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Are You Slow To Change & What Does That Mean For Your Personal Brand? 0

In personal brand management, a big key to success is your ability to adapt to circumstances and change.  If you aren’t flexible and dynamic, then there’s no room for you to grow, develop an effective and genuine personal brand and succeed.

Many industries are perceived as static and slow to change and grow.  One in particular is the legal industry and lawyers.  I work with plenty of fabulous lawyers and law firms up for the challenge of developing a personal brand that is dynamic and flexible.  However, the legal industry as a whole is not viewed as such.  For those of you who remember, think about the show, “Paper Chase”.  Not sure that perception has changed over the decades since that show aired.

I was just at the American Bar Association (ABA) Law Practice Management (LPM) conference in Napa, California.  We were working on developing a program for lawyers, when this topic came up again.   As we work hard on bringing new concepts and trends to lawyers and working on helping younger lawyers see the need to be outgoing, dynamic and brand-oriented, we always keep in mind a few thing.  Lawyers can be slower to change, more risk-averse and more security-oriented.

If you think about it, these generalized traits make sense.  The law is about precedent and following what came before to get to a new place in the future. Legal educational institutions and firms have been around for centuries and take pride in having this longevity.  I remember my international law professor had been teaching at my law school for something like 30 years by the time I took his class- and the running joke was that there hadn’t been many changes to the curriculum since he started at the law school.

However, with the longevity and prestige there is always the danger of stagnation.  This stagnation comes from following precedent, becoming comfortable with “what has always work in the past” and a general fear of trying new things, growing or following new trends.  Fear of the unknown is common and something I appreciate.

The way to grow and succeed, though, is via a shift in perspective.   Appreciate your tried and true ways, but always keep your eyes and ears open for a new method and process.  Your personal brand will thank you for it and so will your family and clientele.

Posted on: 05-7-2012
Posted in: American Bar Association, Careers, Personal branding, Poor Image, Uncategorized

Treat Your Clients/Customers/Prospects Like You Treat Your Pet 0

When we work with clients on developing their natural talents as part of their personal brand, we see trends.  Personal branding is about the emotional quotient you trigger to get clients/prospects in action to get to know you and work with you.   The best emotion to trigger is joy.  We ask clients what daily activities bring about that sense of joy for themselves.  We ask for two reasons:  1)  so that they can do the activity over and over again for their own benefit AND 2) by doing this activity and having joy/happiness, you develop a strong personal brand and attract people who want to be around you, be like you and do business with you.

One common trend in responding to this question is that most clients really find being with their pets (ie, walking their dog, playing with their pets) brings them joy and peace. You should see the look on their faces as they describe the activities they love to do with their pets- their faces light up and they relax and have a sense of ease and grace about them.  Clients don’t often make the connection regarding what the joy they have with their pets has to do with their business and personal brand.

I also have a dog.  The sense of innocence and love and joy my dog has when I come home is indescribable.  Not only does she make my day, she resonates from a very genuine, pure and innocent state of being herself- no agenda, no plan of action, no thought for what’s to come. She is just being present to being with me and happy to see me.

So, what if you related to your clients and prospects from the same place you relate to your pets?  Now, please don’t take me too literally. I obviously don’t mean to treat people like animals.  But I do mean to view all clients and prospects as if they:

- have no agenda when they see you;

-are truly happy to see you, even if their actions don’t resonate this;

-have true intentions to be with you and give their best to you.

In return, relate to your clients like you do your pets, by:

- being completely present to them;

-not reading too much “meaning”  into their words and actions;

-accepting them as they are- the good, the bad and the ugly.  Just as you do with your pet.

Posted on: 03-5-2012
Posted in: Behavior, Business Brand, natural talent, Personal branding, prospects

Being the Connector & Source For Others 0

I try to spend at least 45 minutes every Monday introducing people to one another via email.  I find it so much fun helping people find the products and services that enhance their lives.  I connect clients with services and products. I connect prospects with other service or product providers. I connect clients with other clients who have had a similar problem/need and have found a solution.  I connect my business vendors to one another.  I find people speaking opportunities.  I even help people find good restaurants!

As a personal brand, there is nothing more powerful than being able to hook up people to one another.  Call it Karma or just being helpful and gracious. Do it for no other reason than to help others.

If you reach out to connect people for these reasons, the results are always the same- you get looked upon as helpful, resourceful, collaborative, productive and in a certain way, “all-knowing” or at least able to perceive what others need and provide it.

The point of having an effective personal brand is to be top-of-mind to others and generating powerful and instant recall in others’ minds about who you are/what you do based on your unique qualities.   What else could we ask for when are called upon to bring others together in service?

Make a list of the people you have GENUINELY connected in the past week.  Follow up at some point to see if the connections have worked out and how else you can help.

Posted on: 02-27-2012
Posted in: Behavior, Being Memorable, Business Brand, Networking, Uncategorized
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