Thanks to @ cmykdorothy for her share of the following article: Manifesto: I Am Not a Brand.  There are several quotes that resonated with me. 

Article Exerpt: “My neighbor [fellow speaker at a conference] had a lot to say. She had a MESSAGE. She talked longer than anyone, and over everyone and through everyone. Her message, as far as I could determine, was that the internet is all about getting out there and SELLING yourself.

‘I’m a brand,’ she said, every minute or so. ‘I’m always thinking of ways to promote my brand.’ It was all brand, brand, brand, brand, brand.

The other thing she said that made my head swivel around uncomfortably was, ‘Get your message and repeat it OVER AND OVER. Just keep saying your message OVER AND OVER in the same way. Just tweet it and put it out on Facebook OVER AND OVER.'”

My Reflection: This is a strategy, but I would argue an unwise one.  The first thing that comes to mind is The Boy Who Cried Wolf.  When do you dull the follower.  I’d rather surprise a reader than drone on and on with the same message.

Article Exerpt: “Just to be clear on this thing I am not, maybe I should define my understanding of personal branding. A personal brand is a little package you make of yourself so you can put yourself on the shelf in the marketplace and people will know what to expect or look for when they come to buy you. For example, Coke is a brand. When you see Coke, you expect a dark brown effervescent sweet drink that is always going to taste like . . . Coke. McDonalds is going to sell you inexpensive, fast food. The Ritz or the Four Seasons is going to sell you a luxury experience. BP will now be known as the brand that destroys the costal ecosystem of the southeastern United States.”

My Reflection: To me as a reader, I enjoy when the writer makes me think.  I don’t like following one train of thought.  I’d rather be challenged with disparate lines of reasoning so I can find my place.

Article Excerpt: “So there we were, grappling for the microphone, polar opposites in every way. And then I noticed that when people on the other side of the table were talking, the woman pulled out her phone and started reading messages. She didn’t listen to what the others were saying.”

My Reflection: This is my biggest obstacle regarding social media.  There are so many voices, and so many are just shouting at the top of their lungs to listen to me.  Who’s listening?  It’s nearly impossible to listen to all of the voices.  It’s not because you don’t want to listen, it’s because you get overwhelmed.  If I do read and try to engage, I become consumed, paralyzed, and have trouble doing anything else.

Article Excerpt: “Some people don’t get it. They don’t get that the Internet is a conversation. They think the message only goes one way — out. Things must be shouted. Things must be thrust in your face. Things must be sold.”

My Reflection: Conversations require 2 or more individuals who are talking and listening.  Sometimes, I get the feeling that if I don’t respond quickly enough the conversation will go on without you.

Article Excerpt: “The other side, the side I am on, is the one that sees an organic Internet full of people.”

My Reflection: The more voices, the greater the engagement, the richer the experience, the greater the opportunity for collaboration and creativity.

Article Excerpt: “I write because I actually like doing it…”

My Reflection: I write because I need to.  If I don’t I’ll lose my way.  But I can tell when someone really likes writing and enjoys it.  It’s refreshing to read from those people and inspires me.

Article Excerpt: “

MY POINT IS . . . it’s early days yet on the Internet, and lines are being drawn. We can, if we group together, fight off the weenuses and hosebags who want to turn the Internet into a giant commercial. Hence, the manifesto. It goes something like this:

The Internet is made of people. People matter. This includes you. Stop trying to sell everything about yourself to everyone. Don’t just hammer away and repeat and talk at people — talk TO people. It’s organic. Make stuff for the Internet that matters to you, even if it seems stupid. Do it because it’s good and feels important. Put up more cat pictures. Make more songs. Show your doodles. Give things away and take things that are free. Look at what other people are doing, not to compete, imitate, or compare . . . but because you enjoy looking at the things other people make. Don’t shove yourself into that tiny, airless box called a brand — tiny, airless boxes are for trinkets and dead people.”

My Reflection: This stands for itself.  Love it!