Networking: What do you do? Name ONE thing.

Today I read a terrific article by Liz Ryan - “Personal Branding in Slashtown” about people who want to be all they can be - and tell the world. I’m a blogger/career coach/personal brand strategist/rock star, and… Yeah. Hard for one person to take all that in, right?

Her point, which is right on the money, is that you’ve got to decide who you are and communicate that - not everything all at once. It’s confusing to the listener.

I worked with a client making a career transition, and we worked hard on creating a dynamic brand-driven sound bite that gets attention, without overwhelming the listener.

Picking one thing can be tough, but it’s important. As my client first said, working through the exercise, “It’s like my whole career - skills, experience, knowledge is summed up in this one project. It just doesn’t feel right.”

That may be true, however, in networking, and asking your friends, etc. “who do they know,” it is important to be clear and focused. Sharing ONE story helps people get an idea of what you can do for someone. It also helps them easily share your story with their connections. They become your personal sales force.

Aha! Yep, she networked like a rock star after that and made several connections, which led to interviews.

Challenge: Create your sound bite. Be focused. Here’s a link to a step-by-step strategy: Personal Branding Sound Bite.