Your Online Professional Brand is Your Book Cover

by Byron Woodson II

Let's face it, people judge books by their covers. This is why we say not to do it! If you are concerned about your professional brand, and how others see you online and in person, you're worried about your cover.

Your Professional Brand Online (the cover)
I remember waay back in about 1998 when people started the weirdest thing, the started "googling" themselves. This was in the day where not a lot of social-networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn broadcast your name across the web. I remember a few athletes I knew finding sports articles from their local papers mentioning their names. I found it fascinating.

1. what are you a part of
Today, you can take a lot of control over what peopel know about you and can find about you, simply by overwhelming them with information. Putting up a profile on Facebook and LinkedIn acts as a first-stop. Little known, if you have a google account, you can even set up a public Google profile from there.

By proactively signing yourself up for these services, you can put your best foot forward in introducing yourself to other people.

A more intense way to control your online presence is to involve yourself in an online community focused on one of your passions. If you're an avid gardner, signing up for a gardening discussion forum may associate your name with gardeneing expertise. Participating in online communities that you are passionate about is a great way to put your best foot forward online, and do something you enjoy at the same time. Some people recommend blogging about what you love, but let me tell you about blogging . . . if you don't love it, it isn't for you. Don't force yourself to blog, only do it if you want to express yourself.

2. what are you not a part of
Almost as important as what you are a part of is what you are not a part of. There are millions of people lurking around trying to not get on facebook and LinkedIn. The fact that you aren't on these sites says something about you. Sometimes it says you prefer to network and interact face-to-face. Other times it says you simply like to do things your way. Still other times it says you are just a party-pooper. The lack of an online presence can spark any one of these thoughts. So, also consider the consequences of not participating online.

3. control what you can, pray for the rest
With the ability to put your best foot forward, someone is bound to tag you on facebook in one of your more candid moments. All you can do then is pray for what ever else is out there.


Your Professional Brand In Person (the book)
This is actually more important than your online presence. Your professional brand in person is actually who you are and how you carry yourself in a conversation. This includes during interviews, your work ethic and when you're joking around the office.

1. how you look
How you look is important. I'm no style guru, but you definitely do not want to either be the bummiest person at your job, nor the most well-dressed. Basically you want to keep your look stylish and well-kept.

2. how you interact
How you interact with a person revolves around how well you pass control of a conversation back and forth. Some people are quiet, and some people try to railroad the conversation. What you want to aim for is to be able to bully conversation bullies so you can get a word in edgewise, and also be able to pull information from shy people without making them uncomfortable. A great way to influence the direction and pace of a conversation is questions. They're only about as effective depending on:

3. how good your questions are
When you ask someone a question about something they just said, they get the feeling that you've been listening to them. People usually like that. Depending on how perceptive your question is, influences how well that person thinks of you. Asking perceptive questions makes people think you're smart and attentive. Continually saying 'uh-huh' or 'is that so' signals to people that you have minimal interest in them, and they're likely to then have limited interest in you.


Wrapping it up
Managing your online brand if you aren't into it takes only about an hour to set up. All you have to do is set up a LinkedIn account and a Facebook account. Post a few things about yourself, job information (FB), favorite food (FB) and you're good to go. If you want to connect with a lot of people instantly, both of these services let you import your address book from most of the major email applications. This lets you connect with hundreds of peopel you know, and thousands of people you don't who were cc'd on emails you recieved.

Do This:
Read this post that helps you assess your professional and personal brand. You can also download a free pdf from Steve Woodruff that will help you build an online opportunity network .