Thought I’d share this New York Times blog this morning from a reporter, Marci Alboher. She’s a reporter for the times, and also writes a blog called "Shifting Careers." In this particular edition, she talks about how people can create their personal brand.

I bring this up because, as a non-traditional PR person, I tend to get questioned a lot on my methods – "You sure that’s the right way to do things?" Or, "oh, please, that’ll never work." Or my personal favorite, "It’s been three weeks and you haven’t sent out one damn press release!"

Sometimes, though, it’s nice to be proven right.

The New York Times blog can be found here, and I’ve enclosed the paragraph of note below. (Emphasis mine.)

Today, it’s easier than ever to convey your personal brand to the people you want to know it. Consider what Peter Shankman is doing. In an era when public relations people have been getting a lot of flack from journalists, Mr. Shankman has found a way to get me (and probably other journalists) interested in what he has to say. He started a Facebook page called, “If I Can Help a Reporter Out, I Will,” that showcases his brand of being a terrific people finder. I’ve never met Mr. Shankman, but I know that he’s a publicist who knows a lot of people and that he has helped me find sources for stories. I’m sure that some of those sources are his clients, which is fine with me. What’s unique about Mr. Shankman, from a journalist’s perspective, is that while I’ve known him for some time, he has never once pitched me a particular client or sent me a news release. Instead, he gets in touch to ask what I’m working on and whether he can help. That behavior makes him someone whose e-mails I don’t hesitate to open. I know he’s not going to waste my time trying to sell me something I’m not buying. I can’t really think of a better brand impression for a public relations professional to communicate.

Shankman fades back… Swoosh!

And that’s the game.