Public speaking has many selfish benefits for me, the speaker. Mainly the feeling I get watching people respond to what I say even when the tough love can get heavy on the tough sometimes. Certainly seeing the immediate application realized is rewarding. The analogies that hit me, like "change presentation on the fly" while listening to the questions, comments and stories members of the audience offer is another takeaway we all love, myself included.
Earlier this week I was speaking to a group of self employed commodities. Well into the personal branding discussion and somewhere into tactical strategy and critical thinking, a lady who has been doing what she does for many years offered that she needs to "update her image". Another clarified, "like your image [picture/logo] on a blog or website?"
Well, that could be part of it. But she was referring, and the discussion continued, to the perception others have of her in her line of work. The growth and honed value proposition that is not represented. It is time to get the word out of the added value and success over the years. The unique value proposition. Well we nailed it and she will add a communication strategy to be proud of.
The funny thing is the accidental brand awareness moving forward for me and the others involved with our discussion in front of everyone - when we see 'update image' on various websites we are involved with, it will be a long time before many of us stop thinking about her new value proposition. She may get a lead in the future from someone thinking of her as they upload a picture on their blog.
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