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May 07 2018

Treat your Website like a Resume

What do you do when we want to “sell” yourself to a prospective employer? You build a resume that “upsells” your product (YOU!) in the best, most flattering way. It’s the same for a website. Your website tells a story about you, your product or service. Make it a good one.

I think we’ve talked about this before but it bears repeating.  There are just too many sad websites out there. Like a resume, your website should be very targeted. It’s easy to cast a wide net into the sea and hope to catch some fish. Problem is, you might snare an octopus or two along with the good fish. The octopus becomes a problem because, with all those sticky-legged tentacles, it takes up a great deal of your time just trying to get rid of it. Instead, “fish specifically” by creating a targeted, streamlined and well worded succinct website that only attracts the type of clients you desire.

 

It’s pretty simple:

  • Answer the “Who x 2?” question: Who are you and Who is your target audience? Identifying these right off the top will eliminate the suckerfish that draw attention away from your core business. If they aren’t buying from you anyway, why waste time talking to them?
  • Answer the “WHAT.” What do you do? Again be specific. Apply “K.I.S.S.” and Keep it short and simple!
  • WHERE and WHEN? Where do you offer your services and when do you offer them. If you promise 24hr turnaround to queries, make sure you deliver – if you don’t, don’t promise it. All people want to know is the where and when. If you’re not willing to drive to Pickering from Caledon for a service call – say so up front. Chances are someone local can do the job and you’ve just saved yourself a time waster of a phone call explaining why you can’t.
  • Lastly, address the WHY you do what you do and the HOW but again, keep it brief. Explaining your “why” – you passion for doing something, will appeal to the right-brained consumer who shops for services based in part on how they feel. That means your website should be just creative, colourful and engaging enough to attract their attention without being so overwhelming that your left-brained customer is annoyed by all the “bells and whistles.” Explaining your “how” will attract the left brained amongst us who seek out the details and want to be sure you really do “know your stuff.”

 

A website dances a fine line: balancing information vs. graphics, SEO words vs. pictures and allowing your personality to shine through vs. providing too much detail. Just like a resume. I think the key difference is that often, in the rush to establish an online presence, we secure a domain and “throw content up on the web” with the intent of cleaning it up after we’ve been open for a while. Problem is we get caught up in the minutiae of business and that clean up never happens. You wouldn’t send out a resume that wasn’t perfect, so don’t sell your business short either. Targeted marketing means making your website work just like you used to make your resume work when you were looking for work!

 

As Owner and Principal partner of “Writing Right For You” Sheralyn is a Communications Strategist – working together with entrepreneurs to maximize profit through effective use of the written word. Looking for web content that works, blog articles that engage or communications strategies that help you get noticed?  Contact Sheralyn today. Sheralyn is also the mother of two children now entering the “terrible and terrific teens” and spends her free time volunteering for several non-profit organizations.

Sheralyn Roman B.A., B.Ed.

Writing Right For You

Communications Strategies that help you GET TO THE POINT!

416-420-9415 Cell/Business

writingrightforyou@gmail.com

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Written by Dwania Peele · Categorized: Sheralyn Roman · Tagged: content, keep it short and simple, Resume, sherlayn roman, upsell, website

Aug 04 2013

Building Your Personal Brand

Praveeni Perera

Building your personal brand is something that has become essential for all professionals young and old in the current global economy. Your “Brand” dictates how others identify and perceive you.

Here are a few tips on building and maintaining your personal brand.

1. Identify your specialty
What are you good at? In order to create an effective brand you need to figure out what sets you apart from the competition. What can you do well that others cannot? What is your area of expertise?  Your specialty may be a result of your educational background, your personality or natural talent.

2. What kind of image would you like to project?

You need to identify how you want others to perceive you. This will depend largely on your specific field of work and expertise. For example if your field is IT you may want others to perceive you as a intelligent, technically sound, punctual and professional. In this field it may not be a disadvantage to be perceived as a “nerd”. But for example if your field is Public Relations being perceived as shy and nerdy may be a disadvantage as this field requires an extroverted and outgoing personality.

3. Be active on Social Media

Social media is a valuable tool to help you build and promote your personal brand. LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are all outlets for expressing yourself and getting your message across. It’s important to be YOU on these social networking sites.  If you are posting a photo of yourself make sure it’s professional, true to your brand, appropriate and authentic. Avoid hiding behind fancy usernames and fake photos, this defeats the purpose of building your own brand.

4.  Maintain a polished and up to date CV or Resume

Your CV or Resume showcases your achievements in your specific field. Make sure you have it up to date and ready to go in case clients or potential employers request for it.  Having a current CV on hand is key to promoting and supporting your personal brand as you can have a hard copy of what you have achieved thus far. As soon as you obtain any new education or training, be sure to add it to your CV. For more information on resumes check this post on Resume Writing Tips.

5. Expand your network

Expanding your network of contacts and building new connections is a great way to build your personal brand, as more people will be aware of your expertise. Forming mutually beneficial relationships is key as contacts will have an incentive for staying in touch with you, and you will be in touch with more people.  Don’t be shy, seek out the people you need to meet and introduce yourself!

 6. Market yourself at networking events

Self marketing is an important component of building your personal brand. Getting your name out in the open is essential to making your brand synonymous with your  field. We recommend attending local networking events where you can make new connections and make others aware of your skills and expertise. Remember not to over promote; attend events to make connections but maintain brand consciousness and let others know what you’re good at and what you do.

7. Seek out feedback

In order to be successful in building your own brand you need to be aware of your strength and weaknesses as a brand. The best way to do this is via peer feedback. Ask friends and mentors to give you feedback on your brand. Remember to seek out constructive criticism from sources you trust; those who have your best interests in mind.  We recommend linking up with other professionals who are also in the process of building their own brands and setting up a peer mentor group so you can provide each other with insight, feedback, and support.

Praveeni Perera is the CEO and co-founder of Professional Edge Consulting a corporate training company based in Ottawa offering training and coaching services to clients around the world.  She can be reached via Website, Twitter, Facebook or her Blog.

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Written by Dwania Peele · Categorized: Praveeni Perera · Tagged: branding, Building Your Personal Brand, business, business development, Business Woman, Canadian Small Business Women, CV, entrepreneur, feedback, Identify your specialty, market yourself, marketing, networking, Personal Brand, Praveeni Perera, Professional Edge Consulting, Projecting an Image, Resume, small business development, small business owners, Social Media Activity

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