This document outlines an agenda for a seminar on personal branding and networking. The seminar will cover defining personal brands, crafting brands, utilizing social media and visual resumes, and networking effectively. Participants will do exercises to identify their personal brands and develop elevator speeches. Ground rules are established, and introductions will be made. The seminar aims to help participants promote themselves, differentiate from competitors, and lock in jobs through strong personal branding and networking.

1. Seminar Series: Networking/Personal
Branding

2. Getting Of The Wall

3. WHAT IS YOUR BRAND?

4. Agenda
 Introductions
 Personal Branding – The Red Resume
 Break
 Networking – Locking The Job
 Roundup
 Upcoming Events

5. Ground Rules
 Participation is required.
 Lean into discomfort and speak your mind.
 Respect each other and assume positive intent.
 WHAT ELSE?

6. Tell Us About You
INTRODUCTIONS

7. Locking the Job
The Technology of Shifting Your
Personal Brand
 WHAT is your Brand?
 Why is it so important?
 WHERE is it utilized?
 WHEN is it utilized?
 WHO should have a brand?
 HOW do you go about crafting a brand?

8. Personal Brand
What questions would you like to see
answered during this session about
your Brand?

9. Personal Brand

10. Your Personal Brand

11. WHAT IS 3FE?
The application of Critical Thinking!
3FE
Find : State the issue, problem, or opportunity
Focus : Write down the facts 5WH
establish the Fundamentals : Possible Solutions
Execute : Run and Gun it! Follow the plan!

12. Exercise
What is your brand?
• Take a moment to think about yourself. Look in that mental
mirror that is your truestself and write down what you think is
your best attribute outside the work place.
• Then, write down the attribute that you DO think best describes
what kind of person you are on the job. What makes you so
valuable to the company?
• Take a moment to think about what you’re written down. Do you
feel it is truly accurate? Does it represent your best self? Keep
these descriptions. We will use them later.

13. Personal Brand
is about doing what is necessary to lock in YOUR
job in a highly competitive post recessionary economy. Whether your
position is in high demand, or in no demand, and no one is looking for
what you have to offer. You must Make YOU indispensible.
Re-imagine your BRAND!
Differentiate yourself in order to beat the
competition.

14. The Red Resume
Build your network, leverage your
network, create an
The
resume treatment is a 3FE
Lock The Job approach that deviates
from the norm and differentiates you
so that you stand out in a positive
manner, elevating the information
presented.

15. Personal Brand
Create your
http://www.meetdsbrown.com

16. Personal Brand
Social media, what’s relevant, what you need, and what
to avoid.
Leverage

17. Visual Resume

18. The Ultimate Red Treatment

19. Build Your Brand
Start building your brand! But know that the total package is more then the
resume, more than the website. The brand is also the image you portray
when people meet you. Are you a cardboard cutout, or are you an

20. Break

21. Networking
What questions on networking would
you like to have answered during this
session?

22. Demonstration
The MOMENT
Networking in Action
• We need two volunteers.
• Pretend that you are at a function.
• Introduce yourselves.
• Exchange information that you might find important to the other
person. Try to turn the exchange into an opportunity.

23. Networking
 WHAT is Networking?
 WHENis it important
 WHERE is networking done?
 WHY is it so important?
 WHO is it important to?
 HOW should it be done?

24. Networking
Recreate YOU for impact. Your look! Your mannerisms! The way you
speak! Maximize how you engage the world, and control how they see
you!
You are more than your resume. YOU ARE AN EXPERIENCE!!!
What is your elevator speech? What is your anti-elevator speech?
Be about Critical thinking in the midst of doing, imitation, acting, flattery,
realism, and reading – all this applies to guaranteeing a job, and more
importantly keeping it!
The Power Move – Bring it all together to blow them away at job fairs, in
interviews, wherever they may be. LOCK THE JOB!

25. Exercise
The Elevator Speech
• Go back and re-read your brand statements.
• Write down 3 things that make you special, 3 statements
that you would say about yourself upon meeting
someone.
• The elevator speech is your seconds long commercial to
let someone know who you are and what you do, and why
you do it so well.

26. Networking
GET OFF THE WALL!
GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE!
NETWORKING CAN MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE!
Like Nike says, “Just do it.” That’s right, tell yourself that meeting
new contacts is necessary in order to shorten your job search.
Think of what it really is, connecting with people who are at a
networking event to help each other in the hopes of developing
relationships. The emphasis is on getting to know each other and not
entirely on creating business or gathering leads. You’ll meet again.

27. Exercise
The Anti-Elevator Speech
• What AMAZING thing do you do?
• How would you introduce that amazing thing in
conversation?
• The anti-elevator speech starts with a hook, or a short
statement that attracts attention:
When someone asks, “What do you do for a living?”
You reply “You dream it up,I make it happen.”

28. Networking
Set a goal of how many people you’ll talk with. If you’re an
extrovert, you may prefer to work the room—the more the better.
Introverts prefer fewer but deeper conversations, so set a goal of
meeting two or three quality contacts.
Get emotionally prepared by choosing a nice outfit to wear, but
nothing too fancy. The ones who have been attending for a while are
usually nicely dressed. Don’t wear a suit to an event if it’s not called for.
On the other hand don’t go under dressed. Critical thinking required.
Know the audience, and no matter how it goes down, remain
CONFIDENT!

29. Networking
Have your personal business cards ready. Some people say there’s
nothing more embarrassing than being asked for your card and not
having one. However, if you don’t have a card CONFIDENCE can carry
the day. Trade info on your smarthphone, or confidently be gauche and
write their information down on a piece of paper. Let your conversation
close the deal and make the card insignificant.
Approach people who are standing alone. They’re waiting for
someone like you to start the conversation. They’re out of their comfort
zone too, so you can feel good about helping someone get acclimated.
Have no fear of how he/she looks. Remember, stars are up in the sky.
People are here on Earth, and we all do some of the same things.

30. Networking
Speaking of conversation, you should have your talking points ready.
Current events are fine as long as you stay away from religion and
politics. No sense in starting an argument. If conversation isn’t going
well, break away very politely. No hard feelings.
Don’t come on too strong. I still remember a public relations
coordinator who approached me at a trade show, hand
outstretched, and launched into his memorized 30-second commercial.
He sounded stiff an unnatural.
You’ll need an elevator speech, but ease into it with a little small
talk, or wait until you’re asked about yourself.

31. Networking
Listen to others. This will help you get outside your comfort zone
because it will allow you time to think about what you want to say–
especially helpful for those who dislike making small talk.
Take a breather if you need to. Walk outside and take in some fresh
air. Just remember to return.
Once you’ve accomplished getting outside your comfort zone and feel
great about “Just doing it,” you will need to follow-up with the people
you met. Take the attitude that if you don’t initiate the follow-up it won’t
happen, even if this means getting outside your comfort zone.

32. Exercise
Practice Makes Perfect
• Let’s make this as realistic as possible.
• Get up from your seats and actually network.
• For the next few minutes take the time to learn about 3
people in the room.
• Work the room. Express yourself.

33. Networking
Are you Ready?

34. Citations
The Anti-Elevator Speech
Cliff Suttle
http://bit.ly/LmccaC
Networking
Things Career Related
Bob Mcintosh
http://bit.ly/1fxarmE

35. Works by D.S. Brown
Critical Success The 2 Rules of 3
http://amzn.to/1nBia77
An Educational Primer For the Majority
Student
http://amzn.to/1ktHx8m

36. VOLUNTEER WITH BDPA TODAY!
BE IN THE BLUE!

37. Meetups
More Monthly Meetups
Relax, Relate, Release
37

38. FEBRUARY MONTHLY MEETING
The Business of Being Professional
You are more than your resume!
Your Professional Brand As Your Image
February 19th
Macy’s Systems & Technology
38

39. Technological Superiority Themes
39

40. Strategic Partnerships
Join us Thursday February 20th
and discover Wearable
Technology
40

41. The Next Saturday Seminar
How To Win Over Your Boss
Be on the lookout for the date
41

42. 2014 Growing Atlanta BDPA