#66 - Empowering Faculty to Build Their Personal Brands w/ Dr. Sheena Howard

Higher Ed Storytelling University

My guest today is Dr. Sheena C. Howard, an award-winning author, filmmaker, and professor of communication. In this episode, Dr. Howard discusses her book "Academic Branding: A Step-by-Step Guide to Increased Visibility, Authority, and Income," and how universities can empower their faculty to build their personal brands, which in turn benefits the institution.

Dr. Howard shares her nine-step process for faculty to build their personal brands, focusing on the first six steps that are most relevant to higher ed marketers. She emphasizes the importance of mindset, storytelling, and the long-term commitment required to build a successful online presence.

Key Takeaways:

• Faculty personal branding can directly benefit universities through increased visibility, citations, and student enrollment.
• Start by addressing faculty mindset - they need to understand that their work has value outside academia.
• Help faculty develop a clear vision for their online presence, focusing on one or two platforms where their audience is active.
• Brand building is more about crafting a compelling story around research than logos and colors.
• Storytelling is crucial - share struggles and failures, not just wins, to build a relatable brand.
• Building a brand is a long-term commitment; it's not a quick fix or get-rich-quick scheme.
• Universities can support faculty by recording and repurposing their presentations for social media content.

Connect With Dr. Sheena Howard:

• Websites:
  • Personal: https://sheenachoward.com/
  • Company: https://poweryourresearch.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsheenahoward/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drsheenahoward/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsheenahoward/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drsheenahoward
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/DrSheenaHoward

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: "Academic Branding: A Step-by-Step Guide to Increased Visibility, Authority, and Income"
• YouTube Video: "How to Land a TEDx Talk" by Dr. Sheena Howard
  
  

Connect With John:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnazoni
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