We hear a lot about “branding”. What is your “brand”? How are you going to establish your “brand”? What is your “branding” statement?

My friend Kevin Turner explains it this way: “You are on a two story elevator with nine other people just like you going to interview for the same position. Right before the doors close the CEO gets on. What can you say to him that will set you apart from everyone else on that elevator? What can you say that is short, sweet and will get you remembered for the right reason?

It’s a two story elevator. You have five seconds. Even if you have your resume summary down cold, it won’t help you here because it’s probably too wordy, filled with wastebasket adjectives and/or make you sound like everyone else.

Here are a few of my favorites:

• COO – “I want to be number two to a dreamer.”
• EVP of Sales: “I’ve never missed a number.”
• Director of Audit: “I don’t do what you do. I help you do what you do better.”
• EVP of Marketing: “I get people to buy from you.”
• Director of Communications: “Listening is my creative force.”

It’s not as easy as it looks because it’s difficult to write less than more, but it is effective.

If it were easy everybody would be doing it.

Just sayin’.