Each year, I give my personal branding predictions in the December time frame, but this year, people are starting to ask me about the future earlier.  In 2008, the focus was on behavior changes and in 2009, I concentrated on the economy and the struggle to protect your brand at all costs.  This year, I’ve been analyzing a lot of trends that will have a major impact on our careers and how companies will manage, retain and recruit employees moving forward.  A lot of my predictions involve technology because people have already started changing their behavior, but technology is going to open up even more opportunities.

1)  Transparency across the web from social networks to search engines and back.

Social search, a term that represents the shift in search capability to include social network participation and engagement, is going to really heat up next year.  Google has already announced that they will be partnering with both Twitter and FriendFeed, but not Facebook, to deliver “social search results” to the user.  Facebook, on the other hand, will be tightly aligned to Microsoft’s Bing search engine, which is no surprise because they already had a partnership from before (and Microsoft hates Google).  This means that Facebook status updates will appear in Bing search results, but only if the user’s privacy setting permit it.  For instance, if you select to make your profile private, your status updates won’t appear in Bing and in other search engines in the future.  Yahoo! will be in the game soon enough because competitively, everyone has to transition to what the market demands.

What this means for your personal brand: This is a sign that transparency will flow across the web.  Your participation online will be seamless and widespread to a point where anything you publish will appear everywhere and have more eyeballs on it.  You need to think twice before you publishing something as insignificant as a tweet now.  Your job, your business and your personal reputation is at stake with every published status update, tweet, blog post, etc.

2)  More people understanding their brand

What a lot of people don’t realize is that Twitter lists just made personal branding easier to understand.  For example, if you review the 1,000+ lists I’m on, you’ll notice that most people categorize me in social media, HR, and branding lists.  This means that people perceive me as representing these categories and that’s what I’ve projected to the Twitter community through my profile page and tweets.  In Me 2.0, I explain that you’re doing a good job branding yourself when self-impression is equal to perception (how you describe yourself is how other people describe you).

What this means for your personal brand: Twitter lists is one way to verify that you’re coming off the way you had planned.  If you want to be classified as a personal finance expert but everyone categorizes you into marketing lists, then something is wrong.

3)  The new employment contract

Most companies are still trying to figure out social media, how it plays a role in company culture, if they should block social sites and how they should handle employees who have large followings.  Recent data has come out to prove that personal branding can have a financial and branding impact on a corporate brand.  eMarketer reports that 71% of employee bloggers have increased visibility for their company, 63% have converted prospects into purchasers through their blog, and 56% have seen their blog bring their company recognition as a thought leader in the industry.  It’s obvious that visibility transfers from personal brand to corporate brand, but probably not as much the other way around.

Although, companies see the power of employees influence, they also are concerned that they aren’t as productive, that another company might snatch them and that it might infringe on employee legal contracts.  Jeremiah Owyang (2008 Personal Brand of the Year) wrote an incredibly detailed post about how you should verify your employment contract because your company might own your social accounts.  It just shows that the employment contract is going to have to evolve because the relationship between employer and employee is changing fast.

What this means for your personal brand: A personal brand is transferable, so that if you switch companies, your influence and network strength still hold.  This also makes you more valuable and a “hot commodity.”  Before you accept a job offer and if you currently have a job, you need to be sitting down with your manager and discussing how your brand can mesh with your role.

4) Your voice becomes stronger than your resume

The boundaries of online participation have fallen over the past five years, which means that your “current” voice is becoming more important than your previous experience.  eMarketer reports that 25% of people have used their blog as a resume and have sent it to potential employers.  If someone searches for your name online and they verify that you haven’t actively participated in industry discussions, then you are perceived as having less value as someone who has.  A resume depicts where you’ve been in the past, with less indication for where you may end up in the future.  Your online voice, whether it’s status updates or full blog posts, gives people a better sense of who you are, what you do and what you bring to the table.  In most cases, your blog will appear higher in search results than your LinkedIn profile, so employers will be more keen on that resource than a “resume.”

What this means for your personal brand: Instead of concentrating on putting chrome wheels on your resume or adding a navigation system, invest time in sharing your voice online.  Your voice can carry online and if you have good ideas, people will become aware of your brand and opportunities will be there for you.

5) People being forced to take niche’s

Anita Campbell of Small Business Trends recently pointed out how competitive it is to be successful in social media.  She notes a 2009 Technorati State of the Blogosphere study, which shows that it takes three to ten posts per day to compete with the top blogs.  The reason is because established blogs have created barriers to entry, such that they have a high Google PageRank and their brands are well-known.  It’s hard to convince readers to go elsewhere when there are already trusted sources!  Also, the sheer amount of posts the blog posts publish makes it hard to compete because Google values page freshness and it’s more content that people can spread through social networks.

What this means for your personal brand: You are going to have to be either very specific with both your topic and audience or you’re going to have to have a superior product.  If you feel that you’re the Madonna of a certain topic, then you will eventually be able to compete with the big blogs because of your confidence, hard work and content that will spread.

6) Video becomes a brand-standard

According to “The Global Web Index,” from Trendstream, with research conducted by Lightspeed Research, early this year 72% of US Internet users watched video clips monthly—making video bigger than blogging or social networking. Video is being used for humor and music, but in 2010, we’ll see people use it more for job searching (video resume) and for their websites/blogs as introductions to their worlds. Michael Gerber is one of a handful of people who are using video as an integrated part of their websites.  If you land on different pages of his website, a video image of him comes out to talk to you about that content.  Video has many different uses, from employer branding to sales pitches to resumes.  As more and more people become comfortable with it, it will end up becoming part of the career/resume arsenal.

What this means for your personal brand: Video is the best way to connect with your audience because people are getting to know you before meeting you. If you don’t get good at video then you will suffer a disadvantage because your competition will put out video.

7) Monetization through branding becomes clear

There are 325 million Facebook users, who use the site a combined 8 million minutes each day.  94% of the companies will be maintaining or increasing their investment in social media tools next year.  In 2010, about 12 billion dollars will be spent on online advertising.  These numbers should verify that people are going to start making serious money off of social networks and blogs in 2010 and beyond.  Companies are allocating more of their budgets to online spending and the amount of users and readers that sites have right now are adding up to traditional mediums, but the online world is easier to measure.

What this means for your personal brand: It means if you’re entrepreneurial, even in the slightest, you have the ability to make money doing what you love online.  It could be a blog or your own social network that could put you in a position, where you’re making money, while in bed, blogging.

8 ) Social media being used more for career development

A lot of studies have shown that social media tools and networks are primarily used for social conversations and less business and career type conversations.  In 2010, there will be a lot of pressure on individuals to stand out (unemployment rate is at 10% right now).  A lot of people are going to turn to the internet for support (and answers), which means that social media tools will have a clear purpose for any serious professional. Our society is going to start putting a lot more pressure on people that aren’t taking advantage of social media next year.  We are past the early adoption curve and now the late majority will show up next year.

What this means for your personal brand: To stay current with your industry and to be found online, you need to become an active contributor.  Social media tools will become your resume, your background check and a means for your to climb your own corporate ladder.

9) More people working for free to build brand equity

The NACE reports that companies are hiring 7% fewer College graduates in 2010.  Any smart college student should be searching online for influencers, who they can support, without any pay.  At the same time, students will have to have regular jobs in order to pay loans and any other expenses.  Aside from students and recent graduates, if you’re unemployed or you’re looking to switch careers, working for free (even if it’s 5 hours a week) is something you should seriously consider.  The experience isn’t going to come any other way.

What this means for your personal brand: Experience is more important than education and if you can’t get a job, you need to do whatever you can to gain experience, even if it means working for free.  On your resume, you don’t list how much you get paid anyways!

10) Online identities becoming as routine as employer drug tests

In 2009, Careerbuilder reported that 45% of companies are using social networks as background checks.  I’m going to go with 75% of companies for 2010 and then 100% of companies in 2012.  Just like a drug test, going online to review an applicants brand is easy, cost effective and can save headaches later.  There are issues that arise such as possibly losing good talent because of one Facebook picture or judging someone based on their picture and not on their credibility.

What this means for your personal brand: Everyone is going to have to be very careful with what they put online.  Go through your online presence right now to make sure it best represents you as a professional.  Try and see your profiles through a companies eyes too.

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Today, I spoke to Robert Kiyosaki, who is the author of the popular classic and international bestselling book, Rich Dad Poor Dad.  He has sold tens of millions of copies of his books and his latest book is called, Conspiracy of The Rich. In this interview, Robert explains why now is the best time to be an entrepreneur, how aspiring entrepreneurs can get started today, characteristics of an entrepreneur and much more.

Is now the best time (in this economy) to be an entrepreneur?

Well because the number one reason is because the economy needs jobs. The government can’t create jobs, only entrepreneurs can. There is an international needs for more entrepreneurs than ever before. But also, when the economy is down, it means the old guys are dying and the new guys can come on. And plus, you have the web now. The web is creating more entrepreneurs than ever before. When I was just starting out we didn’t even have cell phones.

How can an aspiring entrepreneur with an idea start to build a business these days?

The number one thing is that it takes guts and it takes good advisers. You have to be careful who you take advice from. Most people are not entrepreneurs, so if you ask them if you should start a business, absolutely they would say no. So the benefit I had was my rich dad and all he told me that I was going to screw up a number of times and he would be there to guide me after I screwed up. Whereas my poor dad, who was an employee who said not to do it because it was too risky.

What are the top three characteristics all entrepreneurs have?

I started my entrepreneurial career in 1974. If I knew how much I didn’t know, I would never had started. So the number one characteristic is you gotta have guts, you gotta to be humble and you gotta learn quickly because there’s no path. It’s constant learning. I’m still learning today at my age, especially with the new social media coming out and all that. I’m scrambling to work faster. So if you don’t’ have that capability of being humble and learning, you’re toast because the world is changing too fast.

How important has branding been for you and your company? How have you leveraged the Rich Dad brand to create an empire?

If you’re not a brand, you’re a commodity. The brand sells before you good and bad, so branding is essential. If you’re not a brand, you’re a commodity and if you’re a commodity you have to charge less. It is harder. I learned about branding when I was working with the rock bands like Duran Duran, Iron Maiden, Boy George and the Police. It was really easy to open doors with a brand, but it was really tough if you’re a no name brand band.

What role has social media played in your life (Twitter, Facebook, etc) as an entrepreneur?

Well I said I’m an old guy and I’m into it but I spend probably $200,000 a month on social media. I have to hire kids basically, 20 year old guys, to do it for me. I have two different sets of web teams and all that, it’s crucial. It’s the whole new frontier, its fun.

What are your daily habits that have made (and keep) you successful?

I think the number one thing is focus. Success is not possible without sacrifice and I’m willing to focus and sacrifice. I’m not that bright and I don’t learn that quickly so I have to block out a lot of stuff and just focus on a few things. That goes against what most financial advisers say to do is to diversify. I don’t diversify, I focus. I started on a plan and I still work on a plan since 74 to now, that’s 35 years. I build companies and I invest my money, so I get richer and richer and richer.

Can you learn how to be an entrepreneur at college or do you need to figure it out for yourself?

I’ve taught entrepreneurial classes in college and it’s a different breed of cat. The number one skill that made me an entrepreneur I learned in Vietnam where I learned a very valuable lesson in life as a gunship pilot. The lesson is that there’s no second place. Either you go home or they go home, or you both don’t go home. Once I understood it gave me a different kind of drive. There’s no second place and I live my life that way. If you don’t have that and you’re willing to settle for second place, you shouldn’t be an entrepreneur. Combat War zones are very hostile environments and entrepreneurship is a very hostile environment.

——-
Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad - USA Today’s #1 Money Book and international runaway bestseller – is an investor, entrepreneur and educator whose perspectives on money and investing fly in the face of conventional wisdom.  Rich Dad Poor Dad ranks as the longest-running bestseller on all four of the lists that report to Publisher’s Weekly – The New York Times, Business Week, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today – and has held a top spot on the famed New York Times list for over five years.  Translated into 45 languages and available in 90 countries, the Rich Dad series has sold over 25 million copies worldwide. In 2005, Robert was inducted into the Amazon.com Hall of Fame as one of that that bookseller’s Top 25 Authors.  Robert writes a bi-weekly column – ‘Why the Rich Are Getting Richer’ – for Yahoo! Finance and a monthly column titled ‘Rich Returns’ for Entrepreneur magazine.  His latest book is called Conspiracy of The Rich: The 8 New Rules of Money.

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In college, I had a friend who was always complaining about some aspect of her life. Her classes weren’t going right, a friend wasn’t being nice to her, and all the guys she met were jerks.  Of course, she was great to talk to when I wanted to complain about something–but not a lot of fun to be around at other times.  So we lost touch.

A while ago, I ran into her again in our college alumni group on Linked.  We’d both answered one of those “What have you been up to since college?” questions.

Although my own life wasn’t going quite as well as I wanted, I kept a positive tone to my answer. So did the 14 other alumni to answer the question.

You really want to know what my [college education] got me?

NOTHING. I graduated with a degree in psychology and elementary education in January of 200X (after student teaching). I’ve spent four of the last five and a half years as a substitute teacher in area school districts, I worked for a year in a daycare as a pre-kindergarten “teacher” and I’ve been working in a restaurant since my walking graduation in May of 200X.

I’m a good teacher. I’m just not getting anywhere. I’m tempted to change careers totally because of it.

Really, I’m just one of the several failures from [our college].

In this economy, there are a lot more people who are dissatisfied with their work.  A recent article in the Economist revealed that in December 2008, 57% fewer employees trusted their employers than did in June 2007 – only a year and a half earlier. (BTW, that was before the recession really hit, so it’s probably worse now!) Another survey, released last month by Development Dimensions International (DDI), revealed that more than half of the thousand employed workers they surveyed feel that their jobs are stagnant and uninteresting.

In Europe, so many employees are frustrated with their work at France Telecom that 24 of them have taken their own lives – sometimes even in the office. (One attempted suicide stabbed himself in the middle of a meeting!) In America, work-related suicides are up by 28% from 2007 to 2008.

But even if work is making more people miserable than before, that doesn’t make it a good idea to broadcast your frustrations to the world like my college friend did.

Negative people repel

My first reaction when I read my friend’s reply was that she still doesn’t sound like a very pleasant person to be around – and that I really wouldn’t want to work with her!

Although that is only a feeling, it does have a solid basis in fact. In the last couple years, studies have proved that happiness has a significant impact on a person’s life and their interactions with others. Happy people are healthier and live longer. Happiness is also contagious. People who are around happy people are 9% more likely to be happy themselves – and there’s a strong suspicion that angry people spread their feelings the same way.

So, complaining a lot could actually be what is preventing my friend from getting the kind of life she wants – because if she’s talking about how frustrated she is in life on LinkedIn (a site designed for job networking), she’s probably broadcasting it somewhere else as well!

Even if everything seems to be going wrong in your life, and it feels like nothing is working out for you – try to keep it to yourself when you’re doing something publicly. Concentrate on the things that are going well, instead of what isn’t.   The last thing you want is to lose a chance at your dream job because a professional contact thinks that you have a bad attitude.

Author:

Katie Konrath writes about creativity, innovation and “ideas so fresh… they should be slapped!” at www.getFreshMinds.com.

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You have been working at your new job for six months and you are really enjoying being with this company. The job challenges you and you have responded to every challenge so far.

You have created a reputation for yourself with your co-workers as reliable, consistent and accountable. You have shown the ability to think strategically and have executed on all tasks that have been given to you.

Because of your solid reputation, you were recently asked to work on a new project that will have manager level exposure and help determine the future vision for the company. You will have a very minor role and it will require long hours but you gladly accept the offer to be on the project.

As you work on the new project with the different members of the team you being to add them to your LinkedIn network and soon others at the company are finding you on LinkedIn too.

Then one evening while working on some last minute action items a colleague of yours sits down in your cube and says, “I’m really enjoying your blog – keep up the great work”.

You are blown away because you have not told anybody about your blog. You ask how your colleague came across your blog and she says I clicked the link on your LinkedIn profile. You say thanks for reading and continue with your work.

Over the next few months more of your colleagues begin to comment on your blogging and slowly but surely your ideas are spreading through different circles of influence at the company.

Then one morning you get into the office quite early to hammer out a few pending items that need to be submitted by the close of business today.

You open up Outlook and begin checking your email – one email catches your eye because of who sent it. It is the boss of Mrs. I’m Hiring who originally hired you for the job and she would like to meet with you next week.

You of course accept the invitation.

You show up for your meeting with Mr. I’m Promoting dressed for success and more then a little curious. Mr. I’m Promoting invites you to sit down and lets you know he was told about your blog and that he has enjoyed your vision on certain topics of interest to him.

You and Mr. I’m Promoting hit it off great and the meeting goes for a solid hour. Before heading back to your desk Mr. I’m Promoting lets you know that a new position is opening up and asks if you would be interested in interviewing for the opportunity.

You of course say yes.

The interview process kicks off and despite the other two candidates having more experience you are selected for the new opportunity.

Mr. I’m Promoting lets you know that your work at the company so far combined with your great ideas on your blog make you a perfect fit for the new opportunity. Mr. I’m Promoting gives you his vote of confidence and only asks that you execute on your ideas and over communicate with him.

You look him in the eyes, shake his hand firmly and head for your new office on a career path filled with opportunity and potential – as long as you execute.

Go execute.

Author:

Chad Levitt is the author of the New Sales Economy blog, which focuses on how Sales 2.0 & Social Media can help you connect, create more opportunities and increase your business. Chad is also the featured Sales 2.0 blogger at SalesGravy.com, the number one web portal for sales pros, the professional athletes of the business world. Make sure to connect with him on Twitter @chadalevitt.

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Choosing the right title for your book is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. The right title does more than just sell the book, it can launch a personal brand that creates endless opportunities while pre-selling follow-up books and a wealth of other profitable products & services.

One of best examples of this is Sarah Susanka, whose Not So Big House title launched a powerhouse personal brand that has taken her far beyond her origins as a residential architect.

Sarah Susanka and her “Not So Big” title provide a perfect model of personal branding success based on the choosing the right book title and building on its success

There are hundreds of thousands of contemporary residential architects in America, but no other residential architect has created such an enduring personal brand–or has created as impressive a series of accomplishments as you can discover at her Not So Big website.

Sarah’s brand since 1998

Sarah Susanka’s Not So Big House: A Blueprint For the Way We Really Live appeared in 1998. Since then, her brand has brought her to the forefront of media visibility:

• She’s been a guest on well-known radio and television talk shows like Oprah!, Charlie Rose, and NPR’s Diane Rehm
• Fast Company named her to their inaugeral list of the Top 50 List of Innovators whose achievements are changing society.
• Newsweek Magazine selected her as their Top Newsmaker in 2000.
• US News and World Report dubbed her an innovator in American culture
• In May of 2007, The Lindbergh Foundation presented her with the Anne Morrow Lindbergh Award by the for outstanding individual achievement, demonstrating a spirit of initiative and exemplifying great dedication toward making positive contributions to our world.

How many other residential architects are equally well known?

In addition to the growing list of follow-up Not So Big House titles, her website reveals a wealth of resources for architects, builders, and homeowners. These range from building plans, DVDs, publications, directories. She’s also been able to create a secondary career in personal development with her Not So Big Life title that reflects her underlying philosophy.

How the right 4 words sell books and built a brand

It’s possible to spend an hour discussing the reasons for the success of Sarah Susanka’s Not So Big House title, and how it provided the foundation for her personal brand. (I know, because I’ve done it!)

Briefly, here are some of the reasons for the perfection of her Not So Big House title:

• Instant recognition. Sarah’s Not So Big House title not only instantly signals that the book is about houses, it communicates the basic message: you don’t need “big” to be comfortable. Notice that this is not about about compromise, i.e., “not so big” has nothing to do with “small” or “cheap,” but it does have a lot to do about “right sizing.”
• Concise. The shortness of the title, and the words used in it, permits the title to appear quite large on the cover of the books. (When you visit her “publications” page, study the graphic impact of her book covers; even at thumbnail size, you can easily read the titles.)
• Expandability. The original Not So Big House book was soon followed by titles like Inside the Not So Big House, Outside the Not So Big House, Creating the Not So Big House, Not So Big Remodeling, and Not So Big Solutions for Your Home.

Suggestion: Take the time to make a list of the sales building and personal branding qualities you notice in the Not So Big House title. Use this list to measure the effectiveness of your proposed book title!

I’ve always considered the Not So Big concept one of the world’s great nonfiction titles. During a recent interview, she told how, where, and when the title originated–but that’s a topic for another time. (Or, you can read the Introduction to her Not So Big Life.)

Lessons we can learn

The main lesson I get from Sarah Susanka’s title success is to avoid settling for just “any” title.

Your book’s title can be much more than just the words on the front cover of your book. It can become your brand, a meme–or easily remembered trademark–that makes you and your book memorable while distancing you from your competition.

Take the time to analyze the title you’re proposing for your book.

Ask yourself, “How does my title stack up against Sarah’s?”

Author:

Roger C. Parker is a “32 Million Dollar Author,” book coach, and online writing resource. His 38 books have sold 1.9 million copies in 35 languages around the world. The NY Times called his Looking Good in Print “…the one to buy when you’re buying only one!” Roger has interviewed hundreds of successfully branded authors and shares what he’s learned at Published & Profitable and his daily writing tips blog.

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I hope you never have to worry about anyone trying to impersonate you online, but just in case, here’s a handy reference for the major social networks.

Twitter

From Twitter’s Impersonation Policy:

“The best way to report impersonation submitting a web request from the Support home page–be sure to select impersonation from the dropdown box!  Once you’ve submitted your ticket, we’ll email you a ticket confirmation with more information. You can check on your ticket status anytime by visiting your Twitter Support home page and clicking on  “check on your existing requests.”  If you’re unable to submit a request through our support form or do not have a Twitter account yourself, please send an email  to impersonation@twitter.com with the subject line “Impersonation” and include the information described above.”

LinkedIn

From Linkedin’s User Agreement:

“LINKEDIN DOES NOT HAVE ANY OBLIGATION TO VERIFY THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSONS SUBSCRIBING TO ITS SERVICES, NOR DOES IT HAVE ANY OBLIGATION TO MONITOR THE USE OF ITS SERVICES BY OTHER USERS OF THE COMMUNITY ; THEREFORE, LINKEDIN DECLINES ALL LIABILITY FOR IDENTITY THEFT OR ANY OTHER MISUSE OF YOUR IDENTITY OR INFORMATION…

DON’T… use or attempt to use another’s account without authorization from the Company, or create a false identity on LinkedIn;

Contact information for LinkedIn Corporation’s Content Complaint Manager is as follows: E-Mail: abuse@linkedin.com”

Facebook

From Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities:

“We respect other people’s rights, and expect you to do the same.

1. You will not post content or take any action on Facebook that infringes or violates someone else’s rights or otherwise violates the law.
2. We can remove any content or information you post on Facebook if we believe that it violates this Statement.
3. We will provide you with tools to help you protect your intellectual property rights. To learn more, visit our How to Report Claims of Intellectual Property Infringement page.
4. If we remove your content for infringing someone else’s copyright, and you believe we removed it by mistake, we will provide you with an opportunity to appeal.
5. If you repeatedly infringe other people’s intellectual property rights, we will disable your account when appropriate.”

Use Facebook’s IP infringement form to complain.

Google

This is somewhat unsettling.

As Google has grown over the years, some of its services were created in-house like Gmail, while others were bought and absorbed like YouTube. In addition, local country laws have different requirements and the consequence is that Google doesn’t have one uniform impersonation policy.

The Gmail Help Impersonation page and the Google Chat Help Impersonation page have the same message:

“If you believe someone has created a Gmail address in an attempt to impersonate your identity, you may wish to file a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov), a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center.

In addition, we recommend contacting your state’s Office of Consumer Protection.

Gmail is unable to participate in mediations involving third parties regarding impersonation. To read the Gmail Terms of Use, please visit: http://gmail.google.com/gmail/help/terms_of_use.html.”

So you’re on your own there, but at least YouTube lets you complain. Its Abusive Users: Harassment and Bullying page says:

“Sometimes criticism and insults can escalate to more serious forms of harassment that are harder to ignore. This might include making fake profiles to impersonate or make fun of someone or copying someone else’s videos without permission.

If someone copies videos that you created and you would like them removed, the most direct way to do this is by submitting a copyright claim.

If you have blocked and ignored someone and they still continue to try to upset you intentionally, you may report the instance to us as harassment. Harassment reports are taken very seriously, so please take a moment to consider whether you are actually being harassed. While it might be unpleasant to receive a comment that is rude or that you disagree with, it may not be considered harassment. If you would like to file a harassment report, please use our contact form.”

Ning

Ning’s Terms of Service state:

“You are solely responsible for your conduct, Your Social Networks, Your Code, and Your Content on the Ning Platform. We want to keep the Social Networks on Ning safe and fun for everyone and the use of the Ning Platform for unlawful or harmful activities is not allowed. In defining “safe and fun,” you specifically agree that:

You will not post, email or make available any Content to Users or use the Ning Platform… to impersonate a Ning employee, or any other person, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity, or to obtain access to a Social Network or the Ning Platform without authorization;”

To complain, email Ning Support at info@ning.com.

Yahoo

The Yahoo Terms of Service page says:

“…You understand that all information, data, text, software, music, sound, photographs, graphics, video, messages, tags, or other materials (”Content”), whether publicly posted or privately transmitted, are the sole responsibility of the person from whom such Content originated. This means that you, and not Yahoo!, are entirely responsible for all Content that you upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available via the Yahoo! Services. Yahoo! does not control the Content posted via the Yahoo! Services and, as such, does not guarantee the accuracy, integrity or quality of such Content. You understand that by using the Yahoo! Services, you may be exposed to Content that is offensive, indecent or objectionable. Under no circumstances will Yahoo! be liable in any way for any Content, including, but not limited to, any errors or omissions in any Content, or any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any Content posted, emailed, transmitted or otherwise made available via the Yahoo! Services…

You agree to not use the Yahoo! Services to… impersonate any person or entity, including, but not limited to, a Yahoo! official, forum leader, guide or host, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity;”

To complain to Yahoo, use their Abuse Form.

MySpace

Myspace’s Terms and Conditions say:

“The following are examples of the kind of activity that is illegal or prohibited on the MySpace Website and through your use of the MySpace Services. MySpace reserves the right to investigate and take appropriate legal action against anyone who, in MySpace’s sole discretion, violates this provision, including, without limitation, terminating your Membership and/or reporting such activity or Content to law enforcement authorities. Prohibited activity includes, but is not limited to…impersonating or attempting to impersonate MySpace or a MySpace employee, administrator or moderator, another Member, or person or entity (including, without limitation, the use of email addresses associated with or of any of the foregoing);”

Complain to MySpace via their Contact Form.

Other impersonation policies

• FriendFeed’s Terms of Service – complain to terms@friendfeed.com.
• Stumbleupon’s Terms of Service – Use their Questions or Comments? form to complain.
• digg’s Terms of use – email abuse@digg.com for help.
• Skype Etiquette – contact their Customer Support Team if you need to.

Author:

Jacob Share, a job search expert, is the creator of JobMob, one of the biggest blogs in the world about finding jobs. Follow him on Twitter for job search tips and humor.

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Step 3: Convert

All things being equal, we prefer to do business with those we know, like and trust. And all things not being equal, many of us would still prefer to do business with those we know, like and trust. I heard this said at a panel discussion recently and I couldn’t agree more.

The question is: How can we allow that know, like and trust to happen effortlessly and automatically so that networking doesn’t seem forced, fake, or time-consuming?

Over the past few weeks, we’ve explored how we can tap into the natural ability we each have to build relationships organically, letting nature take its course without injecting anything artificial into the process to force them to blossom more quickly.

And we’ve seen in this series that the more we get it right up front—with who we connect with and how we connect with them—the easier it is to converse, and ultimately convert that connection to a true relationship. Those who realize this, for example, understand why you wouldn’t send a Facebook friend request or a LinkedIn invitation without crafting a personalized note, any more than you would phone someone you’ve never met and start chatting away without introducing yourself or mentioning a reason for calling.

This week we’ll wrap up the series with a focus on the third step of the organic relationship building process: conversion.

Conversion is about evolving from simply being known to someone, to ultimately being trusted by them. Trusted enough to buy from you, trusted enough to tell their friends and colleagues about you, trusted enough to offer their help to you when you ask for it.

Conversion

But there are different categories of conversion:

Supporter: Where there’s a natural chemistry and mutual respect. Anyone who likes you will usually be willing to help you out with a favor or spend time with you to give advice and feedback.

Partner: Where there’s a natural synergy between your respective goals. These are folks who can help you expand your business by collaborating with you to develop new markets, products and services. They help not just to feel good, but also because there are direct and tangible benefits to them for doing so.

Customer: Where there’s a natural need someone has that your product or service can fill. For example, corporate training managers, event planners and others who hire speakers for their organizations would be potential customers for me.

Endorser: Where there’s been an actual experience of working with you. These folks can give a whole-hearted recommendation based on their hands-on knowledge. They can help answer questions the prospect may have, thereby serving as your mini-sales force.

The reason some people struggle with networking is that they focus on meeting only those who fit into the Customer category. Or worse, trying to push everyone they meet into the Customer category even when it doesn’t make sense.

Realistically, only a small percentage of folks you’ll come across will ever buy from you. But that doesn’t mean they can’t play a crucial role in your business success as a supporter or partner.

In fact, when you have supporters, partners and endorsers, winning over customers becomes a lot easier because other people are doing the selling for you.

So the key to successfully converting initial connections into productive relationships is to focus your conversations on winning people over as supporters first. Build your know, like and trust factor by finding out what’s important to them, what they’re pursuing, and how you can help.

When you work on gaining someone’s support rather than to trying to leapfrog over into the sale, not only will you put less pressure on yourself with networking, but you’ll also put less pressure on them. And in that natural, relaxed state will the most robust, productive and profitable relationships take root and flourish.

Author:

Liz Lynch is founder of the Center for Networking Excellence and author of Smart Networking: Attract a Following In Person and Online (McGraw-Hill, 2008). Connect with Liz on Twitter at @liz_lynch and get your free Smart Networking Toolkit at http://www.SmartNetworking.com.

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Within days of introducing Twitter lists into public beta, an estimated 6.5 million lists have already been created. This begs the question, which Dan Schawbel asked on Nov. 1, does it matter how many times you’re listed?

As of this writing, I am on 96 lists. Impressive, right? Perhaps, if they were all in line with my personal brand.

How do others perceive you?

The sign of a strong personal brand is when others perceive you how you want to be perceived. I have a dual personal brand (which is absolutely my own fault): entry-level careers expert and public relations pro. So, I’m included on many lists in both categories. But global business? Where did that one come from?

I mentioned I have two personal brands. This is a “do as I say, not as I do” moment. After all, there are people who have no idea I am in public relations, and a (smaller) number who don’t realize I’m an entry-level careers writer. While I’m slowly transitioning my brand from public relations pro to entry-level careers expert, I’ve found it extremely hard to let go of my old life. Thus, the two brands.

What’s interesting is, even though I’ve been freely giving my advice for almost a decade, I didn’t really attempt to brand myself until I became Examiner.com’s national entry-level careers columnist in September 2008. Now, more than a year later, I’m still deep in battle with how others perceive me. But I doubt I would have made it as far as I have without the help of social media platforms like Twitter.

How can twitter lists help?

Although the various ways people will use Twitter lists has yet to unfold, I would like to argue they can be used to solidify your personal brand. Think about it: Instead of finding people one-by-one, we’re going to begin mass following people based on topics/lists that interest us. If you can get yourself on the right lists, the effort will go a long way toward building your follower base and your brand.

List first and they’ll list you back

When you regularly read and comment on someone’s blog, they are more likely to reciprocate. I predict the same will go for Twitter lists. Do your due diligence in creating lists coinciding with other people’s personal brands, and they will likely take notice and do the same for you.

Are you searching for a job? Create a list of human resources professionals, recruiters and hiring managers in your industry. Looking for mentors? Create a list of thought-leaders. The types of lists you can create are nearly endless.

Be mindful of traditional Twitter etiquette

Particularly if you’re just starting out on Twitter, don’t forget the rules: listen, be relevant, mind your brand, engage, and give more than get. Let people know you’ve added them to a list and why.

How are you going to use lists to enhance your brand?

Author:

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder & president of Come Recommended, an exclusive online community connecting the best internship and entry-level job candidates with the best employers. She is also the national entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com and blogs about career advice at HeatherHuhman.com.

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Personal branding is an iterative process. As you change career paths, relocate, find new lines of work or climb upward at your current job, it’s helpful to step back and reflect on what makes you, you. Answer the questions below to make sure you’re in tune with You, Inc., and can articulate your value effectively to those in a position to advance your career. (For a deeper analysis of your brand, complete ReachCC’s Brand Quiz, developed by William Arruda of Reach Personal Branding -the source of a number of questions below).

9 questions that will take your brand to the next level:

1. Can you state your three most relevant and compelling brand attributes (adjectives that describe you)?

My top three brand attributes are:

2. Do you know what those around you think is your greatest strength?

Those around me consider my greatest strength:

3. Can you clearly describe what differentiates you from your competitors?

What differentiates me from my competitors is:

4. Do you have a positioning statement that describes what you offer, for whom and how you’re different?

My positioning statement goes like this:

5. Can you clearly describe your target audience – those people who need to know about you so that you can achieve your goals?

My target audience is:

6. Do you regularly Google yourself and proactively manage your brand online?

Yes / No (see my Online Visibility Audit, LinkedIn Audit, Facebook Audit and Google Audit for tips)

7. Do you have a coach, mentor, or someone helping you improve yourself?

Yes / No

8. Do you have an area of thought-leadership or specific point of view that you are known for?

Yes / No

9. Do you know the next step in the evolution of your brand (i.e. What you need to do next to increase your visibility among your target audience members)?

The next step in the evolution of my brand is:

Conclusion

Remember that your brand is how other people feel about you. You need to understand what other people consider your strengths, weaknesses and differentiators. Ask friends, family and coworkers for their objective opinion on what makes you uniquely you. If their thoughts are consistent with your self perceptions, congratulations! Now it’s time to proactively and compellingly articulate Brand You to your target audience. Be consistent and 100% authentic. Good luck, and let me know how it goes!

Author:

Pete Kistler is a leading Online Reputation Management expert for Generation Y, a top 5 finalist for Entrepreneur Magazine’s College Entrepreneur of 2009, one of the Top 30 Definitive Personal Branding Experts on Twitter, a widely read career development blogger, and a Judge for the 2009 Personal Brand Awards. Pete manages strategic vision for Brand‐Yourself.com, the first online reputation management platform for job applicants, named one of the Top 100 Most Innovative College Startups in the U.S.

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The U.S. used to stand for “no one else matters but US.” Then came Bollywood, and its 1.2 billion audience members, including pretty much the best engineers in the world.

And then came Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and its audience of 1.3 billion consumers of concrete and Hong Kong. Oh, and Kate Beckinsale was crowned the sexiest woman in the world, per Esquire. ScarJo and Megan, you have your place, but audiences around the world, heck even here, find celebrities more desirable if their personal brands are born outside the US.

U.S. Citizens:

Your earning power and net worth are dependent on seeing yourself as employable by anyone, anywhere. Your personal brand must embrace that you are a world citizen, not because it’s the polite thing to be or because global warming is melting another continent’s ice caps and you’ll miss out on seeing polar bears.

Right now, your best job may be with a multinational not based in the US, a US company that is globally oriented or any business where you’re not just serving the locals. Unless your personal brand is to intentionally cater to the locals, like running a neighborhood diner, which is incredibly cool and could totally rock a gentrifying couple of blocks. Of course, if your personal brand is entrepreneurial then you might be thinking about franchising your concept, so remember Subway has more overseas stores than domestic.

Global thinking isn’t just for brands like Coke, Nike and Disneyland anymore. Increasingly, it’s for your personal brand and mine. My cousin Allan started out running a classic Mustang parts business in Long Beach. His personal brand was big with the membership of a few local Mustang car clubs and the classic car geeks at swap meets. Five years later, he makes most of his money shipping cars overseas. He’s built his personal brand by being a rock solid supplier of cherry condition cars to big money bidders in Australia, New Zealand, the EU, the UAE and of course, Asia.

So citizens of the US, make your personal brand global friendly. Read a business etiquette book that tells you the rules in the places where you won’t find familiar faces. Like how you should show up on time to German meetings but stay calm when you’re the only one in the conference room in Rio and it’s two hours later than, oh let’s just say you anticipated. If you had the oil, fresh water and Olympics that Brazil has, you might be more casual than concerned when the US pays you a call.

Here’s what you do now

1.    Pick a daily newspaper website from 5 nations – only one of them from your home country. Read at least the headlines. Yes – most of them are translated into English (we still are the language of air traffic control).

2.    Look for your passport, and if it’s time to renew it, take a photo that makes you look like a trustworthy business person, and not like you at 19, needing a haircut and living on Ramen noodles.

3.    Pick 3 multinational companies to follow online, so you can see what it’s like to be part of the whole world – and not think you are the whole world.

Author:

Nance Rosen is the author of Speak Up! & Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name: nancerosen.

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