“Irony.” The dictionary defines it as “incongruity between what is expected and what actually is”.  Alanis Morissette describes it as “a black fly in your Chardonnay” – which ironically, has nothing to do with irony.  In any event, I want to discuss perceptions around the phrase “personal branding”, and why I find the positions of a select few critics to be so surprising – and ironic.

In the last decade-plus, the term personal branding has grown faster than the weeds in your backyard.  Originated by Tom Peters and popularized by Dan Schawbel, awareness of the phrase has gone from nonexistent to commonplace.  I’ll define it here loosely as “the outward expression of whatever the heck makes you unique.”  (OK, very loosely.)  Mix in the drive to constantly improve, and the desire to help and connect with others, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a personal brand.

Sounds simple enough, right?  Well, it isn’t.  Many folks out there aren’t jumping on the personal branding train, and interestingly, most of them happen to be damn smart individuals.  In specific…

• Amber Naslund told me she doesn’t much care for personal branding.
• Mitch Joel theorizes that personal branding has lost its way.
• Laurie Ruettimann suggests personal brands can be a “cat-astrophe”.
• Jeremiah Owyang much prefers career branding over personal branding.
• Andrew Swenson says it is tough to trust personal branding experts.
• Matt Cheuvront thinks we’re a little too young to worry about our personal PR.
• Carlos Miceli says to hell with personal branding.

Aside from their general questioning of the practice, there is one consistent trait that each and every one of these individuals shares:

They all have powerful and well-defined personal brands!!!

Pop in your Alanis Morrissette cassette tape, we’ve stumbled upon a heap of irony!  How can it be that those who best embody what personal branding is all about are the very ones who dismiss the practice?

The answer lies within the reasons each has for doubting the merits of personal branding.  Some fear the lack of authenticity.  Some predict selfishness.  Others foresee a world of cookie-cutter people marching to the beat of the same drummer.

Yet, somehow, someway, each has managed to build their own personal brand without succumbing to any of these frightening side effects.  And therein lies the ultimate point of difference: They all worked tirelessly and arrived at where they are today naturally, not by following rules or slapping a fancy title like “personal branding” on their efforts.

“Why can’t you do the same?” they wonder.

The answer is that we all aren’t superstars by nature.  Some of us need a gentle push, a few tips and tricks, a little guidance on our paths.  The stuff inside that makes folks different and unique has a tough time making it to the surface for some.  The process to aid that struggle is known as personal branding, and that phrase freaks people out – especially those who have mastered the skills organically.

But, the fact of the matter is this – whether you are trying to land a job interview, raise funds for charity, seek a book deal, or perform almost any people-based activity, having a strong personal brand helps immensely.  And in the Web 2.0, social-powered world of today, it matters more than ever before.

So, allow me to offer a middle ground, a place where we can all live in harmony.  If the term “personal branding” creeps you out, throw it in the mental garbage can and never use it again.  Let’s just agree that typical “brand-building” actions are damn powerful if done the right way.  Like…

Reading.

Learning.

Writing.

Connecting.

Helping.

Thinking.

Improving.

I call these tasks “personal branding”.  You don’t have to.  Let’s just agree that by taking these actions, people can further their careers, open new doors, and add value to their communities.  That is OK in my book, no matter what you want to call it.

Photo credit, Jon Ovington.

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Imagine this scenario: You are a major league pitcher coming off a rough previous year.  In fact, you’ve recently spent time in the minor leagues.  Your career is teetering on the brink.

Then, one magical night, everything comes together.  It is the ninth inning and 26 batters have come to the plate – all have been sent straight back to the dugout.  One more out and you become the 21st pitcher in the 100+ years of baseball history to throw a perfect game.

Grounder to first. You cover the bag, take the throw, runner is out by a mile.  All that remains is the umpire’s “out” call – and HE BLOWS IT. “Safe!”, he utters, inexplicably.  In about a nanosecond, your dream has been shattered.  Literally, stolen away from you.

What would you do?

If it was me, I’d go psychotically ballistic.  I’d kick dirt at the umpire, rip my cap in half, fall to the ground, and sob like an infant.  Kind of like this guy.

But, if you are Armando Galarraga, you smile, head back to the mound, and get the next guy out.  And that is exactly what he did.  How he did so, I will never know.  Even after the game, Galarraga kept cool, saying about the umpire:

“He probably felt more bad than me…Nobody’s perfect.”

To me, this calm, reasoned reaction is utterly flabbergasting – and so amazingly admirable.  Friend and fellow blogger Jake LaCaze pointed out to me the dramatic effect this reaction would have on Armando Galarraga’s personal brand.  And how right he is.  Galarraga will be forever remembered not for his pitching performance, but for the supreme way he handled the worst situation imaginable.

How would you react in a similar situation? What if…

• Your co-worker is given the promotion you deserve?
• Your brilliant guest article is turned down by a prominent blogger?
• Someone takes credit for your idea?
• You are laid off, even though you gave 100% to a company for years?

In each situation, it would be easy to fly off the handle and lose control.  Yet, let’s all learn from Armando Galarraga, and remember his lesson the next time something goes “less than perfect”.

Photo credits, Jose3030 and SgtPepper.

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“Personal branding” is a phrase that means many different things to many different people.  Some view it as the unabashed expression of one’s true self, others view it as a carefully calculated and manicured package.  [Poll at the bottom: How personal is your personal brand?]

In recent weeks I’ve stumbled across three examples of personal branding commentary, each painting a very different picture of how we should (or how we do) portray ourselves.  I’ll try to present them in an unbiased manner, and let you vote on which route is best.

1. Sonia Simone of Copyblogger writes about having pink hair, loving it, and genuinely doing it because she enjoys it.  Would you feel this comfortable?

“Every once in awhile, someone asks me why I have pink hair…

…I have pink hair because I like the way it looks, because it makes my kid smile, and because I happen to rather like tweaking ordinary expectations.

But here’s the important part: What I do with my hair doesn’t matter at all. But if I lived a mousy-brown life — where I did all the things we expect of a “normal” person — I wouldn’t be as successful or as happy as I am today.”

2. Robert Scoble insightfully comments that our outward likes and dislikes are censored by our inner-desire to look “cool” to our friends and the world.  To a certain degree, everyone is guilty of calculating the effect of their actions or appearances.  This is the middle ground on the personal branding “spectrum of truth”.

“The other day I found myself over at Yelp.com clicking “like” on a bunch of Half Moon Bay restaurants. After a while I noticed that I was only clicking “like” on restaurants that were cool, hip, high end, or had extraordinary experiences.

See, I like McDonalds and Subway. But I wasn’t clicking like on those. Why not?

…Because we want to present ourselves to other people the way we would like to have other people perceive us as…We lie and we lie our asses off.”

3. Lastly, Nance Rosen (prominent consultant and business coach) tweeted her thoughts on personal branding – with an emphasis on the personal aspect.  Nance views overly personal and unprofessional communication to be a detriment to one’s brand.  Whether or not you actually like Jell-O, Nance recommends omitting such information from your public profile.

What about you? Are you 100% open and personal, cautiously in the middle, or purposely calculating how every action will make you look?

Photo credit, me fui a

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This week, Tiger Woods will tee off at the Master’s, and the public & media will likely tee off right back at him.  Tiger’s return to the spotlight is his first since the infamous Thanksgiving debacle and downward spiral that followed.  How can I claim that his beaten-down reputation and raucous escapades lead to a STRONGER personal brand?  Allow me to state my case:

To me, a strong personal brand is achieved quite simply by closely matching your public image with your actual characteristics.

Not how you want the world to see you.  Not which characteristics seem the best.  Not which traits will be most admired.  Not which attributes allow you to be more marketable.

How you truly are deep down, without all the BS.

So then…I ask you, with all that has been revealed, is Tiger Woods’ personal brand not far more accurate than ever before?  And, if you accept my definition, even stronger than ever before?

Sure, he has been proven to be a poor husband and father.  Yes, his sponsorship deals have flown away faster than a 300-yard drive.  But like it or not, we now “get” the real Tiger better than we ever thought we would.

What does this mean for you?

It is simple, really.  Don’t waste your time trying to build a personal brand built on lies and shrouded in secrecy.  Sooner or later, the real “you” will merge with the contrived “you”, and your accurate personal brand will be revealed.  In this sense, personal branding is no different than corporate branding.  Enron and Worldcom both built faux brands around integrity and values – and both came crashing down like a deck of cards.

So, before you leave, take the Tiger Woods Personal Branding Test:

If the “real you” was suddenly exposed for all the world to see, how different would you appear from how you are currently portrayed?

Me?  I’ll admit I’m at least a chip shot away, and I am working on it.

You?  If you are any more than a sand wedge away, ask yourself why, and figure out how to narrow the gap as quickly as possible.

Shout it out in the comments section below – how do you score on the TWPB test?

Photo credit, Swamibu.

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Plain and simple, personal branding is about three things: proving that you rock, becoming rich, and achieving as much fame as possible.  How can you prove your worth, gain an army of adoring followers, and profit wildly from your efforts?  Here are 7 fool-proof ways to have you crushing all three goals within weeks.

***NOTE*** This article was published on April Fool’s Day, and the info above and suggestions below are utterly bogus.  For everything listed, I would actually recommend the complete opposite!

1.  Use social media only as a personal advertising platform.

Social media is an amazing tool because it allows you to broadcast your message to the world…for free!  Don’t waste time listening to or interacting with your followers, though.  If possible, only tweet links to your own blog or product.  Set up a constant auto-tweet feature so you never actually need to log in again.

2.  Borrow work from others.

The internet is such a great tool for finding content.  Here’s a tip – find an awesome article, change the words a bit, and post it like it is new on your blog.  Instant success!  Just be sure not to reference the initial author, you don’t want him or her stealing the credit.

3.  Use Facebook as a selling tool.

Thank goodness for Facebook.  What an easy way to sell stuff to your friends and family, right?  Here are a few great Facebook tips:

• Friend as many people as possible.
• Or even better, since you are a soon-to-be rockstar, create a fan page for yourself so that all your adoring fans have something to follow!
• Once a week, tag all your friends in videos selling your product, so they will receive a notification and click.
• Invite your fans or friends to events you create (that are actually just pitches for your product or brand).

4.  Refer to yourself an expert.

This one is a no-brainer.  How will people know that you are an expert, guru, or ninja if you don’t tell them? Backing it up with evidence is not nearly as important as thinking of a cool adjective that shows your expertise.  Me?  I’m a personal branding wizard! Impressive, right?

5.  Treat your current job like it is a temporary stepping stone.

The great thing about personal branding is that it will ultimately lead you to better and better jobs.  So, why bother working your tail off at your current job?  Instead, glide by doing the minimum, and focus on yourself as much as possible.  Remember that every job is good for one thing, and thing only – a resume builder!

6.  Never follow anyone else on Twitter.

This tip is pure brilliance.  Always make sure that for every 100 people following you, you only follow 1 person back.  This method is how all the celebrities do it, and it is the surest way to show your superiority.  Remember, you are the one with the killer personal brand – why would you bother following a bunch of inferior brands?

7.  Go where the money is.

It is sad to see people building personal brands around careers that will never be financially lucrative.  Teachers, coaches, social workers…don’t they realize that personal branding is about following the path that leads to riches?  If your current path is a financial dead-end, put a stop to it NOW.  Ignore your passion and your heart, and follow your wallet instead.

These 7 tips are essentially a road-map to guaranteed success, starting today, April 1st.  There are a lot of fools out there, day in and day out wasting their time building brands with their hearts, and stupidly connecting with others.  Don’t be one of them!

Rockstar by Mick_0. Awesome by kayepants.

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Remember when “one” used to be so amazingly exciting? Your first car, your first kiss, even your first job.  You’ve probably experienced some pretty thrilling “ones” while building your personal brand as well.  Every one of your early Twitter followers or blog subscribers probably knocked your socks off.  Fast forward to today.  Does every new “one” pump you up like it did before?  If not…why not?

I’ll admit it.  I remember my first few Twitter followers vividly.  I couldn’t believe that each of them wanted to follow ME, and listen to MY silly tweets.  I studied their profiles carefully and pondered how they might have found me.  I also remember my first blog comment, and the proud feelings that surrounded it.  But, unfortunately I must admit that today I sometimes forget to even check my new Twitter followers.  Who are they, what are they about?  I don’t have the slightest clue, because sometimes I forget the value of “one” – and fall into the trap of seeing “just another one”.

If I hadn’t written this article, I never would have noticed that my last few new Twitter followers included:

• Mary Boyle, @CareerExplore, a psychologist with IT, career, and accounting expertise (wow!).
• Matt Javit, @MattJavit, a passionate guy who runs JoeBots.com, helping average Joe’s get “wired and inspired”.
• Todd Schnick, @toddschnick, a radio show co-host and business blogger who is training for a half marathon.

Those three people sound pretty damn interesting, don’t they?  Each one certainly offers something unique that I can learn from.  BUT…I almost missed them.  I almost let my laziness and take-people-for-grantedness prohibit me from seeing the value in paying attention to each of them.  What about you?  Are you missing valuable “ones” every day that simply fade into the crowd?

Technology has made it so we can automate just about everything – especially social media.  Brilliant, right?  We can be “social” without ever lifting a finger or actually paying attention to anyone.  Except for one thing…those kind of actions turn social media into a wasteland of senseless, thoughtless, robotic self-broadcasting.

What can you do about it?  Easy.  Remember what it was like when “one” felt like a million. Make real connections.  Make less connections if you have to – but just make them count.  Did someone retweet you?  Seek them out, and retweet something of theirs.  Get a new blog comment?  Find their best blog post and leave a thoughtful comment of your own.

None of this is rocket science, to be sure.  Just a simple math lesson, and a subtle, self-directed kick in the ass to remind me that “one” is as valuable as ever.

Image credit, John Ayo.

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Poor e-mail.  Remember when it was the darling of the communications world?  1998…admit it, when you heard those words “You’ve Got Mail” you tingled with anticipation.  Fast forward to today, and you likely dread the thought of opening your laptop to reveal the inevitable flood of nonsensical e-mail.

But, the undeniable fact is this: e-mail is not going away.  You don’t have to love it, but to communicate well today, you simply must learn how to manage it properly.  Here are 7 ways to make your e-mail experience far less miserable.

1.  Check your inbox less.  A lot less.

In 4-Hour Workweek, Tim Ferriss suggests immediately reducing your e-mail checking habit to a max of twice per day.  Admittedly, I can’t yet take this extreme step.  But I’m getting there, and can see major benefits to working uninterrupted.  Tasks that used to take an hour (with sneaky little interruptions every 5 minutes) can be completed in 20 minutes of laser focus.

2.  Unsubscribe from every mailing list (or close to it).

There is no activity more cleansing for your soul than hitting that “unsubscribe” button.  After years of daily e-mails I’ve finally figured out that Old Navy is always having a sale.  E-mail is for important communication, not for unrelenting spamvertising.

3.  Use GMail.

GMail. So easy a baby can use it.

At first, I was a resistor to GMail.  But, as often is the case, I was dead wrong.  Automatic filters, unparalleled search capabilities, conversation tracking, and nearly unlimited free storage make GMail a slam dunk.  Add in unbeatable spam blocking, and the decision is a no-brainer.  You don’t want to give up the AOL account you’ve had since 1998?  Keep reading…

4.  Forward all e-mail accounts to GMail.

I have a “friend” who used to check 4 separate e-mail accounts multiple times per day (hint: me).  Forwarding all e-mails to GMail is an absolute snap, and will save you precious time every single day.  Worried that you’ll get all the accounts mixed up?  Don’t be.  You can pre-set labels so that e-mail from unique accounts is marked as such.  Brilliantly, from within GMail, you can also send mail from any outside account.

5.  Use your e-mail signature to the fullest.

The e-mail signature is one of the most under-utilized tools out there.  Without saying a word, you can instantly provide your e-mail counterpart everything they need to know about you.  Include links or icons to your social media accounts.  Include a link to your blog.  Heck, even include a F.A.Q. link so that you can avoid a back and forth e-mail chain discussing your capabilities.

I use the Wisestamp plugin for Firefox, which is the best signature tool I’ve seen.  Check out this great e-mail signature example from friend and fellow branding blogger Hajj Flemings:

Hajj E. Flemings_Brand Strategist
Phone: 734-468-0854
Author: ‘The Brand YU Life’
Blog: www.HajjFlemings.com/blog
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU55BXks2XU
Twitter: www.twitter.com/hajjflemings
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/HajjFleming

6.  Utilize temporary e-mail addresses.

So you took my advice and unsubscribed from every mailing list?  Great!  But now Ben & Jerry’s is asking for your e-mail address before they’ll dish out a Chunky Monkey coupon code?  Problem solved.  Go to Mailinator.com and pick out a shiny new e-mail address that will only last a few hours.  By the time your ice cream melts your e-mail address will have disappeared.

7.  Create e-mail templates for recurring situations.

Tired of getting asked the same questions every day via e-mail?  Reduce your stress by creating templates with pre-loaded answers.  Swap out the name and a detail or two, and you are good to go.  Or even better, as Tim Ferriss suggests, are auto-responders that fire off templated e-mails without even the click of a mouse.  Here are a few great examples.

What do you think?  Have I missed any tips that are certain to make e-mail less miserable for everyone?  If so, send me an e-mail let me know in the comments section below, or find me on Twitter @RyanRancatore.

Fire computer by cibomahto.  Baby e-mailer by Kiifu.

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Integrity…Web 2.0…have you two met?  Sometimes it doesn’t seem like they have.  Unfortunate as it might be, Web 2.0 is plagued by spammers, sleazeballs, and scam artists – none of which have an ounce of integrity.  But don’t let this steer you off course.  While operating in a Web 2.0 world, it is imperative that integrity be a cornerstone of your personal brand.

Two events this week got me thinking about integrity – a subject that admittedly doesn’t pop into my head too often (but should).

1.  Chris Brogan had a small dust-up with another popular Twitter user, over the misuse of work previously published by Brogan.  The precise details aren’t important here.  What is important is the notion of attribution, and the respect for authentic work.  More on that subject later.

2.  On Monday, I was 80% of the way through a blog post that I was just plain pumped up about.  It was timely, fun, and driven by what I thought to be an extremely unique point of view.  A triple whammy!  But then, disaster struck.  I noticed a tweet linking to a blog post of the identical theme.  The really bad news?  The post was from several years ago.  Uh-oh, there went my “unique” point of view.  Could I prove to others (or myself) that I hadn’t read this post previously?  No, I couldn’t.

I faced three options – to continue with my post as it was, to work in some sort of attribution, or to suck it up and hit delete.  I gave it the “eyes closed” test…closed my eyes, and told myself I would go with whichever option felt right.  I decided to delete the post before ever publishing it.

Note: Just today, as I’m writing this, I see that Problogger Darren Rowse has had a popular post of his ripped off by another blogger – chalk another one up for the bad guys.

So, what does this all mean for you?  In 2010 and beyond, I think Integrity 2.0 (maintaining one’s real world sense of integrity while on the web) will be huge for personal brands.  Just because the web seems to have few rules, this does not mean ethics should fly out the window.  In fact, because there are fewer rules, the onus falls upon each of us to monitor ourselves.

Here are a few routes I take consistently to make sure my actions on the web are completely above board:

• Only use blog images from Creative Commons, and always link to the photographer’s page.
• Do a quick Google search before publishing any blog post, to make sure my headline or content does not mirror something that has already been posted (maybe I go overboard here, but better safe than sorry).
• If an idea of mine is sparked by the words of someone else, give them credit for lighting the fire.
• Provide links within blog posts as much as possible – I really don’t care about the search engine ramifications, I just feel it is “right” to do so.
• Retweet and give credit to the original tweeter, rather than just posting a link as my own find.

What do you all think?  Am I overly cautious in my ways – or are there other areas I’ve left out that deserve attention?  I’d love to hear your thoughts on integrity, Web 2.0, and where the two are headed.

Supreme Court image by massmatt.

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Personal branding is getting tons of press lately (hell, I even started a blog about it!).  The question is: does personal branding deserve all this hype?  This very debate is going on right now at GetPerspectives.com.  Involved in the debate are two fine scholars – myself, and Jonathon Schuster.  I won’t try to sway you in one way or the other.  Below are both perspectives, I would love your feedback and vote – no matter your opinion.

Please click here to vote and voice your opinion on the debate.  Thanks!

Does Personal Branding Deserve the Hype: Absolutely! (by Ryan Rancatore)

Personal branding has received oodles of attention recently.  Is it deserved?  Absolutely!  Put simply, personal branding is a method by which individuals can showcase their unique attributes – just as corporate brands have done for decades.  But why all the recent hype?  Because new technologies, “Web 2.0”, and the emergence of social media have broken long-standing communication barriers.  Armed with a blog, a flip cam, and a Twitter account, you can now broadcast your message like never before.

Previously, your life experience and career expertise were represented by a black and white resume, lost somewhere in a stack of identical pages.  But in 2009, your unique characteristics can shine through – in real-time, broadcast instantly around the globe.  How empowering is that?  And hiring managers are taking note as well.  Studies show that 75% of hiring managers research a candidate’s personal brand or social media presence while making a decision.  They’re convinced that personal branding is more than just hype.  I suspect many of your colleagues and competition are convinced too, and are building and promoting their personal brands as we speak.

Today, a strong personal brand can truly impact your career path – believe the buzz, it’s more than just hype!

Does Personal Branding Deserve the Hype? Definitely Not! (by Jonathon Schuster)

Personal branding is getting a ton of hype these days, and I can’t quite figure out why.  Personal branding has been around since the dawn of time, but we used to just call it reputation.  (I’d like to take this opportunity to point out that I’m not that old.)  Everything you do, every way you present yourself, and even more importantly every way people perceive you influences your reputation.

Perhaps the rise of digital and social media is causing a rise in the understanding of the concept of branding across multiple platforms, but really digital and social media are just channels for the same communication.  Put more simply, new media is just another way you can build and define your reputation, not a game changing way people perceive your reputation.

Don’t forget to cast your vote!  Click here to do so.

Fireworks by chrisirmo.  No! sign by christopherdale.

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