Creating YOUR Journalism Brand

Staci Baird aka @girljournalist

Workshop AgendaWhat the heck is branding?Getting startedBrand you exercise Writing your bioPromoting yourself (even when you aren’t job hunting), toolsa. LinkedInb. Twitterc. Facebookd. Pintereste. Scribd, Slideshare, etc.Hot jobs today (and for the future), what skills do you need to demonstrate?Q&AFeedback/evaluations

Products are created in the factory.

Brands are created in the mind.

Walter Landor, founder, Landor Associates

What the heck is branding?

It's all about...

Perception

Your personal brand is...

Is your identity.Differentiation is imperative!

The best brand identities are

● Memorable● Authentic● Meaningful● Differentiated● Sustainable● Flexible

Designing Brand Identity, Alina Wheeler

What to ask

● Who am I?● Who needs to know?● Why do they need to know?● How will they find out about me?● How do I want them to respond?

David Folkenflik, NPR

Traditional journalistEmbraced social media

"organizations need to allow journalist to have an authentic voice on social media, but individual journalist also need to take responsibility for what they say publicly."

Branded journalists battle newsroom regulations, Poynter

John Berman, CNN

Check out my list of journalists on Twitter:https://twitter.com/i/#!/girljournalist/journalists/members

Brand YOU exerciseHandout - Circle the words that describe you.

Adapted from How to Describe Yourself - Words for Positive & Effective Qualities: http://susana-s.hubpages.com/hub/how-to-describe-yourself

Brand YOU exercise

Write 2-3 sentences summarizing who you are.Make the sentences into headlines.

Example: Expert in content management & strategyCross-platform zealotAvid user and champion of social media

Brand YOU exercise

What's your call to action?

Examples:Available for workshops, public speaking and consulting.

Email me staci@girljournalist.com

Follow me on Twitter @girljournalist

Now what?

● Keep a list of the words you feel describe you and/or your work.

● Put the keywords into sentences.● After every sentence, provide 1-2 examples

from past work/personal experiences. The examples should demonstrate how you exemplify the keyword.

● Leverage these keywords and sentences into cover letters, e-mails, resumes, etc.

You need at least 2 bios

1. Short2. Medium

Short bio

Good for● Twitter● Facebook● Blog● E-mail signature

Short bio example

I live in San Francisco with my husband and our dog Cody aka "Monster." I'm the Internet and Social Media Strategist for the Stanford University School of Engineering and a media consultant. My hubby is an instrument-rated private pilot and a software engineer. He works for ForeFlight. Dog is currently unemployed.

313 characters

Medium bio

Good for● LinkedIn● Blog● Speaking engagements● E-mail introductions

Medium bio example

Your photo

● Don't leave it out.● Be professional.● Make it a headshot. (No full body shots!)● If your look changes, update your photo.

Keep it simple & authentic

Tips

Think before you Tweet.● What would grandma say? ● What would your current/future boss think?Have something to say.● Know everything there is to know about your

industry.● Stand for something.Let your actions speak louder than words.

Being aware of your own brand–what you have to offer & your value to others–is vitally important to keep ahead of the game.” ~David Royston-Lee, Brand You

Where do I need to be?

Depends on:● Your skills/career path● Your target audience● Your current goal

ButEveryone should be on LinkedIn.

source: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/the-growth-of-social-media-an-infographic/32788

24/7, 365

Promote yourself, even when you're not job hunting.● LinkedIn (not optional)

● Twitter● Facebook● Pinterest● YouTube● Scribd

● Slideshare● Your own blog (portfolio)

Examples

Roman Mars - 99% Invisible (Tumblr)http://99percentinvisible.org/

Nina Frazier (Pinterest)http://pinterest.com/9millinina/

Barney Stinson (video)http://barneysvideoresume.com/

Hot jobs for the future (now)

● Community Manager● Data Editor● Social Strategist● Web Savvy Photojournalist● Multimedia Designer● Online Producer

Editors must understand social media and know how to curator content.

What skills do you need?

● Google skills● Adaptability● Willingness Desire to learn● Relationship skills● Organizational comm skills (virtual teams)

Resources

http://deniseleeyohn.com/bites/2011/09/06/lessons-from-lady-gaga/

http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/digital-strategies/163019/branded-journalists-battle-newsroom-regulations/

http://girljournalist.com/how-to-createreviseupdate-your-personal-brand