Personal branding is an opportunity to define your unique value and skills to help others. It involves determining who you want to help, how you can help them, and why you are uniquely qualified. Developing an online personal brand through tools like blogs, social media, and websites allows you to engage in conversations that position you as an expert in your field. While building an audience takes time, consistently providing valuable content is key to developing relationships and establishing yourself as a trusted resource.

1. Personal
Branding
Bret L. Simmons, Ph.D.
ISM-NV September 20, 2012

2. Main Points Today
1. Personal branding is a huge
opportunity and responsibility
2. Being searchable and shareable is
good for your business
3. Proper operating principles are the
key to success

3. Personal Brand
If people don’t select you,
spread the word about
you, or pay a premium for
your services, it’s because
they don’t recognize your
value.
(Seth Godin)

4. Value
What you can do uniquely
well to help others
address issues or solve
problems that matter to
them.

5. Personal Brand
1.Who are you?
2.Who do you want to
help?
3.How do you want to help
them?

6. Why You?
Why Now?

7. New business card
www.bluehost.com

8. New business card
1. Associate your name and face
with your value
2. Create content and
connections that will get you
indexed and ranked for your
name and value

11. Social Media
You must be personal and conversant

12. Lead with value
Wrap the personal around your value

13. Name, Picture, Purpose
• E-mail, Google Profile
• Linkedin
• Blog
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Other (Pinterest)

14. Bret.simmons@gmail.com
bret@bretlsimmons.com

24. Blogging
• Micro publishing platform
• Force yourself to become
part of the conversation
• Best damn marketing tool
• Free
• Video

27. What most companies think
1. When we get started, people will
show up
2. Well, we gave it a couple months,
and no one showed up, so let’s quit
Falls & Decker, 2011

28. The Reality
• It takes at least SIX MONTHS
before you will start seeing any
demonstrable results and success
from your blog
Falls & Decker, 2011

29. The Fundamentals
• Listen first
• Be responsive
• Be honest
• Provide value
• Sell last
Falls & Decker 2011

30. Remember
• Social media marketing is about building
relationships, not receipts. The receipts
will come, but only if you invest the time
and attention it takes to build
relationships with your customers. Think
lifetime value, not sale value
Falls & Decker, 2011, p. 180

31. Examples
• Cody Witt
• Lisa Drake
• Jessica Torres
• Tiffany Brown
• Kati Nelson
• Samantha Conway
• Kristin Stith
• Tahoe Mountain Sports

32. Questions?

33. Bret L. Simmons, Ph.D.
www.bretlsimmons.com
Bret.simmons@gmail.com
(775) 336-9576