Personal Branding the Concert Pianist Way
March 9, 2010
This blog first appeared in Recessionwire 
Most of us have heard so often that it’s important to have a personal brand that we’re sick of it. The overuse of the term is beginning to devalue it. I’m not a box of cereal; I’m a human being, you might say.
That is true. And it is increasingly difficult to find a differentiator as the competition for jobs and consulting assignments is so fierce. Maybe it’s because we’re looking at ourselves as a business. We’re using dull and dry terms to describe ourselves: team player, proven track record, top producer. They don’t exactly leap out and grab someone by the throat. Read more
Should Google Tamper With its Brand for the Olympics?
February 18, 2010
Have you noticed – how could you miss it – that the familiar Google logo is nowhere to be seen on the search engine’s landing page? Instead, a soft green Google logo, with a sports figure matching the day’s events at the Winter Olympics, has replaced the colorful one that about a billion searchers see each day.
If you’re a sports fan, you may love it. But a lot of people actually hate it (OK, maybe my friend is not representative of the universe). They want the familiar Google. And, remember, not everyone is a sports fan.
But there is a larger issue here: should a company tamper with its brand identity when it is the category leader? Read more
Annual Report Time: Don’t Forget Your Employees in Communication With Shareholders
February 3, 2010
Well, PR Departments in public companies are surely beginning work on their annual reports. They can smell spring in the air – when these symbols of capitalism come rolling off the presses once more. In a reprise of my past admonitions, with a few additions, I implore writers and designers to keep a few things in mind. Read more
If it Walks Like a Duck, etc., is it a Duck? Not According to Samsung
January 30, 2010
I thought the 25” HDTV I recently bought was a TV. How silly of me. Just because a TV behaves like a TV does not make it a TV, according to Samsung, the manufacturer. Hmmm. Read more
How to Get Ahead With a Powerful Personal Brand
January 28, 2010
This article first appeared under the byline of Jeannette Paladino in “Primer ” Magazine, published weekly online for post-college guys interested in personal improvement and career development.
Personal branding is essential, whether you are just starting out in your first job, or moving up a rung on the career ladder. It’s something you need to work on so when you ask yourself the question, “Who am I?” you’ll know the answer and be able to communicate it clearly and concisely. Read more
Sherrie’s Blue Emails: What I Learned From My Bridge Director’s Consistent Email Communication
November 24, 2009
Just like clockwork, I received my twice-weekly email from Sherry, one of the bridge directors and instructors from my local duplicate club where I play. For more than six months, since I returned to playing duplicate bridge, I have been receiving these reminders about the Tuesday and Thursday morning games. “Are you playing tomorrow morning?” she’ll ask. Read on and you’ll understand what I’ve learned about business communication from Sherry. Read more
Why is Coke, the #1 Brand in Economic Value, Only #12 in Mentions Online?
November 2, 2009
You’d think that Coca-Cola, long #1 on Interbrand’s “Best Global Brands List,” would achieve the same prominence on the Internet. But, no, Coke only ranks 12th based on number of mentions online in 2009, according to an analysis by Sysmos , a company that provides business intelligence on social media. Read more
Turning Restless GenX and GenY Professionals Into Your Brand Ambassadors
October 22, 2009
Young GenX and GenY professionals have a different mindset about work. Baby Boomers worked long hours to reach the pinnacle of their careers. Their parents were products of the conservative 50s. Their grandparents were depression-era babies with the narrow goal of making do. So what do today’s young people want? Read more
Harvard Gets an “F” for an Elevator Speech
September 28, 2009
Even Harvard is teaching people how to develop a one-minute elevator speech. But I wouldn’t suggest you try the HBS Elevator Pitch Builder . As various words whiz by on the screen, you’re instructed to click on the ones that would help describe you. I could barely keep up, much less give any serious thought to how I wanted to position myself. Read more
Employee Communications: Internal Branding = External Success
August 31, 2009
It’s a simple equation. Internal Branding = External Success. Employee communications programs should embody the brand and foster a culture of communication that rallies employees around the mission and business goals of the company. Yet many organizations neglect internal communication. With an economy in the tank, some companies feel that employees should be happy to have a job. But when things are bad, employees need to be hearing frequently about the true state of the company, what management is doing about it, what it means for the individual employee. Read more