Self Marketing Power

I

Jeff Beals

Branding

Yourself as a

Business of One

Keynote Publishing • Omaha, NE

Copyright © 2008, by Jeffrey S. Beals. All rights reserved. No part of this book may

be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For

information, address the Editor, Keynote Publishing, LLC, do 13518 T Street,

Omaha, Nebraska 68137, 402-884-5995

Neither the publisher nor the author is engaged in rendering legal or other

professional services through this book. If expert assistance is required, the serv￾ices of an appropriate competent professional should be sought. The author and

publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity

with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly

or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2007931587

ISBN-lO: 0-9797438-0-X

ISBN-13: 978-0-9797438-0-1

Cataloging in Publication Data on file with Publisher

Cover and Interior Design © TLC Graphics, www.TLCGraphics.com

Editorial services: Sandra Wendel, Write-on Inc.

Marketing and Publicity: Concierge Marketing Inc.

Author photos: Blaser Photography, Omaha, NE

KEYNOTE PuBLISHING, LLC

PO Box 540663

Omaha, NE 68154

www.selfmarketingpower.com

Printed in the United States of America.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

I

Preface

LTHOUGH THE TITLE OF THIS BOOK IS SELF MARKETING POWER:

Branding Yourself as a Business of One, it is really much more

than that. Above all, it is a book about success - personal,

career and business success.

I wrote this book hoping to make a difference in the readers' lives. I

want to help people be more successful and come closer to realizing

the tremendous potential that dwells inside them. As a former college

dean and current part-time collegiate instructor, I care a great deal

about the success and personal fulfillment of those around me.

Fostering success in others is simply part of my nature.

It is my belief that self marketing is an essential component of career

success. Too often I have seen talented - but excessively modest - peo￾ple work tirelessly only to watch someone else benefit in the end. Too

often I have seen potentially successful people fall short of their goals,

because they didn't know how to promote themselves in an assertive

but tasteful manner.

Today's marketplace is crowded and noisy. That's why self market￾ing is so important. Billions of people are competing for the spotlight.

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SELF MARKETING POWER

Those who actually get the spotlight to shine on them are the ones

who flourish.

Whether you're hoping for a job promotion, trying to land a big

client or striving to make a difference in your community, one thing is

for sure: you have to stand out. You have to speak out on your behalf.

Successful people must know and use the secrets of self marketing.

This book reveals and explains these self marketing secrets. It helps

you, regardless of your current success level, go further down the path

toward high-level self marketing competence - an almost magical

realm where your self marketing is purposeful and directed but out￾wardly appears humble and effortless.

Self Marketing Powers content comes from diligent research and

close observation of highly successful individuals as well as my person￾al experience as a real estate executive, academician, radio talk show

host and newspaper columnist.

As you read on, you will quickly realize two of my most significant

self marketing philosophies.

First, professionals in any industry are businesses unto themselves.

Each person is a brand. Regardless of your chosen profession, you are

a "business of one" rather than an employee ofsomeone else's business.

Second, each professional needs to think like a politician. Like the

politician running for office, you are campaigning for something. It's

a personal, lifelong campaign for whatever matters to you. Politicians

never miss an opportunity to promote themselves before potential

voters. Likewise, you should constantly promote your brand to your

own personal "voters."

The first four chapters of Self Marketing Power explain exactly what

self marketing is and why ambitious professionals must engage in it.

Chapters 5 through 12 discuss the nuts and bolts of self marketing:

how you actually market yourself in an effective but tactful way

Chapters 13 through 20 are critically important, because they explore

how the traditional elements of success - attitudes, philosophies and

behaviors - should be synthesized with self marketing principles.

- vi-

PREFACE

Those readers who are interested in pursuing different career oppor￾tunities will be particularly interested in Chapter 17, which provides a

new and refreshing approach to the job search process.

Self Marketing Power is written for anyone who wants more from life,

but it is especially useful for:

• Ambitious people who want to move up

• Professionals who are feeling restless in their current jobs

• Salespersons hoping to do more business

• Business owners who want to boost revenue

• Prospective entrepreneurs who have not yet pulled the trigger

• Community volunteers who want to establish bigger names for

themselves in order to make a bigger difference

• Recent college graduates who want to accelerate their

career success

Upon completing this book, I hope you are left with new insight and

practical, how-to knowledge, but I also hope you are left with a lot of

"feelings." Among these feelings would be excitement, inspiration,

confidence, enthusiasm and motivation.

By simply picking up this book, you probably possess the basic inter￾est and desire to accomplish more and rise higher. The trick is to put that

interest and desire to work for you. By doing so, you just may achieve

the highest levels of career and life success you have ever imagined.

- vii-

I

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Acknowledgments

RITING A BOOK IS A MAJOR UNDERTAKING AND REQUIRES THE SUPPORT

of many people. Fortunately, there have been many by my side

along the way.

The support of my family means everything to me. I would espe￾cially like to thank my wife, Stephanie Beals, who always provides me

great support and encouragement. I am blessed, because she is a great

wife, friend and business partner but also a wonderful, loving mom to

our son, Jack.

I am indebted to my parents, Terry and Mary Beals, and several

other family members including Dr. Greg and Maria Beals, Scott and

Jill Graves, Kacie Beals, Rollie and Shirley Winter, Manish Das and Lisa

Winter-Das.

My trusted friend and confidant, Trenton Magid, is my employer at

Coldwell Banker Commercial World Group and my business partner

in a couple other ventures. My long friendship with him has given me

great material for this book, but just as valuable, his support and

understanding gave me the confidence to pursue it.

Jim Vokal, another colleague at Coldwell Banker Commercial World

Group, is a close friend and my next-door neighbor at the office. He

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SELF MARKETING POWER

has had to endure frequent updates about the progress of this book.

His encouragement has been valuable. I would also like to thank

Tucker Magid, Ryan Callinan, Jennifer Turkel, Carl Weiland, Carol

Behm, Jean Lahti, Bob Robinson and the entire team at Coldwell

Banker Commercial World Group. Elaine Clark, our Director of

Accounting, played a major role in this effort a couple years ago, when

she asked me to deliver a speech on self marketing for her chapter of

American Society of Women Accountants.

As a man with many interests, I have several "part-time jobs" in

addition to my full-time work in commercial real estate. My side jobs

have given me the perspective necessary to understand self marketing

and personal success more deeply In that spirit, I am very appreciative

of Dr. Lou Pol (Dean), Dr. Kim Sosin (Chairwoman Emeritus,

Department of Economics), Dr. Roger Sindt (Director, Real Estate and

Land Use Economics Program) and Dr. Donald Baum (Chairman,

Department of Economics) of the University of Nebraska at Omaha

College of Business Administration.

I would also like to acknowledge Gary Sadlemyer, Bill Ryan, Roger

Olson, Scott Voorhees, Jim Rose, Tom Stanton, Ken Wurdeman, and

the entire team at News Radio 1110 KFAB. I also appreciate and value

my strong relationship with the guys at The City Weekly especially Jim

Minge, Dan Beckman and Andy Ruback.

A significant portion of this book's content came from my work in

student affairs and the career success presentations I have been giving

to college students for 10 years. Accordingly, I am grateful to Patrick

McBride, Dr. Terry Dixon, Estelle Johnson, Terri Heggemeyer, Jason

Barelman, Connie Bottger, Dr. Theresa Lamsam, Heather Nelson, Pat

Crisler, Jane Schaefer and Dr. Andrew Gustafson.

A book cannot be successful without a great publishing team. I

received marvelous support and guidance from Lisa Pelto, owner of

Concierge Marketing, who persistently encouraged me to turn my

speeches and lectures on self marketing into this book. I also appreci￾ate my editor, Sandra Wendel. TLC Graphics of Austin, Texas, designed

the cover and interior of the book. A big thank you goes to my friend,

-x-

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Mitch Arnold, owner of Preferred Partners, who manages www.selfmar￾ketingpower.com. He also handles the website for my radio program.

In preparing this book, several friends and professional acquaintances

have been great at providing support and giving advice. In particular, I

would like to mention Scott Kennedy, Kirk Swartzbaugh, Scharlie Fitts,

Dave Arch, Kristine Gerber, Pete Coen, Darren Obrecht, April Kelly,

Frank Allen, Karla Ewert, Lou Chiganos, Rob Krohn, Bridget Lynch,

Michele Singh, Rev. Lou Forney, Scott Meyerson, Kurt Cimino, Jerry

O'Doherty, Nicole Adams, Jason Butts, Craig Wolf, Juleen Olson, Jerry

Wajda, Jennifer Wurth, Ammy Magid and George Morgan.

-xi -

Contents

Preface v

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction: Are You Ready to Change Your Future? xix

• Each of us has a personal brand.

• We need to promote ourselves in our careers just like

a politician running for office.

1. What is Self Marketing? 1

• It is more "art" than science.

• Only a fine line separates self marketing from egotistical

boasting.

2. No Room for Shrinking Violets:

Why You Must Market Yourself 9

• In a competitive, fast-moving, global economy,

you must be noticed in order to succeed.

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SELF MARKETING POWER

• Effective people self market for career reasons, to increase

name recognition, build a reputation, help promote their

employer, get new clients and gain a prestigious social stand￾ing, allowing them to further their beliefs.

3. The 8 Critical Rules of the Game and How to Win 17

• Eight critical rules you must know before marketing

yourself.

4. Who Are You? It All Starts with Name Recognition 31

• Establishing a well-known name and a public reputation

allows you to take advantage of our culture's obsession with

fame and celebrity

5. Get Involved: Find Opportunities

Where You Least Expect Them 41

• Much of your career success will take place outside

the office.

• Being "everywhere" brings great opportunities.

6. Start Self Marketing Inside Your Current Company 61

• Sometimes the best opportunities are under

your nose - how to exploit them.

• Use your company for your personal benefit

by setting up win-win scenarios.

7. You're Not the Average Joe:

Leveraging Formal Networking 75

• Learn an artificial but highly effective way to market

yourself to targeted individuals.

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CONTENTS

8. Hand-to-Hand Combat:

In the Trenches of Informal Networking 83

• Get down and dirty in the grassroots of self marketing.

• "Goal-based networking" - use it to your advantage.

9. Harness the Media 99

• Understand and respect the media's awesome power.

• Learn how to manipulate the media for your

personal benefit.

10. Speak and Write Your Way Out of Obscurity 113

• You can be a highly sought-after speaker in your area

of expertise.

• Getting gigs: how to find speaking and writing

opportunities.

• Methods used by good writers and speakers.

• Why speaking and writing are two of the most

powerful self marketing tools available.

11. Anytime, Anywhere: Unleash the Power of the Internet. .. 133

• It's cheap. It's the best way to reach a younger audience.

It goes everywhere and allows you to market yourself 24/7,

even when you are sleeping.

• Personal websites, blogs and podcasts.

12. Think Like a Marketer 141

• How to use classic marketing theories and concepts

to promote YOU, a "business of one."

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SELF MARKETING POWER

13. Bend All the Rules: Creativity Is Key 151

• You can market yourself by creating something unique

and of value.

• Creativity elevates you above your competitors.

• Be the first. Be the only

14. Never Stop Learning 159

• Learning is a lifelong endeavor.

• Only wise, talented and up-to-date people are effective

self marketers.

15. From Ordinary to Extraordinary:

Planning, Goal Setting and Time Management 169

• How to turn your dreams into reasonable action plans.

• Avoid the time traps that can bog down your

self marketing as well as your whole career.

16. Make It Look Easy: Perpetual Professionalism 191

• Consistent behavior is essential.

• Assume you are always being watched; act accordingly

• Have your printed, personal marketing pieces ready

to go at all times.

17. From "Don't Know You" to "Can't Live Without You" .... 203

• How to get the upper hand in the job-search process.

• Empathizing with the hiring manager gives you an

advantage over other candidates.

• How to prove you are the solution to the hiring

manager's problem.

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CONTENTS

18. Take Your Foot Out of Your Mouth

and Roll with the Punches 221

• What to do when you're all dressed up with no place to go.

• How to bounce back when Murphy's Law punches you in

the gut.

19. Tons of Room at the Top:

The Attitude and Altitude of Success 227

• The right attitude makes you marketable.

• Take the initiative.

• Responsibility, authority, accountability.

• How to keep the basics in line, so you can focus

on higher-level career endeavors.

20. You: The Superstar 239

• Final thoughts on Self Marketing

About the Author 243

More Self Marketing Resources 245

Index 249

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