The June 2013 Reach Personal Branding Certification and 360Reach Analyst Certification Programs will be the very last courses I teach for Reach after six consecutive years. If you’ve been considering joining these programs, I’d love to personally train you. Learn more about the upcoming schedule and make an appointment to speak with me about these always hot summer programs at www.reachtrainingprograms.com.

It’s been my great pleasure to train hundreds of career and business coaches, talent managers, recruiters, HR professionals, resume writers, and image consultants to use the Reach methodology with their clients and gain clarity on their own brands in the process. What an honor to be a catalyst for touching the careers of thousands of professionals!

I have loved serving as Reach’s Certification Programs Facilitator for two main reasons:

1. After being the first person to ever register for the Reach Personal Branding Certification in 2004 and discovering how much this process really works, I grew my own successful personal branding practice and enjoy sharing best practices so program graduates may rebrand or launch their own initiatives in order to get a return on their investment.
2. Having been a very active part of the Reach Community’s growth from its inception, it has been amazing to witness, and participate in, all of the collaboration and support that occurs among Reach Strategists everyday. I’ve especially been gratified to bring on board the Strategists around the world who have also been the first in their countries to become certified—often accommodating widespread time zones and those taking the program in English as a second language. In recent programs, we’ve added several new countries for Reach, including the Philippines, Denmark, Poland, Greece, and Cayman Islands. Reach has truly cemented the position as the global personal branding leader with Strategists in 40+ countries.

Why am I leaving then? All good things must come to an end, and I’m looking forward to being able to give 100% of my business focus to my own brand building efforts and launching some new offerings.

Of course, as William Arruda’s coauthor of Career Distinction: Stand Out By Building Your Brand who, as he says, knows the Reach branding process better than anyone next to him, I will continue to remain engaged in the Reach community.

Kirsten Vernon is the Personal Branding and Online Identity expert for positive influencers who want to profit from their ideas and coauthor of Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand (Wiley) and the upcoming Branded Bio: How to Take Your Bio from Bland to Brand. As Reach’s Programs Facilitator, Kirsten trained more personal branding strategists than anyone worldwide.

1. What’s the difference between the 360Reach Certification course and the course to become a Certified Personal Brand Strategist (CPBS)?

360Reach Certification is the program that certifies you to use the 360Reach survey tool with your clients, the world’s leading assessment for reputation management. You’ll learn how to help your clients interpret their 360Reach feedback and take action steps to positively affect the way they are known going forward. Because our personal brands, although authentic to who we truly are, are held in the hearts and minds of others, 360Reach is an effective method of collecting external feedback. It’s a critical piece of the greater personal branding process, but is also a valuable stand alone tool and a way to spark further opportunities for personal development. You can start with this program and later apply your investment when you decide to upgrade to Reach’s full personal branding training. This program is approved by the ICF for 11 CCEUs.

It includes self-paced learning accessible online in the 360Reach Learning Environment and a live 90-minute Webinar. The Reach Personal Branding Certification Program provides comprehensive training in the only personal branding methodology that has been proven with hundreds of thousands of professionals since 2001. You’ll become a Reach-Certified Personal Branding Strategist and also become certified to use the 360Reach Assessment. You’ll learn how to discover, communicate, align, and manage your client’s brands. And, you will also get help with applying the Reach methodology to your own personal brand during the program. This 9 tele-class program is approved by the ICF for 50 CCEUs.

2. For whom are these courses best suited? What types of people enroll in the courses?

Because there are myriad ways to apply this learning, the participants in these programs are diverse. What they all have in common is their recognition of personal branding as an innovative, high-impact way to manage career and business success and a passion for helping people realize their full potential. In fact, The Wall Street Journal recently cited Personal Branding as the #2 “must have” job skill for 2013. (http://on.wsj.com/UHH9DG) Many participants also have a marketing background or an interest in marketing, but this is not a requirement.

The September 2012 CPBS Program that just wrapped up is a perfect example of the typical make-up of the participants in Reach’s programs. Reach has certified Strategists in 35+ countries, and this group had participants from Japan, Portugal, Turkey, Luxembourg, France, and the United States. It included career coaches, resume writers, image consultants, corporate talent managers, trainers, entrepreneur coaches, and leadership consultants. Here’s what one participant in the September 2012 group had to say:

For me, the Personal Branding Strategist Certification facilitated by Kirsten Vernon was a remarkable experience and a value-add to my work with clients. Kirsten strikes the right balance between delivering input on personal branding concepts and sharing her practical insights in dealing with her own clients. It is a must for anyone in the career management field who desires to establish a valued brand and help clients do the same. If you are ready to have a business or career growth spurt, I strongly recommend this certification. – Syndee Feuer, CPRW, CPCC, M.Ed, Career Tactics, LLC

3. Can I teach this material to groups once I’m certified?

The 360Reach Analyst Certification and the Reach Personal Branding Certification provide a license to use these tools and process with individuals. Because workshops and events are highly visible activities for the Reach brand, there is separate advanced training (Keynote and Masters Certification) for delivering personal branding services to groups. Those programs include a complete set of slides, speaker notes, and handouts for events and workshops.

4. Where can I get more information?

We have additional information about the programs at http://www.reachtrainingprograms.com. Also, our book, Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand explains the methodology that William Arruda pioneered. Often people who register to become certified are long-time fans of the book.

5. May I speak with you directly about either of these programs?

If you would like to speak with me about whether these programs are right for you or have any questions before registering, please contact me at kirsten at kirstendixson dot com and we’ll set up a time to speak.

We do have an early-bird special where you can save $500 off the price of the CPBS course that begins January 15th. Learn more at www.reachtrainingprograms.com

Kirsten Vernon (formerly Dixson) is William Arruda’s coauthor of Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand (Wiley) and the instructor for Reach’s Certification Programs. She’s trained more Personal Branding Strategists than any other person in the world, and she’d love to have the opportunity to work with you.

This comprehensive program equips you to use our personal branding methodology in
your work with individuals. Because you go through the program applying the process to
yourself, you get support in your own brand discovery. You will also become certified to
deliver the 360Reach personal brand assessment.

Learn more and register online or call Kirsten Dixson at +1 212 537 9120 ext. 3.

SPECIAL EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT
Register before Dec. 31, 2012 11:59 PM Eastern-US-NewYorkCity Time for the Jan 2013
program and save $500! Enter coupon code CPBSEARLY500 at checkout to receive discount
on payment. Plus you may also qualify for a 2012 tax write off when you pay in 2012
– consult your tax professional for details.