You know by now that you are an authority and you know that you need others to recognize your authority. Now we need to give just a little nudge to the influencers (those people who hold a lot of influence over the masses in your field), so that they will not only recognize your expertise, but begin to associate your field with your name.

Let’s say you are an expert in mountain biking. No, you didn’t take courses in biking, and you never owned a bicycle factory. You simply have been an avid mountain biker over the last 10 years, and that experience has led you to an understanding of the sport that enables you to be considered an expert. You know much about… Continue reading

Posted on May 9th, 2008 by DazzlinDonna
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We’ve already established that you are, indeed, an authority in something. and by being an authority in that field (whatever that something is), you can help others seeking knowledge or products for that field. However, the fact that I know you are an authority, and you know you are an authority, isn’t quite enough in most cases. You generally need to convince others that you are an authority, so that they then have a compelling reason for listening to what you have to say.

The process of convincing others is vast, and we briefly touched upon a few ways to begin that process in yesterday’s post. As a recap: Write articles, answer questions, and help others. Those are all really strong ways to get the… Continue reading

Posted on May 8th, 2008 by DazzlinDonna
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There are many definitions for the word “authority”, but the definition we’re going to discuss in this post is this one from dictionary.com.

an expert on a subject: He is an authority on baseball.

Every person is an authority on any number of things. I truly believe that. You may say, “No, I’m not an expert on anything”, but I bet within 15 minutes of having a conversation with you, I could get you to think of at least 5 things that you could be considered an “expert” or “authority” on. Maybe it’s something really small and minor - maybe you are an expert at dealing with bugs in your garden, for example. You may think you couldn’t possibly be considered an expert because you didn’t… Continue reading

Posted on May 7th, 2008 by DazzlinDonna
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The next issue of Personal Branding Magazine is set to be released on May 1st, but you can download a free sample copy early (starting today) if you want. The focus for this issue is on the future of recruiting and jobs. The 9-page sample issue has 5 articles and is a great read. The full issue will have 25 articles including an exclusive and in-depth interview with Robert McGovern, founder of Jobfox.com and Careerbuilder.com. It also includes interviews with Indeed founder Paul Forster and well-known bloggers, such as Joel Cheesman.

Publishers Note: Volume 1 Issue 4 ends the first full volume of Personal Branding Magazine. As personal branding becomes the differentiator… Continue reading

Posted on April 21st, 2008 by DazzlinDonna
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You know the old saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words”. There’s a lot of truth in that, and in the web 2.0 world in which we live and run our eBusinesses, that takes on new meanings. One of those new meanings can be applied to avatars. How many times have you become familiar with an online persona and could immediately recognize them on any site when they used the same avatar? We all do it. The photo or graphic representation of someone online, via an avatar, is a very powerful form of personal branding.

Choose your avatar wisely, and once chosen, use it on all sites that allow avatars. This spreads your brand across the web, and enables others to get to know… Continue reading

Posted on March 20th, 2008 by DazzlinDonna
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from jiparker

Every day this week, I’ll be posting based upon a random Flickr image that inspires me. Here’s one now.

I love this Flickr photo. I recognize myself in that little girl, as I might have been 40 or so years ago. I hated girly-girl stuff, and when Mom would try to dress me up in fru-fru little dresses, like the one this little girl is obviously being forced to wear, I would make a similarly frustrated face. Red velveteen, ruffly dresses aren’t me, and it would be a disaster in the making if I attempted to pretend otherwise.

That same concept applies to establishing your presence on the web, especially if you are blogging, or presenting some sort of personal point of view… Continue reading

Posted on February 26th, 2008 by DazzlinDonna
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Some of you may know that I’m one of the staff columnists for Personal Branding Magazine. The newest issue is just around the corner (February 1st), but you can download a free sample of it today. Even the free sample issue is jam-packed with goodies. Here’s some of what it includes:

Cover Story: Your Brand Can’t Hide From Google

Articles:
The Web Of Influence Between SEO & Personal Branding (hint: this is my article)

What a Grumpy, No B.S., Direct Marketing Icon Can teach You About Influence…

Portions of Interviews With:
Om Malik, Founder, GigaOm.com
Matt Mullenweg, Founder, Wordpress
Gina Bianchini, Co-Founder/CEO, Ning
Mark Frauenfelder, Co-Founder, Boing Boing
Gina Trapani, Founder, Lifehacker
David Weekly, CEO, PBwiki.com

This is a don’t miss… Continue reading

Posted on January 28th, 2008 by DazzlinDonna
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Although I’ll be commenting here about personal branding from time to time, there’s a place you can get lots of information about that subject from a whole host of experts. Personal Branding Magazine publishes quarterly, and puts out some really great articles from some very fine authors. (Disclosure note: I’m one of the authors, but I was praising the others, and not myself). So, I thought it appropriate to let you know that the next issue is coming out soon (November 1st), and I think it’s going to be a really great one. Below is a graphic of the cover, but there’s lots more included in the issue than just what you see on the cover. In fact, there are 37 or 38… Continue reading

Posted on October 25th, 2007 by DazzlinDonna
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An author bio is a short, descriptive paragraph about you and your expertise. Generally, anyone who submits articles to article directories will be given the option to include two or three sentences about themselves at the end of the article. An example would be:

Jane Doe, a graduate of Harvard Business University, is the founder and CEO of Acme Corp., a worldwide business and technology consulting firm. Jane shares her expertise in business management and technology at her technoblog, www.janescooltechnoblog.com.

Writing an author bio about yourself is one of the hardest things we ever do! Despite the fact that it’s just a few words, it’s very difficult to objectively describes ourselves and our talents in the third person. But as with so many of the exercises… Continue reading

Posted on September 29th, 2007 by DazzlinDonna
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Let’s start with what a tagline is. A tagline is a short phrase that sums up the tone or topic of your site or blog. Emerging from the cocoon to break free… is the short phrase within the logo of this blog. It sums up both the logo design as well as the point I’m often trying to make in my posts. My goal is to help others break out of their cocoon (that 9-5 office cubicle), and find the freedom to make a living from their home (in their pajamas). My tagline reinforces my blog’s message.

Do you have a tagline? Does it reinforce or sum up the message you are trying to deliver? Does it reflect the tone of your site or… Continue reading

Posted on September 28th, 2007 by DazzlinDonna
Filed under: Branding | 2 Comments »