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 The evening began with a mixer, including hor d'oeuvres in the lobby
area of Restoration Hall at Lincoln Christian University. The group
then moved into the Dowling Auditorium where Byrd gave a spirited
presentation.
Byrd’s presentation entitled "The ABC’s of Personal Branding" began
with a discussion of who the people in the audience knew that had
made a particular impression on them. She explained the person
should be someone they consider to be distinct, or someone they are
drawn to, then say why. Each person was asked to write down that
name, then Byrd called on a few of the respondents asking them to
talk about the person they had chosen and explain what makes the
chosen person special.
She then went into a discussion on the difference between brand
identity and brand personality. She explained her concept saying
that developing a personal brand included the ABC’s -- being
authentic, being believable and being compelling. Once achieved,
these ABC’s would make one distinct, which is what is wanted.
In her slideshow, she offered a definition of personal branding.
“Successful personal branding is about defining and demonstrating
who you are; what you stand for; and why people should care to know
you, choose you, or follow you.”
She said each person should ask themselves the following questions:
Who are you/what do you stand for?
Why do people seek you out?
Why are clients (or followers) loyal to you?
How do people describe you?
Why should someone hire you?
She concluded, “If you don’t answer these questions someone else
will.”
Byrd went on to say every person has a unique value. That value may
be made up of competencies, personality, appearance, and
differentiation. She said she would focus on differentiation, are
you distinct?
She said looking at branding, brand identity is a measurement of
tangible and intangible elements that make a business. Brand
personality is the emotional dimension that gives life to the
branding message.
Using herself as an example, she said that in her career, she was
known as an intelligent, informative instructor, but the impression
she was leaving with people was not necessarily good. She said she
was considered to be stiff, without much personality, and not
necessarily interesting as a person.
She said most comments she heard about herself were “professional,
knowledgeable.” It was not a bad thing, but it did not make her
memorable.
She said to be distinct, one needed to identify within themselves
the things that do make them unique. She said these would be
qualities that evoke an emotion within other people. Using Paul
McCarthy as an example, she asked what made him stand out from other
musicians. In general, the answer was his look. He left an
impression on his audience with the physical component.
In her next example, she asked what made an expensive sports car
more attractive than a mini-van, and the answer was, it’s based on
how the car makes you feel.
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Byrd explained that both the singer and the car are capable of
delivering what is expected, but what makes the two standout, is how
they deliver. To create a personal brand, one needs to be personable
and creative, and be conscious of how he or she present themselves.
She noted that there is also a need for consistency in personality.
She said that people often send mixed messages about who they are.
Inconsistent behavior she said sends mixed messages that ultimately
cause distrust.
She cited as an example the Wizard of Oz, who delivered one message
when behind the curtain and another when he met Dorothy face to
face. In the scenario, Dorothy said he was a bad person, and he
responded that he was not a bad person, he was just a bad wizard.
Ultimately the Wizard was sending a mixed signal that caused him to
be disliked by Dorothy.
Byrd also pointed out that many times the opinion one has of him or
herself is not the same as the public opinion. She said that it is
important to discover what kind of impression one is making and the
best way to do that is to ask.
In the example using herself, people considered her to be
knowledgeable, professional, and in many cases intimidating. She
said she had to look at herself and the message she was sending out.
She thought she was fun and energetic, but others didn’t see that,
so she had to make changes.
In the end, she changed her hair; she changed the way she dressed,
and she changed the way she presented herself to the public. She
became more light-hearted and humorous, and more entertaining in the
way she speaks and presents.
When she made herself over, and created her personal brand her
business tripled.
At the end of her presentation, Byrd used a quote from Mahatma
Gandhi – “Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become
your words. Keep your words positive, because your words become your
behavior. Keep your behavior positive, because your behavior becomes
your habits. Keep your habits positive, because your habits become
your values. Keep your values positive, because your values become
your destiny.”
Following the presentation, guests returned to the lobby of
Restoration Hall for a sweet snack and visited with local businesses
that had set up tables related to the topic. Those who setup
displays included Michael Gowin of Gowin Photography, Blades Hair
and Nail Salon, Lincoln College and Lincoln Christian University.
[Nila Smith] |
