Progressions

Is Personal Branding All That It’s Cracked Up to Be? YES!

Over the last five months, the CEO of You series has taken off even more than I expected. The apex was appearing at last October’s PRSSA National Conference in Philadelphia. The response from the students in attendance and on social media was way beyond any expectations.

Was I an original adopter of personal branding? No. When I was in school, especially since I was doing television and radio at the time, personal branding wasn’t what it is now. Then it was a résumé, a demo reel and the face-to-face meeting. As times have changed, I’ve embraced what personal branding can do for you. That’s why I’ve been so passionate about seeing students and young professionals become the CEO of You.

Tomorrow, Feb. 25, I’ll be co-hosting PRSSA’s monthly Twitter chat on personal branding. Set your calendars for an alarm at 9 p.m. EST! If you want to know more about being the CEO of You, we’ll have a great discussion on how to do it. Here are some ideas to think about between now and chat time. What do you need to be the CEO of your brand?

• You need to understand your industry. Whether it is public relations, marketing or advertising, it is important to have a solid understanding of these fields. You cannot wing it. There isn’t a CEO out there who is just flying by the seat of his/her pants. You shouldn’t either! Take the time once a week to learn something new to better your understanding.
• You need to understand the tools. We, as an industry, communicate in so many ways now. Facebook, Twitter, Path, Instagram; the list goes on. It’s integral to understand as much as you can about the tools we use each day. Something is always being tweaked. Make sure you are up to speed on any changes or new tools. If you don’t, someone else is bound to do it.
• You need to understand who you REALLY are. Is the person who is represented on your Twitter account, Facebook profile or Pinterest page really you? Or is it someone you are trying to be? Good CEOs are honest and open about who they are. Your brand should be truthful, not a fake. The truth will come out, and it will not be pretty if you are found to be a fraud.

Let’s be honest. I love what I do as a professional and I’m passionate about personal branding. I want to help you have a passionate, energetic and professional brand as well. So join PRSSA and me on Feb. 25, and let’s have a great chat about how your brand can be great.

Jason Mollica is the president of JRMComm, a public relations and marketing consultancy, located in a suburb of Buffalo, N.Y. He combines knowledge of the broadcast news industry, traditional public relations expertise, and today’s new and innovative social media tools to assist clients in maximizing their full potential. Follow him on Twitter and check out his blog.