![The (Almost)Perfect Meeting Request
Dear [name],
I found your profile through the [name the common LinkedIn Group or
network] on LinkedIn. I have been working as a [name last position] at [name
last company], and I am in the process of making a career transition.
It would be helpful for me to find out about your experiences as a [name
role] for [target company]. I promise not to take more than 15 minutes of
your time.
I am not expecting to discuss a particular job opening, but I would appreciate
being able to talk with you on an informational basis.
What is the best way to reach you this week? Do you have any availability
this coming Thursday or Friday? I thank you in advance.
Regards,
[your name]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/smmcpersonalbrandinglinkedin11315-150116121827-conversion-gate02/75/Creating-a-Compelling-Personal-Brand-and-using-Networking-and-LinkedIn-for-Career-Success-44-2048.jpg)
![The (Almost)Perfect Meeting Request
Dear [name],
I found your profile through the [name the common LinkedIn Group or
network] on LinkedIn. I have been working as a [name last position] at [name
last company], and I am in the process of making a career transition.
It would be helpful for me to find out about your experiences as a [name
role] for [target company]. I promise not to take more than 15 minutes of
your time.
I am not expecting to discuss a particular job opening, but I would appreciate
being able to talk with you on an informational basis.
What is the best way to reach you this week? Do you have any availability
this coming Thursday or Friday? I thank you in advance.
Regards,
[your name]](https://crownmelresort.com/image.slidesharecdn.com/smmcpersonalbrandinglinkedin11315-150116121827-conversion-gate02/75/Creating-a-Compelling-Personal-Brand-and-using-Networking-and-LinkedIn-for-Career-Success-44-2048.jpg)
Uploaded bySocial Media and Digital Strategy Consulting
Creating a Compelling Personal Brand, and using Networking and LinkedIn for Career Success
This document summarizes Robin Frank's presentation on creating a personal brand and networking for career success. The presentation covers developing a unique personal brand with a clear message, passion, and goals. It discusses the importance of an engaging online presence on LinkedIn and social media to establish expertise and be memorable. Specific tips are provided for crafting an effective personal profile, building connections, and using LinkedIn to find referrals and opportunities through strategic networking.
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Creating a Compelling Personal Brand, and using Networking and LinkedIn for Career Success
- 1. Creating your PersonalBrand and Networking for Career Success Tuesday, January 13, 2015 presented by Robin Frank
- 2. Yours Truly Social Media Iwork with companies large and small to help them build and tune-up an engaging online presence. I’m known as a dynamic speaker and speak regularly at national conferences, companies, and events. Personal Branding I help individuals in many fields create powerful personal brands. My personal branding strategy is featured in the recent book “Digital Marketing” written by Larry Weber and endorsed by Reid Hoffman (Chairman, Founder/LinkedIn) and John Donahoe (CEO/eBay). Reboot Camp Innovative program to help Moms confidently re-enter the workforce after a break. Six inspiring and pragmatic sessions cover topics from networking and interview skills to social media and personal branding, plus two hours of one-on-one coaching. Mom Twin 8 Yr old boys Live in Mill Valley
- 3. “Instead of creatinglife, I’ve decided to just establish an online persona.”
- 5. No Shortage ofGuides on Personal Branding
- 6. BUT…No One Connects theDots • Branding • Psychology • Social Media/LinkedIn • Networking • Online Marketing • Content Strategy
- 7. Today’s Workshop • Howto create a unique personal brand and online persona • Easy strategies for being memorable when you interact with others online and offline • Networking to get the meetings you want • Putting LinkedIn to work for you
- 8.
- 10. Developing Your BrandWill Help YOU • With your current job • Your next job • Find partnerships • Build relationships • Network and unlock opportunities • Get more clients
- 11. Transparency is Sexy •Your brand is your character in action ▫ Not a slogan/ad campaign, but a living thing ▫ Driving force - what you stand for, what sets you apart • Tell people clearly and memorably what you do ▫ So they can spread the word • Get clear on your attributes ▫ Not contriving an image you think will be accepted ▫ Which are vital to your success? What do you offer the world? ▫ You will always be too much of something for someone
- 12. The High Costof Being Forgotten • The best opportunities come when a friend refers you to another friend: Word Of Mouth • How do you make it easy for people to remember you? • How do you not blend in?
- 13. Yup - YouAre Being Googled YOU
- 15. What Makes aPersonal Brand Compelling? WHO YOU ARE Short mantra – what you want the listener to remember most about you WHAT Tag line – how you add value + your unique benefits, how what you do is different WHY Passion - why you do what you do GOAL What you want – customized for different audiences so the listener knows what you are asking
- 16. Who: The Artof Pitchcraft • Whether you are trying to raise capital, promote your company, or promote yourself – an Elevator Pitch is essential
- 17. What: A GreatPitch Includes a Powerful Brand Mantra • Quick, punchy, memorable statement ▫ Communicate your message clearly to someone who doesn’t know you • Practice & Planning ▫ Deliver it on the spot under pressure • One minute to say it all
- 18. What • How doyou add value? • What are your distinctive benefits? • How is what you do different from what others like you do – brand value proposition • “I help people imagine and create their brand online quickly and efficiently.”
- 19. Why: Get atthe Passion Behind What You Do •Psychology - People don’t buy what you do; they buy WHY you do it ▫The WHY talks to an area of the brain that controls behavior and decision-making ▫Your enthusiasm shines through - people biologically more apt to agree with you •Example: Apple (Simon Sinek) We make great computers –they are beautifully designed, perform well and are easy to use, want to buy one? Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo, thinking differently. The way we do this is by making products that are beautifully designed, simple to use, and user-friendly, and they happen to be great computers -want to buy one?
- 20. The WHY isPowerful • What grabs people’s attention and makes us memorable is not what we do, but why we do it • Why you do what you do - this reflects your passion • Most people skip their why – they see it as less significant • This is where our personal values, our vision, and our enthusiasm comes through
- 21. Goals • What doyou want? • What are you trying to accomplish? • This determines how and where to focus your personal branding efforts including what type of a digital presence makes sense
- 22. The Royal We •WHO: I am a navigator – I help people find their way • WHAT: I help people imagine and create their brand online quickly and efficiently • WHY: I love helping small businesses and entrepreneurs create a compelling persona that conveys their passion and expertise – getting them where they want to go personally and professionally • GOAL: I’m looking for 1-2 more clients. Do you know anyone who who would benefit from a compelling personal brand and solid online presence to get to the next step in their career or business?
- 23. The Rest isAccurate, Consistent Packaging • However you define your personal brand, it must be authentic - it should ring true to who you are and how you live • Your brand should be consistent both online and offline, manifesting itself in how you answer your phone, introduce yourself, what you retweet, and even the community organizations with which you engage
- 24. Master Your Universe •Own YOU.com ▫ Make it professional ▫ Wordpress/Divi • Google Alerts ▫ Know what is being said about you • Google Search ▫ Aim to control the first full page of Google search results (pictures too) • Engage in social networks ▫ Smartly, strategically
- 25.
- 26. • We arevisual creatures and make snap judgments about people, places, and things based on a glance • Get great head shots and action shots of you in your element • Pay attention to colors, logos and fonts Create Your Look and Feel
- 27.
- 28. Getting a Jobis 60% Networking • 20% - Applying directly to a job • 20% - Great resume, online brand, LinkedIn, social • 60% - Networking
- 29. How to Geta Meeting with Someone You Don’t Know • Networking - forwards and backwards • Maximizing your use of LinkedIn
- 30. Networking: Quality notQuantity • Deepen your connection ▫ People you have just met or may have known your whole life ▫ People in our networks serve a variety of purposes – they can stimulate our thinking, expand our options, help us make better decisions, provide insight into our careers • Be a people hub ▫ One of the most valuable things you can do for someone is connect them with the right person ▫ Facilitate a mutually beneficial connection
- 31. Be Strategic: Thedirection of your network is in your hands
- 32. Weak Links areMore Powerful • Account for most of the structure of social networks in society as well as the transmission of information through these networks • More novel information flows to individuals through weak rather than strong ties • Our close friends tend to move in the same circles that we do – and the information they receive overlaps considerably with what we already know
- 33. Network is aVerb Not a Noun • Care and feeding of your network ▫ Give something of value in every interaction ▫ Send a message with an update or article or interesting event
- 34. Why Don’t WeFollow Up? • You’re one connection away from getting the job of your dreams • Sometimes you MEET that one connection. You know it’s right for you. And you know it’s right for them. But for some reason, you NEVER follow up. Why? ▫ We forget ▫ Negative thoughts prevent you from taking action ▫ Networking can feel forced, unnatural, and sleazy
- 35. The Key tothe Successful Follow-Up • Calendar reminder 5-10 days away - email • How to make sure they read it? ▫ Say: I’ll email you in a week or two Email content: offer a potential solution, data, research you think they would be interested in and/or ask a question that demonstrates some knowledge - Are you going to XYZ event or do you think competitor ABC's new launch/positioning will be impactful?
- 38. Getting Referrals andIntroductions • Increase your chances of being interviewed and getting a better job by 5-10X over applying directly • Some connections you make along the way will surprise you, and put you on a path you never even considered
- 39. Networking Forwards withLinkedIn • Target 10 people who can vouch for your past performance and future potential (goal is 4) ▫ Professors, advisors, or social connections • Reach out - ask if they would be comfortable recommending you to connections in companies or industries of interest to you ▫ Get the names of 4 people and an intro ▫ Look at their LinkedIn - have specific people in mind ▫ Track everything in a spreadsheet
- 40. LinkedIn Introductions -Trusted Connections • Look at a job/company you are interested in • Find who you're connected to (1st Degree) who knows someone in the company (2nd Degree) and ask to be referred/introduced
- 41. Networking Backwards – Howto Find Your Ideal Contact
- 42. InMail – WhenYou Have No Connections • You can send an inMail to anyone • For pay (avoids spam) • If you don’t receive a reply, LinkedIn will refund your credit automatically
- 43. Talking to Strangers •Lead with something in common ▫ Contextualize the conversation - mention how you found them • Get to your point fast • Reassure the person that you’re not asking for a favor ▫ Be firm that you are just looking for a meeting • Talk about what makes you qualified - your brand pitch here! • End with a strong call to action with a time limit ▫ Mention that you need only 15 minutes of their time. • Be respectful = Show appreciation for their time
- 44. The (Almost)Perfect MeetingRequest Dear [name], I found your profile through the [name the common LinkedIn Group or network] on LinkedIn. I have been working as a [name last position] at [name last company], and I am in the process of making a career transition. It would be helpful for me to find out about your experiences as a [name role] for [target company]. I promise not to take more than 15 minutes of your time. I am not expecting to discuss a particular job opening, but I would appreciate being able to talk with you on an informational basis. What is the best way to reach you this week? Do you have any availability this coming Thursday or Friday? I thank you in advance. Regards, [your name]
- 45. Change the Game •Offer value before you ask for anything ▫ How can I help this person? ▫ Do not discount yourself just because you’re young. Offer what you have based on what people need ▫ Add value - Offer to create a website, a video, or? • Do your research ▫ Know the basics - take time to check Google, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. so you understand what the person is all about ▫ Find the details - look for common hobbies or a hook - one of my mentors is someone I connected with because I reached out and mentioned we both like to dive
- 46. Just How Importantis Your LinkedIn Profile?
- 47. • Update yourprofile ▫ Whether you are job hunting or not! ▫ Keeps you top of mind with your friends and connections ▫ Particularly if you post updates as well It’s a No-Brainer
- 48. Customize Your ProfileURL • While on your LinkedIn profile page, your URL has some strange characters and looks funny - this is not the URL you want to share • Click the Edit icon next to the URL link under your profile photo • First come/first serve • Use it below your email signature, blog, business card, etc.
- 49. Use a GoodImage • Your photo sends a strong message of who you are • Use a head shot with a clean background, a smile and a clear view of your eyes • Best photo is a smiling face and a little bit of your shoulders • Make sure it isn’t blurry, or grainy
- 50. Optimize/Sass up yourheadline • Most people only look at your picture and headline • Craft a compelling headline, even if you are not employed • You have 120 characters to play with – maximize it ▫ Keywords used by ideal clients to search for what you offer Create a word cloud of your job description 3 keywords that represent your job history and ideal job ▫ Use "Show examples" and "See what others in your industry are using" • Watch “Who’s viewed my profile” to see if changes have an impact on views
- 52. Skills/expertise • Others endorseyou for skills - and it shows up below your work experience on your profile • You can add, remove,and reorganize skills
- 53. Beef up yoursummary section • Contact info first • Use first tense - I was…. • 3-5 paragraphs - bullets in the middle • Walk through your work passions, key skills, unique qualifications, and industries • Template ▫ What you do - what problem do you solve and how? How you are different? Why you do what you do? How did you get where you are today? Explain concisely in a way that makes you look interesting and motivated. What do others say - credibility • End with a call to action
- 55. Don’t Just SayIt, Display It • Portfolio feature - you can add photos, videos, documents, linked articles with images, screenshots, audio recordings, and SlideShare presentations • Highlight work samples, client work, launches, special projects, press, and tweets from speaking engagements. • Not many are using this yet
- 57. 90% of informationtransmitted to the brain is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000X faster in the brain than text
- 58. Update your relevantexperience • Option 1: Timeline of your professional growth ▫ Include a little about each company plus your responsibilities and accomplishments • Option 2: Order your content your way ▫ This enables you to emphasize what’s important and focus on the strengths of your experience ▫ List at least 3 projects related to your desired business and 2 videos/presos/articles/podcasts on topics that demonstrate your expertise and insights into industry/client problem
- 59. Volunteering Can BeJust as Powerful as Work Experience • Include organizations support and projects you have worked on as well
- 60. recommendations • 10 increaseyour ranking • Add a personal message when you ask for a recommendation • Offer to write it for their review • Find people similar to you and look for recommendations you find compelling • Be strategic - your recs should emphasize different talents and aspects of your skills • You can choose to hide/display any recommendation Recommendations
- 61. The Brand ofYou -It’s a Big Deal • Personal Branding - make it shine • Get it out there - both online/offline • Effective and productive networking • Maximizing LinkedIn
- 63. Need Help? Hire anExpert • Personal Branding • Social Media • Content Strategy • Website Optimization • Speaking • Reboot/Return to Work robeenf@gmail.com robeenf.com GoRebootCamp.com
Editor's Notes
- #7 Unique Approach to Creating and Managing Personal Brand Online When it Comes to Online: No One Connects the Dots Maybe add few words – pscyh of memory and connection Social media hacks Promotion – connect w peopl Marketing – Content hacks for engaging, sharing Social Media hacks for reducing time sink Marekting + Psychology hacks to make you memorable and build traffic/awareness Promotion hacks to get you in front of the right people
- #8 e secret to getting the job you want boils down to smart networking and a compelling personal brand - this is the special sauce that makes you stand out in a sea of qualified candidates. In the first part of this session, you will create a personal brand that tells your story and conveys your value. Plus, you'll get guidance on the tricky issue of how best to describe your time off as part of your story, and how to showcase your brand in all your online and offline activities. You will master techniques for making yourself memorable in conversation as well as learn the best way to connect online, ask for a meeting, and talk to strangers at a networking event. Part two of this session will provide you with strategies to create a stellar LinkedIn profile so that your experience shines and gets the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. LinkedIn is a powerful networking platform and you will learn tips for using it like a pro to get the introductions, referrals, and meetings you want, even with people you don't know. Finally, since it is important to keep yourself motivated throughout the uncertainty of a job search, this session will teach you how to create a job search roadmap and track your success.
- #16 offers a four-part framework to assist people in articulating their brands and developing a personal branding statement.
- #18 describe who we are, what we most want people to remember about us. This is a short, hopefully catchy statement, what some may call an elevator pitch that prompts people to say, “I get this person.” Frank would describe her “who statement” as: I am a navigator. I help people find their way.
- #20 Profoundly changed my view on how the world worked – great leaders think, act communicate the exact same way How Successful People Sell Themselves (Simon Sinek)
- #21 I love helping others achieve their goals. I work with people to create a compelling persona that conveys their passion and expertise – getting them where they want to go personally and professionally
- #24 We are constantly sending a signal to the world Voicemail Signature line Social media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest… Website Blog Podcast How you introduce yourself and describe what you do Events
- #26 Why is it important for us to be active in social media? These social networks and communities offer a vehicle for us to nurture our relationships, tap the wisdom of our networks, monitor the latest developments in our fields, share our experience, and contribute to the conversation. It is also where the action is. According to a recent study conducted by Forrester Research, a staggering 100 percent of business decision-makers surveyed use social media for work purposes. Almost all (98 percent) read blogs, watch videos, and listen to podcasts); two-thirds comment on blogs and post ratings and reviews, and 79 percent of those maintain a profile on social networking sites “all in the context of their business activities.”
- #27 Packaging is important
- #31 Personal branding is the foundation, but our careers and social endeavors are greatly enriched and impacted by the ecosystem of resources and support that surrounds us.
- #32 A good place to begin to build our networks is by taking a simple inventory. Start with our closest relationships, the people we know, our friends and family. Add on school friends, parents of our children’s friends if applicable and relevant, and people that we worked with or volunteered with in the past. Think of people we may have met while traveling, or in a cycling group, or with whom we may attend church or temple. Do not forget former bosses, friends with whom we may have gone to camp, or fraternity brothers or sorority sisters. Add colleagues from work and clients—even competitors. Some people find it useful to map these contacts visually. Placing ourselves in the center, and as the figure below suggests, we develop categories to classify our relationships. From there we add names to each section. We have found it fruitful to return to this exercise multiple times to see if the process has further jogged our memories. Continue to add new contacts as appropriate: the people throughout our organizations with whom we interact and those that we connect with at meetings or conferences. Seek out diversity. While our close-knit group of friends and colleagues may always be there for us, they may not be the most effective in helping us stay on the cutting edge of what is happening in the marketing world. The reason is that we probably see the world similarly.
- #33 Research shows that these “weaker ties” are more likely to provide information about jobs that led to employment than closer friends, because they have access to a different pool of resources, as Figure XX illustrates. On a broader scale, societies in which people have many weak ties in addition to their strong ties have been found to be more innovative.
- #34 Our networks are verbs, not nouns; we don’t own them, we interact with them. To be mutually beneficial, we must try and give something of value in every interaction—not gifts, but information or a useful introduction
- #38 Used by 300 Million people around the world/100 million US 40% of users check it daily More popular than Twitter among US adults LinkedIn drives 64% of all visits generated by social media channels to corporate websites
- #41 Ask that person to help you gather information about the company, and try to get some insights into company priorities and culture Also see what you can learn about the company’s top motivation in hiring decisions — what priorities or issues the company considers Be direct and be proactive. Prepare to ask about specific people they know, and about specific jobs at their companies.
- #42 Finely tune your searches when you filter by years of experience, seniority level, job function, company size, groups, and more. Premium members get up to 8 additional search filters. First, find the Advanced link to the right of the search box at the top of any page. Once you’ve clicked through, all of your Premium filters have a gold LinkedIn logo next to them. Whether you’re selling, job-hunting, recruiting, or building your business, you’ve likely got an ideal target in mind. Premium filters let you focus on reaching exactly who you need to find, whether they be experience executives, people who work at SMBs, or any other specific segment. ou can filter by relationship, groups, location and industry, and the Save Search function even allows you to store effective criteria.
- #43 In an effort to manage spam, LinkedIn requires members to pay to send InMail. InMail is most useful for members who want to contact a wide variety of people, such as recruiters or individuals using LinkedIn for business development. There is one exception in which you can send InMail for free, even if you don’t have a premium account: You can send InMail at no charge to members who participate in the OpenLink Network. LinkedIn identifies these members with the OpenLink icon on their profiles or in search results. To enable other members to send you free InMail, you must specify that you want to participate in the OpenLink Network when you sign up for a premium account. LinkedIn premium accounts, including Job Seeker premium accounts, enable you to send a fixed number of InMail messages per month. To learn more about LinkedIn premium accounts and InMail, click the Upgrade link on the navigation menu. You can also purchase individual InMails at $10 each by pausing over your photo in the upper-right corner of the screen and selecting Review. Then click the Purchase link below the InMails field on the Account & Settings page. This is cost-efficient only if you want to contact just a few people by InMail.
- #44 What does a successful InMail/Request for Informational Interview Look Like Reassure the person that you’re not asking for a favor No one likes being put on the spot. If people suspect that you’re going to ask them for a job, they may anticipate having to turn you down. Saying no isn’t fun and most people try to avoid it. Be firm that you are just looking for a meeting Talk about what makes you qualified Show your contact that you are uniquely qualified based on your skills and background End with a strong call to action with a time limit Mention that you need only 15 minutes of their time. Make sure you end with a clear next step. Are you asking for a phone number? Are you asking to pick a time next week? Be respectful = Show appreciation for their time Professional appreciation can go a long way and help you look more assertive “I’d really appreciate it if you would…”
- #45 If someone doesn’t get back to you within a week, you can try sending another request. Assume that this person is simply busy. After the second try, however, assume the answer is no, and stop pursuing this contact. The last thing you want to be is a pest.
- #54 The single biggest tip I can give any marketer on LinkedIn is this: Stop treating LinkedIn like an online version of your résumé (“I went to college here, I work at this company, I do this for a job”) and instead make your entire profile what I call client-facing. For instance, use the template below (including the ALL CAPS areas!) for your LinkedIn profile’s summary text: WHAT I DO: I help [My Target Audience] achieve [Their Desired Outcome] by providing [My product, skill or service offering]. WHY I’M DIFFERENT: [My USP: What makes me different/better/unique than others who offer similar skills, products or services.] WHAT OTHERS SAY: [Insert text from a happy client singing your praises in a specific way that will appeal to your target market.] “Ideally, your summary should be around 3–5 short paragraphs long, preferably with a bulleted section in the middle. It should walk the reader through your work passions, key skills, unique qualifications, and a list of the various industries you’ve had exposure to over the years.”
- #57 Cant reorder, only visible to connections, preview not so great When you add a link to your Professional Portfolio, the image, title and description will autopopulate, which means that the image drawn from a multi-image article may not be the one you want. One way to retain control over images is to upload an image and then enter the information manually. However, you don’t get the benefit of the link being clickable or hyperlinked. It all depends on your priority between clickable links vs. having some control over the image that’s populated.
- #58 The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Resort hosts the real deal! Situated in the tropical gardens on Rangalifinolhu Island, access to the resort is only by seaplane and while it may sound like any other exclusive get away, the Conrad Rangali will have you dining with stingrays and on special occasions, sleeping with the sharks
- #61 Be Vigilant About Building Recommendations Turns out, recommendations may have more benefit than just making you look likeable to potential employers. Stormphorst believes 10 or more recommendations will elevate your profile’s search ranking.
- #63 How to create a unique brand and online persona Easy strategies for managing your reputation when you interact with others to maximize WOM and be memorable 10+ proven tactics to build awareness, influence, and engagement A roadmap for developing a great content strategy to win at social and search My top 5 social media hacks to make you efficient and effective