Tag: personal branding | Page 7

LinkedIn Changes, Part 2: Target Audiences

Tuesday, July 10th, 2012|

Along with being helpful for those seeking employment, LinkedIn can be an effective part of your company’s marketing, networking and recruiting plans. You may or may not be using LinkedIn to its greatest advantage and a recent addition to LinkedIn’s capabilities could help you do so.

Although you cannot have your Twitter posts automatically forward to your LinkedIn Profile any more, you can use your Company’s LinkedIn updates to become a better influencer in your industry and increase your clout—or even your Klout!

Target Your Audience

Whether you are posting links to your company’s blog (you have a company blog, right?) or open jobs, or even announcing awards and important events, you want those updates to get to the people who are genuinely interested in them. Now you can.

Under the Update box on your Company page, it says “Share With:” and gives you the options “All Followers” and “Targeted Audience.”

If you click on “Targeted Audience” and explore the information you find, you will discover which groups you can target. Each group needs to have a minimum of 100 members to qualify for a Targeted Audience post.

For example, Artisan Creative can send Targeted Updates to the Arts and Design, Marketing and Media and Communication industries, among other demographic groups. Isn’t that nice?

So if you are following Artisan Creative on LinkedIn and you start noticing that our updates are always relevant for you, we would be really happy to hear that.

We will keep up to date on the changes to the social media channels used by both job seekers and companies looking for talent so check back often to the Artisan Blog. Or even subscribe to our RSS Feed!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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2 LinkedIn Changes, Part 1: Twitter

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012|

LinkedIn can be an important element in a candidate’s job search or a company’s search for the perfect talent. But like other social media platforms, it changes frequently.

Last week we talked about Facebook’s email system and whether or not it was a good idea to use your Facebook messages or have them go to your email Inbox. This week the culprit is Twitter but it affects LinkedIn in a major way.

The folks at Twitter have decided to be more strict about third-party applications which send our Tweets to other platforms automatically. It’s understandable, of course, but it sure has been convenient.

What has changed?

Until late last week, you could set up your Twitter account to automatically forward your Tweets to your LinkedIn Updates. If most of your Tweets were business-related—or you have a business account and a personal account—this was a great time saver!

At this time, you can still forward your LinkedIn Updates to your Twitter Feed, but not the other way around. You can still post once and get it on both platforms, but you have to start from LinkedIn, not from Twitter.

Why did they do it?

It sounds like Twitter is getting a bit frustrated with everyone accessing their data streams from third-party applications and not having control over who sees their ads on the actual Twitter platform. I read today that 79 out of the Fortune 100 companies are using HootSuite to access and engage with Twitter—that’s a lot of influencers who are not seeing the actual Twitter site at all.

In the future, we wouldn’t be surprised (but we would be upset) if dashboard applications like HootSuite get cut off, leaving only the Twitter-owned Tweetdeck, but hope that it won’t be soon, if ever.

What is the bottom line?

If you want your Tweets to show up in your LinkedIn Updates, start from LinkedIn instead of Twitter and link your accounts in that direction. You can still use tools like HootSuite to schedule your LinkedIn updates and Tweets for future days and times.

I’m sure you join us in wishing we didn’t have to learn how to use social media over and over, but social media is still a new enough phenomenon that the platforms themselves haven’t worked out all the kinks. Check back to the Artisan Blog often and we will keep you up to speed!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Facebook, Email and Other Tweaks to Help Your Job Search

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012|

Did you know that 37% of employers are using social media to search for and research candidates? And 11% more are planning to start in the next year?

That is a whole lot of hiring managers that might come across you on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn and get in touch with you because you seem like you might be the perfect fit for their job opening.

How can you optimize your social media presence for your job search? Let’s start with Facebook!

Just yesterday, Facebook gave everyone an email address on their system and made it the only address visible on your Profile:

Go to your “About” link on your Timeline and Edit your Contact Info to have your regular email address show on the Timeline and the Facebook address hidden. This way, if you want someone to be able to contact you via email from your Facebook Timeline, it will end up in your Inbox, not in Facebook’s.

We have talked earlier on the Artisan Blog about being careful what you post to Facebook and also what level of access you should allow potential employers. Here are a few more tips:

Have a Facebook Page as well as a Profile. Use your Page as a place to put links to projects and things that are interesting to you as an entrepreneur. Put a link to your Page on your resume and your LinkedIn Profile.
Don’t post anything publicly to Facebook that it would be illegal for an interviewer to ask you about. Facebook lets you customize the audience for your updates so that even if you are friends with business contacts, you don’t have to show them your more personal posts. Use your Privacy Settings wisely.
If an interviewer asks for your Facebook Password, decline politely but firmly and, unless it’s your dream job, go on to your next interview. It is inappropriate to ask for your personal passwords for any social media platform.

Facebook’s settings change often—and just as often they don’t give anyone a head’s up. We here at Artisan will try to keep you up to date so check back for more help with social media and job search!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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LinkedIn Updated: Make it Work for You

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012|

When LinkedIn first made headlines, and indeed when I first started writing about it on the Artisan Blog, it was good for 3 major things:

• As a place to post your resume where it could be searched
• As a way to connect with people you know and the people they know
• As a place to boost your credibility in your field as a thought leader by participating in discussions

But LinkedIn is getting bigger and its usefulness is getting broader as well.

Telling a More Complete Story
With the addition of Volunteer Experience and Skills, you can show not only what you have done as an employee, but what you can do that you have learned outside of work, how you give back to the community and where your passions lie.

Searching
Job searches are great on LinkedIn. You can also find people who work at your target companies. LinkedIn searches are also excellent for finding people who work in the role you would like or who have other things in common with you (same school, same cities, same former companies, same volunteer organizations, etc). This gives you the opportunity to broaden your network beyond the people you know in real life.

Establishing Yourself in a New Role
If you are changing the focus of your career, LinkedIn can put you in touch with people in your new field and allow you to show your expertise and knowledge even before you land a job. Get yourself into groups and discussions in your new target area and let the people there know what you bring to the table.

The social media landscape changes almost every day, with new platforms, new profiles, and new ways of engaging. It’s hard to keep up with the changes sometimes, but well worth the effort.

Wendy Stackhouse for Artisan Creative

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Why Aren’t You Blogging Yet?

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012|

Pretty early in the life of this blog, I wrote a post on why you should be blogging.

Did you pay attention?

Did you start a blog? Did you ever write a second post?

Or a first?

Excuses, Excuses! Why not?

I don’t have anything to say
Actually, the bar here is pretty low. Do you talk? To anybody? About what’s going on? Anywhere? Excellent. Post.

Now, of course, we’re talking about a blog that has some value – to you and to your readers. Random thoughts won’t work forever, but I’m willing to bet that if you try this 2 or 3 or 4 times, you will start coming up with relevant ideas. And guess what? You can go back and get rid of the early stuff later!

Remember – you don’t have to write an essay. Think of your first few posts as updates, just like Facebook or even Twitter. A sentence or two, a paragraph. Put your toe in the water.

I’m not a writer
Believe me, most bloggers aren’t “writers” either. They’re not perfect and they’re not any better than you. They just post anyway. (Shh, they often don’t even proofread!)

A good way to get started is by doing some curated content. Find some articles that you think are interesting or relevant or well written and pick out your favorite quote. Explain why it’s your favorite and what drew you to the article. You look smart without doing much of your own writing!

Remember that you MUST (was that loud enough?) hyperlink to the original article in your post.

I don’t have time
Do you have time to update your Facebook status? You have time to blog.

Do you have time to Tweet? More than once a day? You have time to blog.

Guess what? You can use the content from your Facebook status or your Tweets to get your blog started. What are you writing about today? Make it a little longer and post it. See, you are a writer! That information was already out there in public, this is just another venue for it.

I don’t know-how
Technology can be intimidating, but blogging has been around long enough to have some great resources for you to get started. Here are three of my favorites:

Blogger.com is a free site which walks you through the blog creation process step-by-step—my 10-year-old has a blogger blog. Blogger is part of the Google family of products so if you have a Google account, it’s even easier to start a blog there.

Tumblr.com is another free site for creating a blog. Tumblr blogs are usually shorter-form and might be less intimidating. Tumblr has lots of fun themes and also walks you through the process of creating your special place to post.

Livejournal.com is another free blogging platform that is easy to use. Commenters on Livejournal have to register, but if that doesn’t bother you take a look at this platform.

If you’re still nervous about blogging, write a few draft posts on whatever you want. Don’t publish them until you feel good about them.

A company blog, an industry blog or even a personal blog is an important part of your brand, whether you are an executive or a freelancer. Stop making excuses! Blog!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Freelancers: Use Online Marketing to Kickstart 2012

Thursday, December 29th, 2011|

We are about to go into a quiet time of year, whether you choose to work less or there is just less work, and so it is a good time to think about what you can do to get a jumpstart on your freelancing in 2012.

With today’s technology, it is easy and cost-effective to do some online marketing for your career as a freelance entrepreneur. Let’s look at some ways to make online marketing work for you:

Social Media Profiles – Now is a great time to take a look at all of your social media profiles to make sure they:
- Reflect most recent work experience
- Are Consistent
- Tell your story
- Use keywords to help search engines find your skills
- Have been carefully edited for professional purposes
Facebook Timelines – You’ve probably heard that Facebook profiles are changing into timelines, but you might not know that you need to go to your timeline and make sure there is nothing posted there from the past that you don’t want potential clients to see. You might not have been as careful in 2006 or ’07 about the photographs you posted and Timelines make it much easier for people to see your posts of long ago.
New Platforms – While you have a couple of free hours, set up your Google+ Circles, and start getting comfortable there. Still new-kid-on-the-block, Google+ may very well be a big player in 2012.
Build or Tweak Your Website – If you are a Designer, you have a website, but maybe you haven’t had time to update it for a while. If you are in other creative fields, it is great to have a website of your own and there are free and inexpensive places to host. A domain name only costs $10 a year and Google Sites is one place where you can build a site easily without any knowledge of coding.
Start a Blog – Since you are an entrepreneur, you own a business—you! Your business needs a blog where you can talk about recent projects, things that inspire you, link to articles that are interesting, and give the world your take on current creative trends. Give blogging a try, it’s fun!
Comment – If you’re like me, even on your downtime you’re surfing the web for interesting information. Now is the time to take a moment to comment on relevant articles in your field or in LinkedIn Group discussions and build your credibility. If you add a link to your website or blog, you might increase your own traffic as well.

See, you thought you had nothing to do over the holiday break! Get to work!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Social Networks Are Your Friend—But Not Your BFF

Tuesday, December 27th, 2011|

I’m the first person to evangelize for social media. I’m on Facebook and Twitter all day for work and personal reasons, my daughter uses it to get information about and help with her homework, we all find links to interesting stuff every day, right? I don’t want to miss a single photo of my cousin’s twins!

We’ve talked on our blog about how important it is to be careful on LinkedIn, but it’s easy to remember there since it is a social network for professional development and networking. With careful thought, the other social media platforms can be just as useful to a potential employer when they are deciding whom to interview.

When I have an interview, I search for the person I will meet everywhere—be sure they are doing the same. What are they finding about you?

Photos

Although you think you have tweaked your privacy settings so that you are safe, it is still never a good idea to post photographs of yourself in questionable situations which employers might be uncomfortable with. Facebook owns the rights to any photo you post and they change their privacy rules all the time, often without notice. You don’t want the wrong person searching for you at the wrong moment, so don’t post anything you wouldn’t want a potential employer to see.

Language
Free speech is great and blogs and social media platforms are places for us to express ourselves. However, using coarse language makes more of a statement than you might mean. There are also some taboo subjects you might want to avoid except with your personal friends: politics, race, and religion are only a few. These subjects are best kept to a very small circle.

Venting
As unappreciated as you felt at your previous employer, keep it to yourself online. A typical interview question like “How was your relationship with your last manager?” is a good guideline. Anything past generally positive, unless it was better than that, is something you should take a pass on.

Dishonesty
Make sure everything that refers to your employment history anywhere is strictly true. If a potential employer finds different information on different sites, they will wonder if you are being truthful anywhere.

Confidentiality
It is best to limit how you talk about previous employers to elements which specifically apply to your role there and your relationship with the company. Anything about the company itself, its plans or projects, is theirs to discuss, not yours.

It would be nice to think we could say whatever we like with no consequences on social media, but of course, it is no different from real life.

Think before you post!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Managing Your Brand

Thursday, December 15th, 2011|

Not only are you an entrepreneur, you are a brand. If you are participating in social media, your brand has a logo, a mission statement, and work product that other people might want to buy or invest in. Or it should!

It is important to make sure that your brand is consistent and sending the messages that you want it to send across your entire internet presence so that no matter where a potential client might look, he or she will find the information needed to decide whether they want to start a business relationship with you.

Here are some things to think about when managing your brand online:

On Facebook
Especially important if you are a freelancer, have a Facebook Page for yourself as a Business Person as well as a Profile for your personal friends. This gives people you don’t know a window into your work if Facebook is their favorite social media platform.

This Page is a place you can put links to your blog, your work from your online portfolio, or interesting news about you and your business life.

Don’t forget to keep it updated!

Your Logo
The image you use in your profile on any platform is your logo. For some with an actual company or brand name – this should be your designed logo. For others – your photo is the perfect representation of your brand.

If using a photo, it should be close-up enough for someone who’s meeting you at a coffee shop to recognize you when they get there. It shouldn’t be your cat or your baby – cute as they are. Save that for your friends. Use the same photo across all social media platforms. If you want to be creative with it, you can make your photo seasonal, but, again, be consistent and change it everywhere.

Mission Statement
Your Facebook Page Info tab, your LinkedIn profile, and your Twitter profile all provide a place for you to put your mission statement.

Don’t think you have a mission statement? What are you passionate about? Why do you do what you do? Why are you so committed to your work? Your mission statement can be found in there. Once established, it’s important to keep your mission statement consistent across platforms.

Links
Be sure to provide links to your pages, profiles, feeds, and portfolio wherever you can: email signature, business cards, ecards for holidays, resume, everywhere. Make it easy to find you, find out about you, and contact you for work!

I’ve had quite a few potential clients find me through blog posts, Facebook updates, and LinkedIn group updates for my current clients. They are comfortable with me even before we meet because they have seen my work, are familiar with my “voice” and can assess my communication skills. Consistent branding has led to a good “Return on Investment” of my time capital and it will for you, too!

Wendy Stackhouse for Artisan Creative

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Body Language Tips for Creatives

Thursday, December 1st, 2011|

Have you ever come out of a meeting with no clue how it went? You feel like your presentation was clear and effective. You know you were prepared and your materials were informative.

Maybe you were paying more attention to what you were doing than how your audience was reacting, but if you play it back in your head, you might have more of an idea of how your presentation was received.

You also might be able to make it work better!

If you can put some of your attention on watching your listeners, you can learn a lot about how your pitch is going and maybe even change it up midstream and close the deal.

Is your listener…

Leaning his head on his hand? He is bored. Change the pace of your presentation or ask a question to re-engage his attention.
Leaning forward in her chair? She is interested. Keep up what you’re doing.
Touching his ears? You are connecting. Give him more information.
Making a suggestion with her palms down? This is no suggestion, this is what she wants. Tell her how you can give her what she has suggested in a definitive way.
Making a suggestion with his palms up? He is looking for a discussion of the issue and is open to your input as well as his own.
Putting her hand over her mouth? She doesn’t believe what you’re saying. This is a good time to offer some quantitative evidence or examples.

How about you? What are you revealing with your body language and how can you make sure your messaging is what you want it to be?

Are you…

Slouching? Sit with your back touching the chair, but leaning forward a bit. This projects confidence and engagement without seeming stiff or nervous.
Crossing your arms? This makes you seem defensive or closed off. Stop as soon as you realize it.
Restless? If you know you are a “wiggler,” it is a good idea to practice your interview or meeting with a trusted friend who can help you become more aware of your habits. Restless behavior like twirling your hair or bouncing your knee can be distracting to your listener when you want them to hear what you have to say.
Making eye contact? Great! Active listening is an important skill and keeps your mind on the question at hand.

Both you and your interviewer are getting more information from each other nonverbally than verbally. If you are paying attention, you can control the information they are getting from you and understand the information they are giving you back.

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Are You an Entrepreneur? Yes, You Are!

Thursday, November 17th, 2011|

No matter what industry or field you work in, whether you work for a multinational corporation, a mom-and-pop storefront, or in your home office, you are an entrepreneur. Congratulations!

Today’s workforce will have a completely different career experience from their parents and grandparents. Gone are the days of getting an entry-level job out of college, moving up, and retiring, all in the same company. Also gone are the days of having one career your entire working life, even if you change employers.

Today’s workforce is will change jobs every 3-5 years. Today’s workforce will have between three and seven entirely different careers. Whether you work for yourself or for others, if you think of yourself as an entrepreneur, you will succeed at life as well as work.

Entrepreneurs start new ventures despite the risks. Are you an Entrepreneur?

I work in an office. How am I an Entrepreneur?

You are a person with skills, providing a product. You take risks by spending your time on someone else’s projects in the hope that they will give you more business and eventually give you the opportunity to start something new. You are an entrepreneur.

I work in retail. How am I an Entrepreneur?

Working in a retail business doesn’t feel like entrepreneurship, but you can think of it as an internship by immersion. If retail is where you want to be, you can use this experience to learn the business from the bottom up and pick up lessons you could never learn any other way. You take the risk that the time you spend training will be valuable when you start your own new venture. You are an entrepreneur.

I am an artist. How am I an Entrepreneur?

If an artist does not think like an entrepreneur, no one will ever see their work. Artists are not traditionally comfortable with the business aspects of their careers, but without sales, all you have is living room full of paintings. Without auditions and demo tapes, you’re just singing in the shower.

Artists are familiar with risk and being accountable only to themselves. All they need is to put some of their drive into making art a business. If you are not thinking about marketing, you are missing out on a big part of your career. You are an entrepreneur!

I am a freelancer. How am I an Entrepreneur?

This one is easy! Your business is yourself. You develop a brand, a list of customers and a marketing strategy. You are out there scratching for more business and making connections to broaden your customer base. You are taking a risk every day that you might not have a steady income stream. You are clearly an entrepreneur.

I read an article on the Entrepreneurs’ Organization website called “What’s Your Personal Culture?” It really spoke to me about how to achieve an entrepreneurial mindset. If you have a clear mission, make smart business decisions about where to spend your time, and develop and implement a marketing strategy for yourself, you are indeed an Entrepreneur.

Wendy Stackhouse for Artisan Creative

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