On Tuesday, February 18, I attended a workshop run by Brandi Boatner, Social and Influencer Communications Lead, Global Markets Brand Communications Manager, IBM Corporate Communications. The Newhouse public relations department brought Boatner in to lead a workshop on perfecting your personal brand in the digital decade. As a student in a course about advanced public relations writing for the digital world, I have learned that how you present yourself online is just as important as how you represent your clients.
Although Boatner did not select me to workshop my personal brand, I have since been thinking long and hard about the strengths and values my personal brand brings to the table. She asked participants to name three words that describe what you "bring to the table." For instance, she defines her personal brand as the 3D’s: digital, data and diversity.
I have used Boatner as the inspiration for my 3A’s: activism, ambition and authenticity. I pride myself on my strong sense of self and constant voice in my writing and online presence. I am also vocal about causes I believe in, and I am a strong ally to friends and strangers alike. I am also ambitious and strive to create the best product possible every time. I never step down from a change and am unapologetic about my values and work ethic.
Boatner challenged us to view our personal brand online like a consumer. She asked us, “What is your brand and what does it mean?” Why should people care? What do you bring to the table? Just like every corporation must identify its strengths and values to maintain a consistent communications strategy, we must do the same for our digital brands. She presented four important questions for developing brand identity:
What is your brand known for?
What differentiates your brand?
Who does your brand serve?
What is your brand’s “enduring idea”?
Brands are successful because they are true to their core values and embody them in their product, their business goals and their communications strategy. I think that Boatner’s concept of the “enduring idea”—the single word that defines the soul of your brand—is something that we all know more intrinsically about ourselves. For me, my “enduring idea” is advocacy. I will always speak my mind and advocate for myself and my values. I am not afraid to speak up when something isn’t right, and I hope to bring the value of advocacy into my public relations work. I want to advocate for brands, companies and organizations that I believe in.
I can apply my “enduring idea” to my client brand as well. In the case of La Casita Cultural Center, I chose to work with a brand that provides artistic value and a sense of belonging to the Syracuse community. La Casita has its own values and goals, but I can advocate for their cause by working on their digital brand. When we do research and apply strategic goals to our digital content, then we can do our best to effectively advocate for our client to consumers.
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