4 Ways to Promote your Personal Brand

1. Be Positive
2. Network. Network. Network.
3. Give. Give. Give.
4. Follow-Up

5 Keys to Finding a Job

I have talked to several people over the past few months that are in the unfortunate position of job searching. I am fortunate enough to be an entrepreneur and own my own business, so I don't have to worry about layoffs, cutbacks, or "fat trimming". I do know that if I was looking for work, I would apply to 5 Keys below. One thing I have noticed is that there are tons of jobs out there, but people just aren't looking hard enough and aren't looking in the right places. My degree (or piece of paper) says that I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce & Business Administration from the University of Alabama. More specifically, small company management. However, like I stated above, it's just a piece of paper. Going back to school for higher education is great and grand, but if you think that it's going to magically get you a high paying job, you are wrong. Job searching to me is about getting connected. Instead of thumbing the Classified ads or searching the internet for companies who are hiring, get out and meet people. Let the people in your networking contact sphere know you are looking. A personal introduction to someone is a lot better than calling and asking if you can drop a resume off and then hoping for an interview. I know people who have gotten jobs at companies that aren't even hiring, but the company was so impressed with the person and had a personal recommendation from a friend, that they gave them a chance. Once you're in the door, blow them away. Be self educated. Teach yourself new skills.

5 Keys to Finding a Job

1. Don't do the basic bulleted resume. That's boring and gets lost in the pile of others. A good friend of mine owns a company that does Video Resume's. His clients really stand out when they send a video resume before the interview instead of the basic Word document or fax cover sheet. Check him out: My OVR

2. Go to every networking event in your area. Attend local BNI meetings. Get connected with people and let them know you are looking. Don't be afraid to ask people to help you. If you have 20 people who trust you and are willing to drop your name, you'll be much more likely to land something big.

3. Get some part-time work. As much as it sucks, if you are in between jobs, go get a part-time job at Lowe's, Home Depot, Best Buy, etc. The company you are interviewing with will respect the fact that you are proactive and continuing to work while looking for more "permanent" work. Plus it helps pay the bills while you are in transition.

4. Self Educate. Read books, lots of them. I love anything on entrepreneurship, marketing, and networking. Whatever your interests are of the field you are trying to get into, learn more about it. Read trade magazines and journals about that industry so you are up to date with trends and news.

5. Don't participate in the negativity or the recession. Just because the news and everyone around you says the economy sucks and the world is coming to an end doesn't mean it's true. Always have a positive attitude and be proactive and you'll rise to the top.

Are You Part of the 20% or 80%?

If you know me, you know I love reading business related books. I try to read about 30 minutes every night before I go to bed. This is the time that I "unwind" and reflect on the day that was and the day to come tomorrow. I am currently reading "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell. So far this is a terrific book and I would highly recommend it to anyone in marketing or if you have an entrepreneurial mind. One key idea that jumped out at me last night was this:

**20% of people do 80% of the work

-This can be related to your business, your social circle, or anything else. This is very similar to the 80/20 rule of business. (20% of your clients/customers create 80% of your revenue stream).

-The example in the book is about word-of-mouth referrals for a restaurant. A daughter takes her dad to one of her favorite restaurants. The dad loves it so much he comes home and sends out a mass fax to all of his close friends telling them about the restaurant and that they need to go eat there. The dad would be the 20%. The other people would be the ones that casually mention the restaurant name to a friend or possibly pick up the phone and call a few friends. The dad is the one that took word-of-mouth referrals to the next level. He went above and beyond the norm because he really liked the restaurant and wanted to let everyone in his contact sphere know about it.

**So my question is, are you part of the 20% doing the work and really spreading word-of-mouth or are you part of the 80% casually passing information along to a few people?

5 Blogging Tips

I just started blogging a few months ago and would still consider myself new to the blogging world compared to most. I am in the process of having a custom layout created for a new WordPress blog that will be anchored at www.treyschaefer.com so be sure to keep an eye out for that in the near future.

I was always terrible in English class and would not consider myself a very good writer. However, blogging to me isn't about being a good writer or having proper English and proper grammar. The main thing is to get your point across if you have one, make it easy to read, and add some value to your readers. I have compiled a list of 5 things you can do to create a great blog that will really turn heads:

1. This is the obvious one, blog on a topic you are knowledgeable in as well as passionate about.

2. Be consistent, but don't overdo it. You don't have to update every single day, but going months at a time without posted a new update will keep people away.

3. Add some video. This is an area I plan on doing a lot more of on my new blog. Video helps people get to know you better by seeing the real you as well as your personality.

4. Keep your posts to a few paragraphs. Nobody has time to read a 3 page blog post.

5. I highlighted this one because it is the most important thing you can do. It's fine to send out a link of your new post on Twitter and Facebook, but don't overkill it. If you are constantly trying to sell yourself and your blog, it will turn people off. The most important thing you can do is read other blogs. Search topics that you are interested in, read those blogs, and post comments. When you post comments on someone else's blog it shows that you are interested and that you care enough to take the time to read their posts. Most of the time if you post on someone's blog they will then read your blog, Retweet your comments on Twitter, and so on.

Nobody is perfect so don't worry about it, just get started. The main thing I learned in my first video is that I kept watching it and thinking I sounded stupid, or didn't sound good, or whatever. It doesn't matter, just get your info out there for others to see. If it adds value and is relevant others will comment and that's how Social Relationships form.