BernieBorges.com Blog: Social Media and Web Marketing

3 Words To Guide Your 2011

I’m borrowing a new year’s planning tip from Chris Brogan to share with you. He chooses 3 words around which he plans out his year. Here are 3 guiding words I offer for consideration for 3 audiences:

Marketers (in non-profits and for-profits)
Business Development Professionals
Job Seekers

Whichever group you fall into, the common elements are compelling enough to consider these 3 words to guide your 2011.

Leverage
If you find yourself pushing a rock up a hill in any aspect of your professional life you’re probably not using enough leverage. We all have access to resources we can leverage. Decades ago the public library was a resource to leverage (it still is). Now, we have access to the world’s information and content in our palms and desktop. If you’re not leveraging access to information through technology tools, you’re working harder than you need to.  While your tools of choice may vary, some staples include a smart phone, at least a half dozen online news sites and blogs of choice according to your industry, and social networking tools such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. If you’re yawning at this suggestion I ask you how are you leveraging these tools to reach your goals in 2011? Do you have subscriptions to online resources that make you smarter everyday? Do you connect with others through these tools to build your network? And, how are you leveraging your network? Don’t be selfish with your network, but if you are a resource to your network, your network will be a valuable resource to you when you need it. Leverage it.

Brand
First, let’s identify the 3 levels of branding. You are a brand. Your business or employer is a brand (and its products). And, the industry in which you work is also a brand. The role of branding has evolved much in the past decade. I argue the biggest evolution has become the importance of the personal brand (that’s you). A brand is a promise to its audience. What is your promise? How do you deliver on that promise? Are you loyal to your personal brand? Are you consistent in your personal brand?  What are you doing in 2011 to fulfill the promise of your brand?

Communicate
In college I was taught that “communication is the most complex thing we do in our lives.” I believe this is an understatement! If you leverage the tools available to you and you focus on building your personal brand, you must communicate effectively to enjoy any level of success. Communication takes place at 3 levels. There’s one-on-one verbal communication with friends, family and co-workers. There’s one-to-many communication through content such as a blog post, newsletters, white papers, presentations, video, podcasts, e-book, etc. And, there’s non-verbal communication in the physical presence of others. The way you communicate, the consistency of your communication and the quality of your communication can provide leverage in building your personal brand.

Whether you’re a marketer, a business development professional or a job seeker, these 3 words can provide simple guidance in 2011 as you execute your goals.

What 3 words do you choose to guide your 2011? Share them in the comments below.

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