 Folks, the phrase personal branding has been around for a long time. In fact, it was coined back in 1997 by Tom Peters, who said, regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies, Me, Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be the head marketer for the brand called you. That was over two decades ago, but if you're playing a game of catch-up and you want to learn more about personal branding, especially for the meetings and events industry, I've got some best practices for you and some reasons why this is so important. Stick around. Hey friends, it's Leanne, and as I mentioned, personal branding was coined back in 1997, but my real exposure to personal branding was when I attended a conference in 2012 and Kaplan Mowbray did a session on personal branding. I quickly bought his book, The 10 Ks of Personal Branding, and I still refer to it today. That was when I really became intentional about my brand and learned the importance of how I can follow you around from organization to organization, which is a great thing when you're in a relational industry like meetings and events. When I started this blog and this vlog, that's when personal branding really became alive for me, and I really saw the ROI in creating a brand for myself. And whether you are a meeting planner, a hotel salesperson, a DMO salesperson, or anyone in the events industry, the importance of having a brand is paramount. It can create additional opportunities for you in the industry and really help you build a reputation of someone who's contributing. Here's why I feel personal branding is so important in the meetings and events industry. Number one, people trust people, not things or organizations. And we see lots of friends do this well. Nike does it all the time by having athletes promote their products. It's because we trust in Michael Jordan, and so those shoes are going to make us fly like Air Jordan. It doesn't really matter that it was Nike. It could have been Reebok. It could have been Asics. It could have been any brand. But because Michael Jordan put his name behind it, we trust in him, and that's why we purchase it. The same thing goes for our industry and the organizations we professionally represent. Number two, you can lean on your brand for professional opportunities. In a sea of job candidates or perhaps a plethora of applications to speak at a conference, if your personal brand is strong and relevant and compelling, you will have a higher likelihood of landing that opportunity over someone who may not have spent as much time on the brand. And that's because it all goes back to number one. People trust people, and without creating a brand for yourself, it's difficult for me to create a strong, compelling relationship with you and, in turn, trust you for a service or product. Reason number three is it opens doors for opportunities. Not only are you seeking opportunities, but when you have a strong personal brand, people are seeking you out to collaborate on opportunities. And that's what our industry is really about. And that's why I love having a personal brand in the meetings and events industry. Number four, in a post COVID environment, a lot of our networking opportunities in person have vanished. So having an online or a virtual presence and having a strong brand may put you ahead of the game of people who have relied on those in person networking opportunities to create connections. There is still immense value in in person networking and in live events. Do not get me wrong. But in a time when our exposure to those events is limited, we need to find other venues to get our brand out there. And number five, the organization that you work for today eventually will change. GenXers are really the first generation that has taken multiple jobs over a lifetime, but that personal brand follows you from corporation to organization to opportunity. That's why it's so relevant and important for you to build your brand and take it with you. So how can you build a strong personal brand? I'm going to give you six things that will help you get started. Number one, through your social media profiles. And of course, there's so many platforms that you can do this on. I highly recommend you choose one platform, create a robust brand and then start to add additional platforms onto your social media networks. But there's so many ways that you can create a brand that translates from platform to platform and conveys a consistent message about who it is that you are. Number two, create content. Right now, content is still king. For those of people who are creating content, relevant content, they're getting eyes on that content. And of course, their personal brand increases as well. Tip number three, share others relevant content by uplifting others in the industry who have something to say and have something to share. You are also contributing to the overall brand of the industry and create eyes on your own profile. It's a great way to build your personal brand. Tip number four, show up consistently. So regardless of the platforms that you may choose to build your personal brand, make sure that you're showing up consistently for those who are paying attention to your brand. That way you cement yourself as someone who is an industry thought leader through the content that you post on a regular basis. Number five, be consistent in your messaging across the platforms, especially if you have multiple places to be on any given day, and sure that the brand that you've created for yourself, the messaging is consistent from Facebook to LinkedIn to Twitter to YouTube. If people see inconsistencies, that's when the trust starts to break down. And of course, tip number six, be authentic. In a generation where storytelling is king, being authentic and honest in your messaging will help you create a stronger personal brand. We've all seen personal brands fail when they've been caught in a lie. So being truthful and honest and authentic in your own brand will create trust faster with your audience. Friends, if you're currently building a personal brand, I would love to hear some of your success strategies, share them with the community below this video and help others who are feeling a little bit stuck in building their own brand. And don't forget to check out my newly updated resource, 10 ways to connect better with meeting planners. Again, your personal brand really ties in well in engaging with your meeting planner clients and prospects. Friends, the time to work on your brand is now. Spend some time this season growing your brand, building your online presence and creating opportunities for you and your business. Best of luck. Bye for now.