Guest post by Kim Dority – part 2 of a 2-part series on Professional Brands [Editor’s Note: The original article focused on your brand for traditional employment/career success. I have added notes for applying this information to your online/blogging career, designated with the “Editor” preface.]
Read part 1 – Build Your Professional Brand for Career Success

Having a strong, positive professional brand will open up opportunities for you throughout your career. Having a bad professional reputation, however, can sabotage your career in countless ways. Are you guilty of any of these brand-damaging behaviors?

Burning bridges with previous employers.

Had it with your job? Resist the urge to simply tell everyone what you think of them and then stomp out the door. No matter where you live or what profession you’re in, assume it really is a small world, and your unprofessional behavior may come back to haunt you in the future.

Editor: Don’t blast out a blog post or tweet letting everyone know just what you think about a particular brand or company. Instead, think about turning the experience into a productive blog post for your readers to learn along with you…without naming names.

Over-sharing photos online.

Yep, it may be fun to post Friday night’s bar-hopping escapades on your Facebook page, but keep in mind that photos posted online tend to be much more visible – including to potential employers – than you’d imagined.

Editor: Obviously, depending on your personal brand, this may be fine. But, if pictures of you dancing on the bar at the latest blogging conference is not in-tune with your standard online persona, you might want to think twice about them.

Not watching your online words.

Like photos, online communications (think blog posts, comments, association discussion lists, etc.) live on years beyond their original publication. Thinking about starting (or participating in) a flame war? Think twice – how would this look to a potential employer?

Editor: This is something I think the majority of bloggers, particularly women bloggers, know all too well. In our blogging community, it seems to happen all too often. One blog post about another blogger and/or their blog, leads to multiple comments, tweets, and other blog posts. Remember that via search engines, all of your words will live forever.

Sabotaging co-workers.

Word gets out quickly when you develop a reputation as a back-stabber. Play nice – when you help others succeed, they’ll be much more interested in helping you succeed.

Editor: Our blogging community can be a great benefit to each of us. I know that through recent exchanges within my own network, we’ve been able to help each other out with our blogs tremendously. But, it takes everyone playing nice and helping each other out equally.

Being unreliable.

Everybody drops a ball now and then, but if you consistently fail to meet deadlines, deliver papers on time, or show up prepared, you’ll develop a reputation for being unreliable and immature – regardless of how smart or talented you are.

Editor: If you agree to be part of a campaign that has a specific time line, then you need to meet that time line. If you’ll be unable to do so, the professional thing to do is to communicate with your contact for that campaign and provide a new time line that is agreeable to both parties.

Taking credit for others’ or team efforts.

A professional looks for ways to give credit to those who have earned it. If you take credit for others’ work or successes, you will develop a reputation as a selfish, untrustworthy co-worker. That reputation quickly makes its way to bosses and potential employers.

Editor: Give credit where credit is due. If you were inspired by another blogger, then say so. If you worked with someone on a project, then give them the proper credit.

Being difficult to work with.

You don’t want to develop a reputation as the person who’s temperamental, moody, arrogant, negative, or always taking offense at perceived slights. You want colleagues at previous jobs to want to work with you again, and recommend you to their new employers. If “difficult to work with” is part of your professional brand, everyone will find ways to avoid working with you!

Editor: I have heard that PR agencies do talk to each other. If you’re known to be hard to work with on campaigns, word may spread. The same for clients. People look for recommendations and your goal is to be recommended amongst your network and your network’s network.

Neglecting to say “thank you.”

Throughout your career, a lot of people will help you in various ways. Remembering to thank them, especially with a written note, is not just a professional courtesy, it’s how you build a reputation as a conscientious and appreciative colleague. Failing to do so marks you as unappreciative and selfish – characteristics unlikely to contribute to a positive professional brand.

Editor: Even in blogging and other online businesses, thanking those you worked with – as a client, on a campaign, etc. – will be appreciated. And yes, personal handwritten notes are still loved by many, but even an email will go a long way.

Do you tend to think about how your actions might affect your personal brand?

This post was co-written with Ana Lilian Flores of SpanglishBaby.

When I began blogging in 2006, it was hard for me to find other Latino bloggers. There were some, but in the last year and a half there has been an explosion in how many Latino-owned blogs are now published. In fact, the Blogs By Latinas directory had only 156 registered blogs in October 2009 and, less than a year later, has added 505 new ones, with that number increasing by the day. I think it’s all very exciting and couldn’t be happier about it.

I’ve been able to meet some amazing bloggers – and particularly women – who I wouldn’t have met otherwise. They are inspiring, smart, and generous. This is something that is not unique to them because they are Latinas, but the fact that they are, provides for an almost-immediate connection amongst us. We are able to relate on various levels, principally on living a bi-cultural life.

But you see, Latina bloggers are outpacing the general market in our growth. According to Sophia Mind, Hispanic women in the U.S. are one of the fastest-growing online demographics, and more than 85 percent of Latinas visit social networks on a regular basis. It makes sense then, that Latina bloggers are now seeing much more interest and engagement from brands and companies. Why? For the same reasons we connect with each other; we are Americans who easily maneuver two cultures – often times two languages as well – and we love our social media, which is perfect for spreading the right message.

Let’s take a look at two companies in particular that have successfully engaged with Latina bloggers: General Mills and V-Me.

This past May, General Mills invited 32 Latina bloggers from around the country – flying most of us to Miami at company expense – to participate in the re-launch of Que Rica Vida, its Hispanic-focused family website. The event was unique in that it was the first time in the blogging world that a company focused so heavily on marketing to Latinas. Through attending, we were able to learn about the brand’s initiatives, connect with other Latinos (bloggers and journalists), and use our social media presence to share relevant information with our various online communities.

In addition to the efforts of General Mills, there is a group of seven influential Latina bloggers who are being sponsored to attend the BlogHer 2010 conference by V-me, a Spanish-language TV network in partnership with public television. This is the first time any media company is sponsoring a group of bloggers at a major blog conference, let alone a group that is culture-specific. It’s a timely decision, as this year, there will be more Latina bloggers at BlogHer than ever before. We will also have a more active role in the conference with the inclusion of the first all-Latina panel session at BlogHer and the Social Fiesta, BlogHer’s first Latina-inspired community party in celebration of Latina and Hispanic culture.

By selecting these seven women, each with their own following and niche expertise, V-me is building a relationship in which the bloggers act as advocates and create awareness for a brand they already know and trust. “V-Me’s partnership with popular American Latina bloggers is a sign of what is to come — the massive recognition by corporations that Latina brand ambassadors are a smart investment in reaching a powerful market that speaks in two dominant languages and thrives in two cultures,’’ said Carrie Ferguson Weir, publisher of Tiki Tiki Blog, an award-winning site about growing up, and living, Latino in the United States.

So, who are these women that have partnered with V-Me? The seven Latina bloggers chosen by V-me to represent the network are:

• Ana Lilian Flores – SpanglishBaby
• Carol Cain – The Adventures of a NYCity Mama
• Carrie Ferguson Weir – Tiki Tiki Blog
• Melanie Edwards – ModernMami.com and 40weeks Plus
• Rory Lassanske – Mamá Contemporánea
• Roxana A. Soto – SpanglishBaby and MimosBlog
• Silvia Martinez – Mamá Latina Tips and Disneylandia al Día

You’ve already heard from some of these bloggers above, but what do the rest of these Latina bloggers have to say about the recent surge in marketing to Latinas? In their own words:

“Marketers and PR agencies are turning their attention to the Latina blogosphere in a big way because they have noticed what a diverse, opinionated and influential group we are. As the Hispanic population continues its upward trend, brands will continue to reach out to bloggers who capture the true spirit of this diverse group and that know how to talk to us in a way that reflects who we are. Such is the case with V-me’s decision to choose seven of the most influential Latina bloggers, each with a voice of our own, to represent them as Ambassadors during BlogHer 10. This is a huge opportunity for us to show how professionally we approach blogging as a career and how far our reach can go.” – Ana Lilian Flores

“I believe that the support of bloggers by major brands and corporations legitimizes and recognizes the work, dedication, passion, and enthusiasm that goes into so many of the blogs out there. Blogs are the products of many creative people, people who inspire, people who support, and people who have something of value to share. When brands support blogs – good, well written blogs- they also help the entrepreneurs and creative writers behind them.

When those bloggers are Latinas, or women of color, they support something more. A voice not often well-represented or heard. I am excited to be a member of the V-Me group not because it gave me a way to get to a conference, but because it gave me an opportunity to stand side-by-side other Latinas who, despite our common culture, represent a variety of interests, lifestyles, and voices different from my own. A difference that was specifically sought out and is enthusiastically supported. Together we represent the differences in our culture on many levels, just as V-Me does. This type of blog-brand relationship is one I hope to see more of in the near future.” – Carol Cain

Are you a Latina blogger? What has been your experience with brands so far? If you’re on the brand or marketing side, what appeals to you about engaging with Latina bloggers?

Disclosure: I attended the Que Rica Vida launch event in Miami, FL as a guest of General Mills. All opinions and thoughts are my own and I was not required to post about the event. In addition, V-Me TV is a sponsor of mine for the BlogHer 2010 conference.

Photos by Dariela Cruz and used with permission.