DIY tips: Personal Branding for Conductors

You learn something every day.

Here are the basics from a new course for conductor branding by Mette Hojen, MA in Rhetorics and an expert in executive performance:

Find a pen and paper. Give yourself 5 minutes and write down the words that come to your mind when you pose this question to yourself: 

What words or terms do I want musicians to describe me as?

For example, that could be: 
Engouraging
Good at writing press releases
Inspiring
Good at PR
Humorous
Variation in rehearsals – always! 
Expert in arranging music for brass ensembles 
Warm 
Respectable
Good networker

When your list is made, take a close look and pick three you want to work with. 

Then, design you own personal brand pitch. You might find help by placing them in these opening sentences: 
 
My name is (…)
I’m (…)
In my work I focus on (…) 
I’m an expert in (…)
It’s important for me to (…) 
I’m passionate about (…)

When your three phrases are linked together, you must read them out loud and practice. 

 Let’s try it:

My name is Herbert von Karajan
I’m Ruler of the Universe
In my work I focus on Control 
I’m an expert in Everything
It’s important for me to Be in Control 
I’m passionate about … Oh, I’ve forgotten about all that foolishness years ago.