Polishing Your e-Image
As an organization’s
top executive, your image reflects
that of the organization. Fortunately,
the Internet provides a variety of ways
to build your profile.
By Joyce Bosc
Identity-focused advertising has been used successfully for decades. Think about
it: CEOs who have promoted their
companies in advertising include Frank Purdue, Dave Thomas of Wendy’s, and John
Schnatter of Papa John’s Pizza, to name a
few.
The CEO as spokesperson is
also vital to public relations as the
key person interviewed by the media.
Since advertising and public relations are key drivers of the brand, it only makes
sense that the CEO’s
brand or reputation is inseparable from
the organization’s brand.
Today, a brand
is even more than the personality of
your organization. It’s more than your
association’s reputation, slogan,
member relations programs, operations,
or even trade shows. Today, you, as CEO,
are a brand too. Therefore, in addition to your job as Chief Branding Officer (CBO)
of your association, you also need to establish and maintain your own personal e-brand.
According to a comprehensive research study by Burson- Marsteller and Wirthlin Research,
more than 40 percent of an organization’s
reputation is based on the CEO. The study
surveyed 2,600 different audiences, including board members, media, government officials,
analysts, and CEOs.
The bottom line — no
surprise — is this:
Credibility translates into profits.
In fact, statistics show people are three
times more likely to pay a premium for a well-respected company’s services and
products. They are three times as likely
to recommend them and twice as likely
to want to work there.
Fortunately, the Internet offers you vast new opportunities
to convey or expand your executive brand
through Web sites, e-mail, and more. Here’s
how.
1. identify your key messages.
Two different
exercises — message mapping and the brand “litmus
test” — will help you define your e-brand.
Message Mapping. Message maps
are nonlinear creative exercises
used by executives for years to help
them prepare for media interviews. Why
not use it to help you develop your key
brand messages?
To do this you’ll need to incorporate your association’s brand, culture,
and mission, since your own e-image
should dovetail directly with it. To get ideas, spend some time examining the e-images
of other executives in your field, as well as e-brands of professionals in unrelated
fields, to help you think outside the box.
It may also be useful to visit the Web sites
of some of your favorite professional
athletes. Sports celebrities such as
Michael Jordan and Darrell Green do an outstanding job of using the Internet to establish
their personal e-brands. Both Jordan and Green’s
Web sites include a bio complete
with a color portrait, a profile, career
highlights, and action photos. Jordan’s
site also includes information about
his corporate and charity involvement, as well as a link where individuals can post
questions. The most important tip to remember is to let your own personality show
through.
The Brand Litmus Test. Ask colleagues to give you three adjectives that best
describe your organization’s personality.
Now collect all responses and tally the
votes to the top three. These three adjectives now become your litmus test, and everything
you do, say, show, or produce online should pass this test. So, if your organization’s
brand is “innovative,” put a wow factor in everything. Here are some
possible examples:
- AARP — large, influential, evolving
- American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association (ASHA) — effective, dedicated, innovative
- National Geographic — adventurous,
educational, reputable
- National
Dairy Council — fun, creative, healthy
- CNN — reliable,
authoritative, successful
- Hallmark — sentimental, sincere, thoughtful
Now,
analyze your current e-image. Be
honest. Do you reflect those three adjectives
already? This leads to the next step.
2. Always launch your e-brand internally
first.
This step is the most overlooked
in both organizational branding and executive
branding. And when it is skipped, it
quickly leads to a brand disconnect.
The first audiences that need to buy
into your brand are employees and colleagues,
so make sure the entire organization understands how this is a win-win situation.
Motivating employees to support the executive e-brand is necessary for organizations
that are consistently top performers. In addition, internal support for your e-brand
is especially relevant today in light of our economically challenging times.
A credible
e-brand must balance external audience
needs and the internal culture and values of your employees. When an e-brand is clearly
defined, employees can become “brand
ambassadors” who promote the key messages of the brand. Effective internal
branding can be established through a grassroots campaign and by using your company’s
Intranet. In the long run, the internal communications program can energize employees
and build morale.
3. Use the Internet (and plain English) to share your brand.
As
the leader of your association,
you need to be prominent on your Web
site, too. Most association Web sites are not early adapters of this new brand strategy.
The obvious first step is to add an executive biography, but a remarkable number of
association Web sites do not even have this. Out of nearly 30 Web sites we reviewed,
only four were making an effort. For example, the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association (www.asha.org) provided a photo and background information on each executive.
The American Psychological Association (www.apa.org/about/president) did an exemplary
job. (See APA Does it Right for details.)
For association executives, e-mail is an
ideal opportunity to reinforce your brand.
Add a personal branding line or favorite quote to your e-mail signature or at least
the slogan for your association, to demonstrate that you share the association vision.
Establish your personal “tone” of
language in all electronic communications. You can have a professional tone and still
sound personal.
You also need to address standards. If your association’s marketing
collateral and publications follow Associated
Press (AP) or Chicago style, for example, this should be consistent in all communications,
including letters and e-mails. Many leaders have lowered standards for their e-mails.
They are too casual in tone, and the content often contains typographical and grammatical
errors. It is important to enforce your standards for quality, no matter what the
media. Make sure your staff follows house style as well.
4. Publish an e-newsletter,
contribute to e-zines, send e-briefs,
try e-verything!
Every communication is
an opportunity to reinforce your brand.
Publishing your own e-newsletter is a great way to stay top-of-mind with your audiences
and to position yourself as a thought leader in your field. Just make sure there’s real news your audience can use — chances
are they already have more fluff and sales pitches than they know what to do with.
Don’t contribute
to clutter.
If this is too grand a goal, consider just an e-brief or e-touch that is shorter
and less time consuming. At 80 to 100 words, an e-brief or e-touch can be e-mailed
to special target audiences such as donors, sponsors, select media, board members,
and even other CEOs. They are fast, easy, and frequent.
You can also contribute articles to online publications. Since there are so many
e-publications out there, ask your public relations or communications department
to research and rank the top five to 10 online publications for you to be in. Then
aggressively and consistently approach editors with story ideas. Or try an op-ed
piece or a letter to the editor — two of the most under-used communication
tools.
Another great way to boost your visibility is to participate in online forums
such as those on washingtonpost.com
(www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/liveonline) or the Wall Street Journal Online (http://online.wsj.com/public/us),
webcast conferences, workshops, and seminars. Then post your speech, article, op-ed,
or transcript on your Web site. Share your experiences, and you may be surprised
at how quickly your image becomes a vital element of your influence.
As with any
other marketing or branding strategy,
you’ll make the biggest impression if you are an early adopter. Soon,
we’ll be reviewing Web sites again for new executive e-brands. I hope we’ll
find your e-brand when we do.
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Joyce L. Bosc is founder and CEO of Boscobel Marketing Communications,
Inc. (www.boscobel.com) in Silver
Spring, Maryland, a branding, public
relations and marketing consulting
firm. A branding pioneer, Bosc launched the corporate identity and branding of America
Online from its infancy, including AOL’s first-ever
free software direct mail campaign.
Bosc is also the co-founder of ESTN Communications Group, LLC, which provides internal
and external communications outreach to the federal government market. She can be
reached at (301) 588-2900.
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source on advertising, branding, marketing and public relations? Contact
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