The Byline: PR and Marketing Insights from Eiler Communications

Branding yourself is the new form of networking. Only now you are not confined to a group attending a program or event. The world can see what your brand is.

Following on the earlier post of “The Magic of Branding Yourself,” here are some questions to answer to get you going on building your name’s brand.

Why do you want to brand yourself?

What is your purpose?

What do you want to achieve with branding yourself? Is it to know lots of people, or be known? Is it to help with your reputation?

Whom do you need and want to get to know? Is it just anyone … a specific group of people …educators … business prospects?

What do you want this group to think of you? What are your key messages to impart? Why do you want this group in particular? Nice person? Smart and confident? Knowledgeable expert on a certain topic? Come to you with an issue or for counsel?

Remember: it is all about focusing on who you want to reach that can help you lead to your goal. Here is this post’s example.

Dr. David Mielke, dean of he noted College of Business at Eastern Michigan University. Dave was named Dean in 2005 and needed to differentiate his college from numerous others in he Midwest – his competitors.

He chose to do it by branding statement “Innovative. Applied. Global.”

He set a series of guest speakers at a periodic business breakfasts for regional business and other leaders. He targeted key media in the college’s market area and met with them to tell the story of what he was doing to let people know of the college’s affairs.

He built the college’s international presence by signing relationships with universities in China, India and elsewhere to bolster the multinational and cultural aspects of the CoB.

Think of your key words to brand yourself. Then create your action plan to do it.

Larry Eiler

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