The Digital Pitch

Building a personal brand has historically been dominated by celebrities and professional athletes, so what's the value in putting energy in "little ol' me's brand"?  Think of it more like the digital-age version of the the elevator pitch.  It's answering the question "tell me about yourself" but without saying a word.

Harvard Business School has a site dedicated to the Art of Pitchcraft.


Give 'em your best pitch!

"Whether you are trying to raise capital, promote your company, or promote yourself, it's essential to have an elevator pitch.  You need to communicate your main message quickly, clearly, and distinctly to someone who doesn't even know you... a good pitch takes planning and practice to deliver..."

But with the accessibility of social media, who rarely doesn't know somebody?  Admit it- you've Facebook stalked, I mean who hasn't?! The first thing my boss does before an interview is look them up on Facebook or LinkedIn.  You can have it set to strict privacy but with all the content means and changing policies, there's bound to have that one embarassing photo slip through.  And face it Human Resources have accessibility to "special" tools readily available to view so-called "private" content. 

Regardless if you are trying to advance your career or you're looking for a job, you should be presenting yourself, talents, and interests with your best cyber-foot forward.  Social Media is now your digital portfolio- professionally and personally.  This doesn't mean you have to untag every photo from a fun Friday night with a drink in hand (depending on your line of business), but you should  think twice about any tags or posts of potential controversy- an overboard night, political views, religious views, etc.

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Why Marketing RxD?

To kick off my blogging debut, I thought it would be a good starting point to share The Why?  You can also find this on my permanent page.

"If you had an opportunity to present to a room of executives and influential people what would you be able to give a captivating speech about for 30 minutes without hesitation?" 

A friend of mine recently asked me this question and I really couldn't profoundly answer it.  What am I truly passionate about and why?  I couldn't think of 1 particular item that defined who I am.  My career doesn’t define me, my activities don’t define me, where I live doesn’t define me.  But what does?  Your reputation is your personal brand, as stated in a presentation by WISE (Women in Sports and Events).  “In the digital age, like it or not, your brand (or lack of brand) can have a profound impact on your success.”

Fast foward several months later, the Senior Vice President of Global Marketing and Brand Development at Oakley called me into his office.  "You're known as the CrossFit girl I hear, tell me what you know about it."   Without hesitating I began with the history of CrossFit- starting dates, growth, reach, etc. backed by hard numbers and statistics.  The conversation continued into CrossFit HQ's relationship with Reebok and a discussion of other brands in the CF space.  I spoke of some of the top CrossFitters in the world, their social following, and those who are already wearing Oakley sunglasses.  He asked if Oakley had a place in this market- absolutely!  I gave my thoughts on the opportunity and the products that would work and what wouldn't.  Before I knew it, I captivatingly held his attention for 40+ minutes. 

Fast foward again to 2 weeks later, Oakley signs Rich Froning, 2-time Champion of The CrossFit Games and one of the most well-known athletes in the sport with an impressive social following.

My reputation as that fitness freak in the office preceded me and propelled me to discover my passion: that thing I could speak on and on about for hours not just 30 minutes.  That is combination of Sport and Brand Development- developing athletes, products, services to become more marketable leading to greater success.

 

 

Here is an article on the 10 Mechanics of Personal Branding

What do you think?  Worth it?