What Taylor Swift can teach you about building your personal brand

"I can see you, all the way in the back."

That is something Taylor Swift - the multi-million dollar singer/songwriter -  frequently says at  the beginning of her concerts.                

The first time I saw her in concert I was one of those people sitting way up in the back. And when she said that, I sat up a little straighter. I smiled a little brighter. All of a sudden, I wasn't just some spec in a big stadium. 

Of course, in reality, I was. But that didn't matter; she makes people feel as if she is performing for just for them, no matter where they are sitting. 

I saw her for the second time last month in Orlando, FL. This time I was surprised by the opportunity to buy tickets on the floor, in the pit (from signing up on her website a year before). This time, she actually looked at me as we high-fived. 

Both concerts left me with a feeling of happiness, and the feeling that I was actually important to this mega star. I'm not, of course - but again, that doesn't actually matter.

What matters is she made me, and every single person in that 16,000+ stadium, feel that way. 

Making people feel important is the most vital thing you can do in your quest to do something awesome with your life. In my opinion, no musician does this better than Taylor Swift.

(note: The best book on how to make people feel important is the classic How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.) 

But personal branding isn't just for superstars. Having a successful personal brand is the only kind of job security there will be in this new economy.

(note: for more on how to build your personal brand check out the upcoming free ebook How to Get a Job Without a Resume.)

Taylor Swift's career provides a perfect example of three things you can do to develop a personal brand that stands out, helps you reach your career dreams, draws incredible opportunities to you, makes people love you, and maybe...just maybe...fills stadiums. ;)

1) Be vulnerable
Taylor Swift says her songs are her diary. 

Her ability to be vulnerable and put her feelings into words is what makes her such a tremendous song writer who's captured the interest of millions.

The simplicity and honesty are what her fans love, and her lines strike a deep chord with those who love her music: like "We're happy free confused and lonely at the same time/ It's miserable and magical" or "You called me up again just to break me like a promise/ so casually cruel in the name of being honest." 

Both of these lines were written based on Taylor Swift's life. Yet each one makes me think of a specific moment in my life. These lines bring out a million different moments and memories for every listener.  

You also have a life people can relate to. The feelings, experiences, and stories you've lived resonate with people more than you know. 

Yet despite our hyper-over-sharing world of social media, we rarely share our actual feelings. 

When you do, people listen. People perk up. They look for similarities. And more often that not, they'll find them. 

The human experience is shockingly connected. We understand emotion and we are grateful when other people make sense of what feels like a confusing and lonely experience in our own mind.

How can you be more vulnerable in creating your personal brand? 

I'm not talking about crying in an interview or anything, but as you think about what you want to do with your life, consider your background, your strengths, and your experiences. 

How can you share them in a way that people will relate? What have you learned in your life so far that you can share to help other people who have experienced the same thing?

2) Appreciate your band

You can't go to a Taylor Swift concert without noticing the band, the dancers, and the back-up singers.

They make up one of the most incredible stage shows I've ever seen. Taylor interacts with them throughout the show and makes sure to thank and honor them.

In almost every interview I've seen or read about her she mentions her, band. And when you watch them during the show, it's easy to see why - they're ridiculously talented.

Who is your 'band' when it comes to your personal brand? The advisors, mentors, and partners you seek out to learn from and grow with you. No one succeeds alone. Taylor Swift seems to get this. 

Do you have a team of people dancing with you, singing with you, and helping you achieve your dreams? 

You'd be surprised at how much people will be honored and overjoyed to do this for you. How do you do it? Make them feel important. Ask them for their help. And appreciate them constantly.

3) Live it every time
Taylor Swift and her team perform the same show, night after night, for almost a year. 

But I can guarantee that if you ever see a show you won't feel like you're watching a puppet going through the motions - you'll feel like these people are doing this show for the first time, just for you. 

How does she do this? While I can't say for sure since I've never talked to her, my guess (derived from seeing the show twice and from my own performance experience as a speaker) is that she lives it every time.

When I speak to colleges, I always share the moment when I fell to my knees and sobbed when I found out I won the $110,000 Jack Kent Cooke scholarship. I swear even as I typed that my eyes just watered, as they do every time I give the speech, without fail. 

Do I do it for dramatic effect? Well, yes. But not by forcing myself to cry. I do it by sharing and reliving the moment: I imagine myself as that young girl in community college, without a lot hope, without a lot of belief that she could really do anything she wanted with her life, and it makes me cry every time. It was one of the most significant moments in my life. 

And I believe every time Taylor Swift stands on a stage and looks out into the crowd, she is living that moment. She is present. You just can't fake that. 

And people can feel it. 

People will be able to tell the same about you, too. While building your personal brand online is a big piece of the puzzle, your online presence will mean nothing if you can't translate it into your in-person interactions. 

When you're with people, soak up the moment. Keep your cell in your pocket. 

If you're ever giving a speech, relive the moments - see them, smell them, feel them.  

And finally, make the people in the back feel important. 

At many concerts, Taylor has her people seek out the most dedicated, dressed up fans who are sitting all the way in the back and invites them to a private backstage party where they get to meet and spend time with her. 

Does she have to do any of this to be a famous singer/songwriter? No. Many musicians don't bother. 

But she gets people; it's easy to tell she is genuinely a people-person, and I think it's one of the keys to her mega stardom. It's the key to yours too. 

The most important question you can answer when it comes to your personal brand is: How can you use your talents and aspirations to see people in the back, bring them into your story, and make them feel like your success is their success?

You will be amazed at how you will make them feel and what kind of impact you can make in your world. Your personal brand doesn't have to fill stadiums; it just has to make that one person in the back feel special. 

If you learn how to do that, it will feel like the stadiums are full, with people chanting your name, smiling to see you.

Can you be yourself on social media if employers are watching?

A student recently asked me the following question:

I wanted to ask you about incorporating personal branding with social media. I have ALWAYS used social media to vent - but if that makes you less favorable in the eyes of employers, it seems that there is no longer a medium in which we can post semi-inappropriate statuses, or share our actual thoughts in the moment, when Twitter/Facebook is being monitored by employers. What I'm really asking for is advice on finding that balance. How do you do it?

Here is what I said:

This is a GREAT question. Personal branding and your online persona go hand in hand, but you are right: it requires balance.

While it can be hard to figure out how to balance your personal and professional self on social media, the process is actually easier than you think. The key is to be intentional and thoughtful about why you have social media and the results you desire from your posts.

For example, ask yourself: is social media a way for you to A) connect with professionals, network, and find jobs, B) connect with friends, or C) both? 

A) Professionals: If you primarily desire for your social media to be professional, think of all your channels as a LinkedIn, and focus on adding value in your field and remaining positive and helpful. Notice the social media channels of the top professionals in your field and use them as role models. 

B) Friends: If social media is a way for you to vent and be your uninhibited self, you'll want to be very intentional about your privacy settings and who you allow to be your friend on Facebook or who you let follow you on Twitter. 

C) Both: For me, social media is both an important part of my job (I get most of my clients from it), and a vital part of my social life (I love my Facebook friends and Twitter peeps). Since that is the decision I've made, I'm very intentional about remaining positive, fun, and helpful. If I have a horrid day or need to vent, I do that with my close friends, in-person or in a direct message. You can also consider having two separate profiles, a private one just for friends and a public one for networking. 

Again, the key is being intentional. The worst mistakes people make with social media come when they don't think about it at all. Choose your number one social media priority, and then post accordingly. 

Have fun with it and be yourself, but remember to adjust depending on your desired audience, just as you do when you choose how to dress for an interview versus a party. 

Only you can decide your social media priorities, and once you decide, you'll be far ahead of the majority of people who don't even think about it.

How to create your personal brand Pt.2

Whether or not you are intentional about creating your personal brand, you have one. Deciding to be purposeful in creating your personal brand is just about controlling the message and thinking about how the things you do both online and offline affect your professional identity. 

As I talked about earlier this week, there are five top components that have helped me when it comes to personal branding: 

• Origin story (part 1)
• Core values
• Core skills
• Core community
• Defined contribution

Once you've figured out the key points to your origin story, it's time to think about your core values and core skills. Open up a word doc or grab a pen and write yours down (be sure to include your origin story points too); when this all comes together, you will be happy you did. 

Core values

Core values are the things that define your decisions. They are the concepts that, when defied, make you angry. For example, my top three core values are inclusivity, diversity, and sincerity. What are yours?  

There are lists online to get you thinking about your values. Think about what makes you angry and you will usually be able to find a core value. When it comes time to look for a job, you'll want to make sure it aligns with your core values or you could find yourself in a very unhappy place, conflicted with a company's core values. 

Core skills

What are the top three things you are really good at and really enjoy doing? What do people compliment you on? What do you feel like you do exceptionally well? These are your top skills, and writing them down and thinking about how they relate to all of the other elements of your personal brand will help narrow down your search for your future job. 

If you're having trouble you can also scan skill lists online to think about where you really shine.

We'll talk about your core community and defined contribution next week, and when it all comes together you will be on your way to controlling your brand message and being memorable in a way that wins you scholarships and jobs. Woo hoo! 

Personal branding can be a big topic with a lot of elements and great discussions, so if you have any questions about it please send them my way at isa@communitycollegesuccess.com or ask on the Facebook wall. 

Stay tuned and have a great weekend!

 

How to create your personal brand Pt.1

This week I am doing a workshop on personal branding at the Pearson Leadership Summit in New York and it inspired me to do a series on personal branding for you. 

Personal branding is is not a new concept, and there are a ton of great books out there. 

But I wanted to share with you my specific take and give you a template to help you to start to think about your personal brand.

In short, personal branding is vital in college and when it comes time for you to get that first job out of college. A personal brand will help you:

• Write winning scholarship essays
• Stand out when applying for scholarships and leadership positions in college
• Stand out when applying for jobs
• Network and build relationships with others more easily
• Narrow down your job search and career path
• Be memorable in interviews and ultimately get jobs

A personal brand is essentially a purposeful way of thinking about who you are and what you have to contribute. It is memorable. It stands out. It tells people who you are without you having to say it directly. And ultimately, your personal brand is defined by what you do (not your job necessarily, but your actions and involvement). 

The good news is that you are in control of your personal brand. You create it. Though that can sometimes be harder than it sounds. 

So this week I'm going to offer you up the template I created to start thinking about and building your personal brand. It includes your:

• Origin story
• Core values
• Core skills
• Core community
• Defined contribution

First off, think of your favorite brand. What is their story? How did the company start? What are the values they have that you identify with? What is unique about their product or service? Who is their primary customer? What do they add to your life? 

These are the questions you'll want to answer for every scholarship committee, job application, and interview. 

For part 1 of this series, I want you to think about your origin story. To start, write down the top 10 things that have happened in your life that you feel have really defined who you are today. 

Then, narrow that down to the top 5 that weave together to tell a story about what you do now and what you hope to do in your future. 

This is the key to writing scholarship essays. While you will rarely tell many personal stories in an interview, they are the bread and butter of winning scholarship money. And these key moments in your life may just shed a little light on your career search.

The question you will want to be able to answer in an interview however, is: "So tell me a little bit about yourself."

Having key moments, accomplishments, and stories that define who you are and relate to the theme of your personal brand will make you memorable. 

More on personal branding coming soon!