Today, Co-VP of Marketing Samaura Steele teaches us what personal branding means and how it connects to networking, through LinkedIn and other mediums. Samaura has interned with Maryland Athletics, Amtrak, and IBM and has participated in Redblack consulting with AMA. She is passionate about networking and considers herself a brand marketer.
Personal Branding is the process of defining and promoting what you stand for and your culmination of experiences.
Your personal brand consists of…
Skills and knowledge
Values
Reputation
Communication style
Personality
Digital preference
Networking is essential in building relationships and rapport. It opens you up to endless opportunities and is mutually beneficial for both parties. You can always give and receive information from others and have the opportunity to ask questions.
Start with the closest connections
Use online tools/platforms
Attend events of interest
Think outside your environment
Focus on quality over quantity
Samaura facilitates an engaging activity that allows members to brainstorm ideas for our personal brand while also practicing networking! Members write down traits they want as a part of their personal brand. Then they turn to the person next to them and introduce themselves or show their LinkedIn. Now that the members know more about each other, they write down the traits they think the other person has. Once they are done, they trade papers and members can see what qualities they already exhibit, and what they need to work on when creating their personal brand. This is a great activity way to practice networking and start setting goals for yourself.
LinkedIn gives you access to a large and diverse audience. You can establish your brand, network, and find helpful information.
Samaura gives us ten steps to follow when creating an advantageous LinkedIn profile.
Creating an engaging headline
Tell a story in your “about” section
Show, don't just tell
Ask for recommendations
Create a simple URL and QR code
Connect, connect, connect!
Update your education
Engage with content from others
Make sure you are highly discoverable
Time to post!
Samaura emphasizes that networking should be mutually beneficial and to remain open when learning from others. You are the captain of your personal brand and your social media is an extension of that brand.
"Be intentional, my network is your network" - Samaura
AMA wants to thank Samaura Steele for speaking with us today. Her presentation provided our members with valuable information regarding personal branding and networking. If you would like to connect with Samuara, you can find her on LinkedIn. Make sure to check the UMD AMA website for upcoming events and meetings!
Resources:
- Brenna Williams
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