The 4 keys to building brand in education | 2017 edition
All educators are leaders, and all leaders need to brand
It’s becoming a bit cliché to say that ten years ago everything we depend on now didn’t exist, but it is true. YouTube and Facebook were infants. The smartphone was yet to launch. In fact, most tech giants were skeptical of the iPhone.
On a side note: I responded to Larry Kim that the smartphone has replaced my laptop, and I think it will replace many more laptops in the next 5 years.
Here’s what Microsoft’s CEO, Steve Ballmer, had to say about the iPhone then:
In hindsight, we can all laugh at this now. Let’s face it, the idea that we’d all be walking around, bumping into things because we are busy tapping the screen of a virtual life remote was a little bit funny to imagine.
Silly or not, it’s our reality today. Our devices have connected us with a wealth of information and opportunity that has disrupted media establishments and righted an economy that was honestly a bit wayward in 2007. If you look at this transformation from the regular Joe’s perspective, it’s a win-win no matter how you slice it.
Yet, there are still way more technology detractors than there should be. I realize that many of us did not come of age with this technology. Heck, I was born sandwiched between Generation X and the Millennials. So, you’re correct, I didn’t grow up with a device in hand, but I still learned to code by using the Lrn app and participating in MOOCs. I learned to speak a second language (casually) thanks to @duolingo, learned to network on Linkedin, to self publish, and edit YouTube video. All because of the volume of information being shared through social media. So can you, so can anybody with minimal effort.
Gary Vaynerchuk said it best. His response to the detractors is that “none of us grew up driving either, but you figured it out.” He’s also remarked that it’s far better to put yourself out of work, then to have the market do it to you.
I think these are important insights. Change is not going to stop happening. Especially when the transformation that is taking place is leveling the playing field the way that it is.
With this in mind, I’m going to share the 4 keys to creating a brand for yourself so that regardless of the changes that occur, you will be positioned to stay successful. These ideas are building on my most recent article on Medium which includes the thesis that we are ALL learners. Click here to check it out.
#1 Personalization
Personalization is about tailoring your content to your end-users. Most importantly, the first thing you need to be doing is creating content that supports your personal brand.
Once you start creating content, then you can personalize it in two ways. First, you should be sure to include the real you in it. Include images, video and authenticity. You are the center of the content. Always remember that hose who are viewing it are doing so because of you, not in spite of you. The second thing you will want to do is to diversify your content so that it targets different demographics even within a niche.
For instance, my target is education. Within that target group I create content for different demographics. This article is targeted towards established professionals. My vlogs on YouTube are targeted towards a younger subset. I expect students and prospective teachers will tune in to the vlog episodes. Here’s an episode as an example:
#2 Speed
Speed trumps perfection. Especially when it comes to content and branding. There is so much content out there that if you dawdle around trying to be perfect, then you will always miss the opportunities. Always remember that the story is the most important thing. The second most important part about producing brand content is the execution. If you can’t execute, then people will tune out. But, if you can produce content quickly with an authentic narrative, and solid (not necessarily perfect) execution, then you are going to create a strong brand.
#3 Empathy
Your brand must demonstrate your level of empathy and self-awareness. This has a lot to do with your ability to personalize your content. Content creators who are thinking about the end-user first are naturally going to be the best at creating a brand that oozes with empathy. Always consider how your content is going to improve the life of the person who just spent their valuable time consuming what you created. If you cannot justify the users expense, then your content does not have good ROI, move on to a new idea.
#4 Data analytics
Familiarize yourself with the data feedback loop of the given media platform(s) that you are using. This is the detail that will help you to grow your brand. It is also surprisingly time consuming. Data analytics is the area that takes the most practice, patience, skill and experience to master. It is also platform specific, so set aside some time to do your research and experiment.
Why brand is critical for educators in the digital age
First, all educators are leaders. With this in mind, there are two types of leaders in the field of education today. Transactional leaders and transformative leaders. Transactional leaders are managerial in nature. They work in a world of small transactions, often face to face. Their influence is dependent on collocation and is greatly limited by this situation. Transformative leaders on the other hand have learned to leverage media to extend their message. Because of this they are not limited by location. There are fewer constraints on them.
The key difference between the two models is that Transactional leaders are spending most of their time playing defense. They are reacting and responding more than anything else. This is not conducive to building brand, whether it be your organizations brand or your own. Transformative leaders are playing offense. They deploy brand. Thanks to the tools that they use which amplify their message.
If you are looking for educational branding inspiration you may want to follow Eric Sheninger. He has been doing the brand game in education for a long time. He’s a great resource for understanding transformative digital leadership. You can check out his BrandEd ideas here.
The one minute take away
Educators who build a brand by using new media tools are winning. They are connecting with educators and creators around the world and learning faster than their peers. In turn, they are able to more effectively perform on the job, which means that the students are winning too. After all, that is what the occupation is all about, helping learners win. The key is that you need to be creating content so that you can extend your brand and influence. Share all of the gifts that your own learning and experiences have afforded you!
Want to explore school and educator branding some more?
In my next post I will explain in greater detail why you need to be branding as a DIGITAL AGE EDUCATOR. And remember, learning belongs to all of us. So, let’s make history together by creating compelling brands. Be sure to like this, share it, and leave comments! Thank you for your time & attention.
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