sure to include the following:

Heather Poduska is a brand strategist, business coach and opera singer who helps entrepreneurs and small business owners create client attractive brands, polished brand images and brand communication strategies to increase their visibility and impact in the marketplace and grow their businesses.

 

Filed Under: Client Attraction, Connecting with your Audience, Entrepreneurial Success, Projecting your Voice, Success Strategies, Winning Strategies, Women in Business Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Love Yourself Rich

February 14, 2015 By Leave a Comment



I’m in the mood for love…and here’s why.

It’s Valentine’s Day, the day for sweethearts and romance, but the real reason I’m in the mood for love is because it’s the best, fastest way to create a truly abundant life.

I have found over and over with both myself and my clients the biggest impediment to reaching the next level of success is always linked to some aspect of not  fully loving yourself.

It may sound mushy, but there’s just no way you can show up as a magnetic, dynamic force if you are not embracing yourself. You know why? Because human beings are feeling creatures.

Our emotions dictate our thoughts and our thoughts dictate our actions, so if we are being critical of ourselves or not honoring who we are, it shows. And where it shows the most is in our results.

On the other hand, when you are in alignment with your authenticity, you feel comfortable expressing yourself and enjoy being in your own skin, that shows too. You begin to make major strides toward your big goals.

You also experience more confidence, a greater sense of personal power and much more joy. And here’s the kicker, more people want to be a round you. It’s a no-brainer. When you love yourself, you’re more attractive on every level.

We all have our ups and downs, but it’s crucial to protect our self-worth. If we do not value ourselves, neither will anyone else.

Here are some tips to keep the fire burning in your relationship with the most important person in your life, YOU! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Life Lessons, Success Strategies, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Money

November 29, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Last weekend I went to a fabulous children’s production of the Sound of Music in my town. The costumes and sets were great and the kids sang their little hearts out.

As a mom and a community member I really enjoyed the show. However, as a singer with a critical ear, I also thought there were some really talented kids up on stage, in particular the girl who played Maria. Her voice was clear and had a pretty, youthful vibrato. And the ease with which she played her character really impressed me. I thought she could actually make a go of it on Broadway someday if she worked hard.

Of course, very few people ever make it on Broadway, and a lot of musical hearts have been broken trying, but there is so much to be gained from learning how to perform on stage, not the least of which is MONEY!  I’m not talking about getting paid to sing, although that is lovely, I’m talking about the ROI you get in your non-musical career from learning how to get comfortable in front an audience.

After all, what is marketing? It’s performing. It’s presenting yourself to the world, telling your story, trying to connect with and engage people. Unfortunately, it’s an area with which a lot entrepreneurs struggle.

When I was first thinking about transitioning from singing to business, I had real self-doubt about my value. What could I possibly offer that would be helpful to entrepreneurs? I had been a singer and performer all my life and now I wanted to help people grow their business. How on earth was I going to do that???! I was going to have to start my career all over from scratch.

What I didn’t realize then that I do now is what I know as a performer is one of the biggest assets anyone can have to create a lucrative business. So often entrepreneurs get caught up the “business” part of business they neglect the softer parts which is a huge mistake. You can create the best product out there, but if you can’t sell it, you have zero profit.

I see it all the time, smart, talented entrepreneurs who lack the poise, sophistication and CONFIDENCE to communicate their true value. They are leaving money on the table! It so frustrating to witness. I’ve met 7-figure business owner who could easily be 8 or 9 figure business owners if they were just more polished.

Put yourself in the shoes of your buyer for a moment. They want to feel like they are investing in something valuable, something special. If they are going to plop down $100,000 to work with you, they have to feel like you’re worth it! They want to feel led and secure their needs will be met. If you do not come across as a confident, skilled, savvy leader, they are not going to feel confident or excited about jumping into bed with you.

So think about how you are showing up. Do you sound confident when you are speaking? Do you know what to say and how to say it to sound compelling? Do you look confident? What does your body language say? How clear are you on your message? How skilled are you at delivering that message? Do you get nervous speaking in front of crowds? How about speaking one-on-one in high-end sales calls? How do you perform on camera?

All of those things matter. Often you only have one shot at a new client or big opportunity. Don’t think for a second people aren’t checking you out. If you want to speak on big platforms or have access to high net worth circles, you’ve got to show up as a player who can sing! Otherwise, you are just one click away from becoming irrelevant.

If you think you might be leaving big money on the table because your performance chops aren’t up to snuff, I invite you to apply for a Complimentary Consultation with me to get you stage ready in no time by CLICKING HERE: http://bit.ly/1G9OUNW

Until next time, here’s to hitting all your high-notes!

x0

Heather

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

Do you have a Ping Problem?

November 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Have you ever wondered why the phone is not ringing with clients asking to work with you? Are you frustrated because your business is not growing as quickly as you’d like it to? Do you wonder why no one is asking you to partner and do business collaborations together? If so, you may have a ping problem.

If you’ve been following me a while, you know I’ve talked about ping before. Ping is what gives a singing voice shimmer and edge so it can carry and be heard over the orchestra. A voice without ping sounds flat or fuzzy. The sound quality is diffuse because it lacks clarity and focus. As a result, it has difficulty reaching the audience.

If you are having difficulty propelling your business forward, more than likely you too are  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Brand Building, Business Building Strategies, Success Strategies Tagged With: , , ,

Are you an “and” or a BRAND?

September 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

We live in a world where more is better. You walk into any local ice-cream shop and you have 35 flavors from which to choose. You can get your news from the internet, your phone or even the tv while waiting in line at Dunkin Donuts! As consumers we are used to multiple options when buying everything from peanut butter to tennis shoes. On the surface, having more options may seem like a good thing, however, having too many choices can be overwhelming and confusing. Remember, a confused mind never buys.

When it comes to your personal brand, the last thing you want to do is [Read more…]

Filed Under: Brand Building, Brand Management Tagged With: , , ,

You don’t get paid to sing in the shower.

June 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

We all love to sing in the shower.  One reason is because the acoustics are awesome. Your voice pings off the tiles and the sound of the rushing water usually makes just enough noise to block out any tiny imperfections in an otherwise Met-worthy tone.   More than likely though, the real reason most people love it so much is because it’s one of the few places they can let it rip with complete abandon.  There is no audience to make us feel self-conscious or judge us.  However, there is also no one there to pay us for our killer vocals or spread the word about spectacular performance.

If you are not effectively getting your message out about your business you are doing the equivalent of singing in the shower.  You may feel all the courage in the world writing your business plan, dreaming up your big goals, or designing a your beautiful new website, but unless you get out in front of people and show them what you can do, you are an audience of one.   It can feel scary to step out and say “Here I am. This is what I do and I do it well, so well in fact, that you should pay me for my talents.”  However, the alternative to taking this risk is remaining isolated in a stagnant business.  Here are a few tips to get over your stage fright.

1.  Practice.  If you are nervous about launching your business or introducing a new product or service, find a practice audience.  Find a friend of friendly client who will be encouraging, but also give you feedback on your performance so you can improve any weaknesses.  Nothing builds confidence like experience.

2.  Remember your big WHY.  How do young marines find the courage to put their lives on the line in battle?  They can do it because they are committed to their mission and believe in the value of their contribution.  When you know why you are in business and believe in your unique value of promise you are more able to move forward despite any temporary discomfort.

3.  Be a copycat.  When we want to know how to wear the latest styles most of us pick up a magazine to see how the celebrities are doing it.  We learn by watching and copying.  If you feel nervous about putting yourself out there, find a few examples of people who you think do it well and emulate them.  What mannerisms do they have, how do they dress, how do they speak?  Even as infants we learn to eat, walk and talk by watching our parents.  Choose a virtual mentor and copy them.

4. Fake it til you make it.  Have you ever heard of method acting?  The basic idea is that you do an action and the emotion follows.  For example, if you need to cry for a scene, you make a sad face and you begin to feel sad.  This may be a gross generalization, but the idea is the same for creating more chutzpah for yourself.  Act “as if” you feel confident. Stand taller, smile more, act “as if” you are the most expert in your field.  People will respond to in turn which will boost your confidence.  It is a positive cycle which you can leverage.

You may not be ready for the Met just yet, but if you keep practicing, keep your goals in front of you, and act as if you deserve to be on the stage, you will find your audience and they will applaud you for your efforts.

Filed Under: Projecting your Voice Tagged With: , ,