Your Personal Brand Launch (or ReLaunch!)

Today I’ve been thinking a lot of the process of the “self-launch”. I’ve had the amazing experience to be going through two separate leadership development programs over the past several days—one tied to goal achievement, one tied to personal success—and over and over again I’m reminded that while our dreams are critical, we can never forget that what we’re really launching is not our business, our plans, our marketing campaign or even our new line of products… we are launching ourselves. (more…)

Building and Sustaining an Online Community

As I think of Social Media and Community building from a Brand standpoint, it comes down to two areas of focus: Gathering like minded folks with whom you want to help and share information, and then interacting with them once they come to your blog/forum/or website.

1. Building Your Community

Let no one tell you any different: networking is business, not a hobby. To build a thriving community—if that’s what you want to do—you have to commit to reaching out to others, and desire to do so for good reasons. The online world today is transparent—you can’t “scam” people who join up with you and expect them to stay a part of your community. You can’t think of your followers or community members as your next “get”, to use a term social media guru Gary Vaynerchuk used in a recent webinar I attended. You need to look at them as people you help—and be committed to give and give and give and give to those people… and know that you will “get” when you need to get, not from everyone, but from enough people who will make a difference. (more…)