LinkedIn and Branding

With over 238 million users on LinkedIn, if you don't have your own proper profile, then you do not exists in the eyes of prospective employers. According to a study by Bullhorn, 48% of recruiters use LinkedIn exclusively, for filling employment positions. So with all the competition out there, how can your profile stand out among the crowd?
 I found some great information from Parmjit Parmar at the Huffington Post, regarding what information every profile should include. She emphasizes distinction and a defining uniqueness. If you are not remembered, then you will not be hired. The best way to achieve this is through your profile's summary. This is the space where you tell your brand story. Let your prospective employers get to know you and your professional journey. Personal branding guru, William Aruda, expresses this as your "unique promise of value".

Another helpful tip for an outstanding profile is to keep it updated. Along with your contact information, your professional photo and technical skills should be refreshed periodically. A fresh photo will keep your brand in your connections' minds. By updating your skills set, your value for continued education will be made apparent. 

Lastly, an extremely imperative part of your profile that Parmar reminds us of, is the contact section. I know this sounds so obvious, but it was mentioned across the board so I assume that missing contact information does happen. But it is not enough to only incorporate your contact information. It must be current, linkable, and most of all, offer access. You MUST make yourself available by any and all contact information which you provide. When opportunity calls, how can you seize the day if you don't answer your phone? 

QR codes: In the Information Age, what can be better than a quick response?

Originating in Japan in 1994, QR codes have become the amplified version of our all-familiar barcode. QR codes, short for quick response code, are camera scannable images of algorithmically placed markings that hold information of some useful form. It's speedy readability and immense storage capacity has allowed this technology to slowly make roots in countries around the world. As read at Marketing Charts, only about 24% of Americans reported scanning a QR code within the last 30 days.

I was actually surprised by this low percentage, thinking of all the useful information that can be communicated in this way, and with such little space! So I did some research to find out just how these codes are being used. Of course there is the marketing aspect of products, labels and brands. There are even the fun and whimsical ways that we can integrate QR codes into our lives. One such example comes from Kentaro Fukuchi, as read in NewScientist (refresh the page, if link does not work) , who envisaged a technologically savvy toaster, which burns a QR code into your morning toast. Scan it, and you now have information regarding your commute to work that day. 

Putting whimsy aside, there are also some companies that are dedicated to saving lives with the help of QR codes. I found a very interesting article on Wired that explained how Mercedes wants to do just that. On their automobiles, strategically placed QR codes are linked to information regarding the dangerous areas of that specific model. First responders can now quickly avoid a volatile system when using the jaws of life to rescue a victim of a car accident. Mercedes is actually so passionate about this idea, they are waiving the right to patent it so that any automaker has the ability to follow along. How refreshing!

Another way that QR codes can be life-saving, is by documenting personal and medical information. From BeQRious, a program called MyInfo911 in Palm Coast, Florida is already utilizing this technology to provide medical information to emergency rescuers about victims that are found hurt and unable to respond verbally to medical questions. It can also be used to identify and notify the parents of injured or missing children. 

With so many advantages to using QR codes, why are they not more popularly used in our daily lives? As the "movers and shakers" of Silicon Valley, I think it is our responsibility to make our family, friends and clients aware of the benefits of this technology. So I challenge everyone who reads my blog to create your own QR code, if you don't have one already. Link it to your webpage, or even your phone number. Put it on your business cards and on your email signatures. The only way to make something an everyday item, is to start using it...everyday.

Some links to creating and customizing your very own QR code: 

http://www.qrcode-monkey.com/
http://d2c.es/
http://www.visualead.com/qurify2/

Social Networking and the Lack of Security When Promoting Your Brand: the Dark Side of Social Media

Recently, hacks of major corporations and publications have been on the rise. As reported by Business Insider, even Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook account was targeted last month in an effort to reveal a bug in their security. Although this was not an act of malicious nature, control was momentarily gained over Facebook’s brand identity. All of our reputations are vulnerable in this way and, by nature of social media, a moment is all that is needed. With followers upon followers, “news” spreads like wildfire across the internet. 

This is not just an issue for personal or corporate accounts, though. It became apparent on April 23rd of this year, that a lack of social network security can turn into a national financial panic in an instant. That afternoon, at 1:07 p.m. ET, the Twitter account for the Associated Press was hacked by the syrian electronic army. A bogus tweet read:

 “Breaking: Two Explosions in the White House and Barack Obama is injured.” 

Immediately, the false claim was being re-tweeted by the thousands. Panic set in and the Dow, at 134 points, plummeted a staggering 145 points in the 3 short minutes. Pacifying the situation, the American Press announced the information as false, bringing the markets back up in almost the same amount of time. 

Since this security breach, many other accounts have been also attacked by the syrian electronic army. The Gaurdian, The Onion, and even more well known news sources were targeted, such as The Washington Post, CNN, and most recently The New York Times. Luckily for them, big business can survive a security breach like this, but what about the small businesses that are being targeted? Phishing scams are the main culprits of successful small business account hacking. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, 36% of small business are attacked each year and of those, 60% go out of business. 

Many small business owners are not aware that they are vulnerable to such attacks. Awareness, then is the fundamental aspect to their protection. I found some good tips from Cisco that can put the power back into the hands of small business owners. You can check them out here: http://www.cisco.com/web/solutions/smb/need_to/secure_my_business_primer.html

Here is a clip from the Rachel Maddow show discussing the security breach of the AP's Twitter account:

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