These events impact the brand of the business and the individual in question—and unfortunately, not in a good way. So how should you respond when something goes wrong? Below are five principles to keep in mind as you seek to maintain a strong, appealing brand even when things aren’t going well.

1) Acknowledge the problem. Burying your head in the sand won’t work. If you’ve made a mistake, address it. As they say, the first step to overcoming a problem is admitting that you are facing the problem to begin with. Don’t make the matter worse by pretending that “all is well” when it isn’t.

2) Apologize if necessary. Once you have acknowledged that there is a problem, apologize to whoever was adversely impacted. It may be a single customer. It may be your employees. It may be your customer base. Heck, it could even be your town in the event of a catastrophic event like a chemical spill. Bottom line… if you’re at fault, come clean and apologize.

3) Identify what went wrong and make corrections. Make sure that this failure or mistake is not wasted. In other words, learn something from it so that you don’t repeat your mistake. It might be re-training your employees, it might mean a new marketing campaign, or it might be changing your entire business model. Take whatever action is necessary to avoid repeating your errors. Depending on the situation, it’s usually a good idea to let whomever was adversely affected know that you’re taking steps to avoid a repeat.

4) Change the conversation. Once you’ve acknowledged the problem, apologized, and taken steps to avoid a repeat… it’s time to move on! Allowing the conversation to dwell on the mistakes made in the past will only weaken your brand. So look for an opportunity to change the subject. Offer a great new promotion. Launch a new location. Write a book. Shoot a video. The options are endless—find an exciting way to change the subject and get your audience re-focused on the positive elements of your brand.

5) Continue to focus on relationships. I have said many times that “people buy people” and that investing in relationships is a critical marketing strategy. This is especially true when it comes to crisis management. If you’ve built strong relationships with your customers, employees, vendors, and your community, you can afford to weather tough times. The strength of these relationships means that it will be much easier for these people to “forgive and forget.” So continue to invest in strong relationships!

Nobody is perfect— we all make mistakes. How you respond to mistakes can determine the fate of your brand and ultimately your business. If you’d like to learn more, please get in touch with me or any of the Agents at our Agency today!

But sometimes, as I tell them, generating a bit of controversy can be exactly what your brand needs. Now, I’m not talking about just any type of controversy. I’m talking about going against the grain—providing value to your customers in ways that your competitors aren’t.

Think about the way Apple revolutionized the mp3 player market in the early 2000’s, and the then again the smart phone market a few years later. Customers loved Apple products, but their competitors certainly didn’t. Steve Jobs wasn’t afraid to shake up his market and put real pressure on the competition. The result speaks for itself.

You may not be an international corporation, but the point still stands. You shouldn’t be afraid to shake up your market and generate some controversy—whether it’s through an aggressive marketing campaign, a new approach to the services you provide, or by introducing a brand-new business model.

But it is true that the wrong kind of controversy can have negative consequences on your brand and your business. So keep these four points in mind:

1) Don’t be disrespectful. It is one thing to be bold and clear while promoting your products and services, and while contrasting them against the competition. It’s another thing entirely to disrespect and bad-mouth the competition in your market. While this approach may generate attention and even perhaps lead to a short-term spike in sales, it’s a bad long-term strategy. Treat your competitors with the respect that you would like to be treated with.

2) Make sure you have done your homework. If you are preparing to “shake up” your market with a new product, a new service, a new marketing campaign, or whatever… ask yourself this question: “why hasn’t anyone else done it this way?” It may be that nobody else has ever thought of the idea. But there may be other reasons – such as legal liability or other unforeseen consequences. If you’re going to take a bold step, you’re going to attract attention, so make sure you have “dotted your i’s and crossed your t’s.

3) Be prepared for the backlash. The better your innovation, the less your competitors are going to like it. So be prepared. I’ve had clients that have introduced incredible new services to their marketplace, and immediately had their competition gang up against them in an effort to defend the status quo. Don’t let this surprise you.

4) Never lose focus on providing value. This is the key. Controversy for controversy’s sake isn’t a winning strategy. But if the innovation you are introducing increases the value of your products or services to your marketplace, you’re going in the right direction. Run every decision through the filter of “does this increase the value we can offer to our customers?”

At the end of the day, your job as a business owner is to provide a superior experience to your customers and your marketplace. And if you have to shake things up in order to get your message out, don’t back down. Be bold, be clear, and get the word out. Feel free to get in touch with me or with any of the Agents at the Agency if you’d like to learn more!

Well branded, well produced video content is very effective when it comes to personal branding. Below are four specific reasons why this is the case.

1) Video allows you to establish a “personal” connection with your audience. While there’s nothing like shaking hands and looking someone directly in the face in order to establish a relationship, video is the next best thing. Unlike reading a book or interacting on social media, video gives the viewer the opportunity to watch your facial expressions, listen to your voice, and pick up on your body language. As a business owner, video gives you the opportunity to “connect” with your audience quickly and effectively.

2) Video allows you to clearly demonstrate your expertise. In addition to establishing a relationship, video also offers the opportunity for you to speak authoritatively on your area of expertise. It gives you the opportunity to answer common questions and concerns that your target market may have. It offers a platform for you to provide insight and analysis on issues of interest to your audience. The net result is that your audience walks with helpful information relating to their needs—and with the perception of yourself as a CelebrityExpert® firmly planted in their mind.

3) Video allows you to establish your credibility and position within the marketplace. Forget for a moment what you say or do in the video. Forget the substance. Just by appearing in a well produced video and by looking the part of an industry expert, you’ve already sent a powerful message. You’ve established yourself as a leading expert in your field. Combine first-class production and an impressive appearance with substantive content that showcases your expertise and you’re guaranteed to make a powerful impression on your audience. The key, of course, is that you need to invest the time and resources to create a video that looks highly professional. You’re a CelebrityExpert®-- and your video needs to reinforce that brand!

4) Video allows you to reach a larger audience. Finally, video allows you to reach and engage a large audience. On leading social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, video has proven to be one of the most effective means for engaging followers and fans. Simply by posting your video on these sites and other social sites such as LinkedIn, you can reach and engage a huge audience—increasing your exposure while also boosting your credibility and developing your brand.

Video is a tremendously effective tool for creating and strengthening your personal brand… and your CelebrityExpert® status. If you’d like to learn more, or if you’d like help getting started with your video strategy, please get in touch with me or any of the agents at our agency today!

This is a secret that virtually every successful brand has embraced. Nike doesn’t just sell shoes and shirts—they turn their customers into winners. Coca-cola isn’t just a drink—it’s an attitude, fun-loving and community oriented. Steve Jobs wasn’t just a brilliant engineer—he came to stand for innovation, vision, and of course black turtlenecks.

The ability of a brand to grow beyond just the products and services they sell is a major determining factor into the success or failure of that brand. This is true of global organizations and small businesses alike. And it’s true for you.

As I explain this point to clients and friends, the most common response is something like “but Nick… I don’t have a story to tell. I’m just a realtor.” (Or an investment advisor, or a CPA, or a dentist, etc.)

And my response is always “yes you DO have a story to tell. We just have to find it.”

Today, we’re going to discuss how to find (or create) that story. Below are several ideas.

1) Always highlight the benefits of what you do, not the features. Chances are, the actual products and services you sell aren’t that exciting. If that is what you focus on, it’s hard to create a compelling story. Instead, focus on the benefits. You’re not a stockbroker, you’re building a brighter financial future. My business doesn’t just do PR and marketing… we create celebrities. See the difference?

2) Highlight your impact on the community. Another great way to tell a compelling story is to show your audience what you’re doing to help the community. Launching an initiative to support local schools, or something similar, makes it easy for your audience to “buy in” to the story you’re telling.

3) Work your personality into your brand. Even if your business isn’t unique, you still can be. There are lots of wealthy real estate investors, but Donald Trump’s outlandish personality has put him in an entirely different category. Look for ways to incorporate your personality into your brand—along with your hobbies and your passions.

4) Set an ambitious goal. Sometimes, publically setting an ambitious goal can be very effective in terms of creating an appealing story. For instance, you could state that your goal is to sell a specific number of products this year, or have your product featured in a major magazine. Even better, you could combine this goal with a community initiative so that you’re working towards a great cause.

The key to creating an appealing and effective personality brand is to find the right story to tell. And I promise you, you DO have a story to tell. If you’d like some help identifying and communicating that story, please get in touch with me or any of the Agents at our Agency today!

But building a personal brand is not as simple as pushing a button. A powerful personal brand takes time and commitment to construct— but that commitment pays off handsomely as the brand begins to grow.

Like many other forms of marketing, for a personal branding campaign to be successful, it must feature consistent effort. You can’t simply wake up one morning, decide to spend three hours working on your personal brand, and then forget about it for another two months. That approach will lead to frustration, and little in the way of results.

Instead, personal branding must become a habit—part of your everyday routine and system. 

Yes, you’re busy. I get it. The demands of running your business are non-stop—the last thing you are looking for is more work. But you find time to brush your teeth twice a day, right? You take the time to straighten your tie before heading out the door. Where do you find the time and the energy? You don’t have to “find” the time—you just do it, because it’s a habit. And that’s what personal branding needs to become. A habit. This could mean a couple of minutes on Twitter after lunch each weekday, it could mean taking the time to personally call your customers to check in with them, or it could mean attending a networking function every week.  (Note: if this is too much for you, get your team involved! Find a social media savvy member of your team and place him or her in charge of your social media presence. Just make sure that you set clear expectations and hold him/her accountable!)

Personal branding isn’t about flashes of brilliance. It’s about being yourself, consistently, and engaging with the world around you. You’ll see limited results from your networking efforts if you only make it to a function three times per year. This applies to social media as well—one Facebook post or Tweet each month is much less effective than getting involved more frequently, because the point is to build a connection with your audience. And you can’t do that without consistent interaction. That’s why it’s critical that you are active regularly. You don’t have to feel inspired—you just have to be there, and be yourself.

Effective branding requires consistent activity. But you aren’t going to be able to be active consistently unless you establish a habit. It could be first thing in the morning, it could be the last thing you do before you leave the office, it could be after lunch, it could be between meetings—but whenever it is, find time to dedicate to your personal brand and start building the habit! If you’d like to learn more, or if you need some guidance as you get started, feel free to get in touch with me or any of the Agents at our Agency today!

In fact, the truth is that personal branding is more effective when you’re having fun. Personal branding is all about you – your personality, your strengths and weaknesses, your passions. For that reason, approaching it as simply another item on your to-do list won’t work. As 2013 kicks off, I encourage you to make personal branding a fun endeavor. Below are a few ways you can do this:

1) Be yourself. Many business owners make the mistake of building a serious, all-business personal brand. And while the core of your brand has to be your expertise within your market, a boring brand is simply not going to be memorable. So spice it up. Showcase your sense of humor. Share some opinions that may surprise people. Don’t hesitate to include your family and personal life into your public brand. You will connect with your customers and potential customers most effectively when they feel that you are a “real” person just like them—so stop being so uptight all the time!

2) Join associations and organizations that you genuinely enjoy. Networking is a big part of personal branding—after all, your brand needs an audience. But too many people force themselves to attend conventions and trade shows that they truly have no interest in. Do not go down that road. Instead, seek out organizations that you will truly enjoy—related to your industry, or not! If you like acting, join a theatre club that meets every week. Or find a club for fellow hobby enthusiasts. Make friends, be yourself, build your brand—and you will be surprised by how many valuable connections you create. And you will have fun in the process!

3) Support causes that you believe in. Supporting the community is a great way to gain exposure for you and your business—while helping out a good cause at the same time. Rather than supporting specific causes because you always have, or because you feel a duty to, seek out causes that you are passionate about. This could include local schools, community outreach—just about anything. By supporting an effort you truly believe in, you’ll be getting your brand out there while doing something you can truly feel good about.

Today’s consumers are savvy. They know when they’re looking at something genuine, and they know when they’re not. If you’re not truly committed to your branding efforts, they’re not going to ring true. That’s why it’s so important to stay true to yourself and to have some fun with the process. Give your audience a chance to get to know the real you—what makes you different, what makes you great at what you do. Make personal branding fun, and you’re going to be more successful at it. If you’d like to learn more, feel free to get in touch with me or with any of the Agents at our Agency!

1. Refine your elevator speech. When given 30-60 seconds to talk about yourself and your business, do you know what to say? Do you have a speech prepared that effectively communicates your brand and your points of differentiation? You never know when this will come in handy, so be prepared!
2. Live your brand. Personal branding only works if you truly commit to it.  Every interaction you have with your market—whether it’s a face-to-face conversation, a radio commercial, a website, or a speech—should be consistent with your personal brand.  By itself, your personal brand has limited value… but when you tie it in to every aspect of your business and your relationships, it can take your marketing efforts to the next level. Be particularly careful to “live” your brand while you are working with clients and customers—the impression that you create goes a long way to determine their perception of you and your business!
3. Smile! This may sound elementary, but the truth is that happy, positive people are more fun to be around, and therefore more memorable. Do your best to maintain a cheerful attitude when you’re around others—it really does make a difference.
4. Focus on relationships as you use social media. Twitter and Facebook are full of individuals and companies that are trying to establish their brand and sell their products by ramming them down their audience’s throat. It’s free marketing, the theory goes, so why not aggressively self-promote and sell? The problem with that line of thought is that most people don’t log on to Facebook or Twitter looking to be sold something. Your customers use Facebook and Twitter to build relationships, both personal and professional. The key to establishing your brand on these sites is to build relationships.
5. Don’t be afraid to grow. Change is scary. But it’s inevitable for a healthy business, and for a healthy personal brand.  Your business can’t afford to stand still—you should always be searching for opportunities to innovate and improve. Don’t be afraid to stretch and grow in 2013!

Stay tuned for five more New Year’s resolutions in an upcoming blog entry. Best wishes to you, your family, and your business in the New Year!

And… to stand out amidst your competition, you need to go against the flow. 

This makes logical sense, right?  If you want to become the industry expert in your area, ahead of all your competition, why would you want to sound and look just like everyone else?  Today we are going to take a look at various strategies for differentiating yourself and your business from the competition—while establishing yourself as the leading expert in your market.

Break the Mold

How many businesses, even today, put serious effort into engaging their market via social media and compelling web sites?  While some businesses are gradually starting to come around, the reality is that most small businesses have been slow to adopt social media and web marketing as part of their overall marketing strategy.

Of course, it is not enough to simply create a Facebook page and a Twitter profile and then sit back and wait for the phone to ring.  To build a truly powerful presence, you need to do social media differently than your competitors.  Keep these three principles in mind:

1) Focus on relationships. Twitter and Facebook are full of individuals and companies that are trying to establish their brand and sell their products by ramming them down their audience’s throat. It’s free marketing, the theory goes, so why not aggressively self-promote and sell? The problem with that line of thought is that most people don’t log on to Facebook or Twitter looking to be sold something. Your customers use Facebook and Twitter to build relationships, both personal and professional. The key to establishing your brand on these sites is to build relationships. Spend more time replying to status updates and tweets than you do creating your own.

2) Don’t be boring. Too many Twitter and Facebook profiles are completely devoid of originality, personality and substance. If you’re going to stand out, you need to be interesting and thought provoking. Post jokes, or commentary on pop culture, or predictions for upcoming NFL games. Tweet using only haiku form for a couple of days. Be creative. Find a way to express yourself, your personality, and the personality of your business.  Before you know it, you’ll realize that followers and friends are looking forward to your next tweet or status update.  Not only does this mean more exposure for your business, but it also means a stronger bond between you and your clients.

3) Break down the news. Twitter and Facebook are great sources of breaking news. As soon as anything of even minor importance happens, you can bet there will be thousands of posts announcing it and linking to news stories. Posting a link to a breaking news story will not help you stand out—but insightful analysis will. Imagine you’re a CPA for a moment, and a new tax bill has just been signed into law. Don’t just share the news, explain what it means for business owners and taxpayers! Your tweet will stand out from the thousands of others, because you won’t simply be stating what happened, you’ll be telling your audience what it means to them.  By breaking down recent developments that matter to your customers, you provide value to your social media followers—and you establish yourself as the clear expert in your market!

Social media can be a great way to differentiate your business from the competition—but you have to find a way to stand out.  Be creative, don’t hesitate to think outside the box, and keep these three strategies in mind as you build your social media presence.

Here are several ways to accomplish this with your personal brand:

1. Use your personal brand to highlight your experience and qualifications. Your customers want to know that they are in good hands. If you can position yourself as experienced and well-qualified, you allow them to simply relax and trust that you’ll get the job done right. That sense of confidence is exceptionally valuable—and most customers are willing to pay a premium for it.
2. Use your personal brand to emphasize your expert status. Media exposure is key—whether that means writing a book, publishing articles in nationally circulated magazines, or appearing on local TV. Many business owners laugh at this idea when we discuss it for the first time—their common response is “what in the world would I have to talk/write about?” But every business owner has a story to tell, and you are no exception! Emphasizing your expertise makes it easy to charge higher rates… because it’s a given that working with an expert means paying a premium rate.
3. Use your personal brand to communicate what makes you different. A well-defined personal brand makes it easy for your market to understand what makes you different from everyone else out there. At the Celebrity Branding Agency, we are passionate about the music and entertainment industry, and it shows—whether it’s on social media, through our website, or in face-to-face conversation. As a result, our clients know that we have the ability to leverage the same tools that are available to A-list celebrities. Take the time to define your most valuable points of differentiation, whether it’s your education, a revolutionary new product, or a commitment to exceptional customer service—and work to incorporate them into your personal brand.

Your clients prefer to do business with experts whenever they can. Think about it—when your child is sick and you have to choose a doctor, which would you prefer—one who is generic and non-descript, or a recognized expert in his field? Of course you’ll choose the expert. The same goes when you’re choosing an accountant to prepare your taxes, a real estate agent to help you sell your home, or even a mechanic to work on your car.

If you can develop a personal brand that communicates your qualifications, your expert status, and the attributes that set you apart from the competition, it will be very easy for your market to understand the value that you provide. And at that point, your target customers won’t blink at your price tag—because the value you provide more than justifies it.

But while the goal is to consistently strengthen one’s personal brand over time, the reverse is also possible. Below are six common branding mistakes that will sabotage your efforts to build a powerful personal brand. Are you committing any of them?

1) Poor focus. You can’t be everything to everyone. Your personal brand should be focused around a few key qualities—your unique skillset, your sarcastic sense of humor, or your years of experience, for instance. Trying to “do too much” ends up diluting your brand, and you end up not standing for anything. Identify the most important traits or attributes to highlight, and focus your efforts on them.

2) Being Mr. (or Mrs.) Negative. Nobody wants to be around negativity. So no matter what the specifics of your brand may be, stay away from negativity. Don’t complain on social media. Don’t start a phone call by complaining about the weather or your local sports team. Stay positive and upbeat as much as possible, and your brand will be that much more appealing.

3) Misunderstanding your audience. Do you understand your audience? I mean… really understand them. Do you know their hopes and their dreams? Do you know the fears that keep them up at night? It’s critical that you understand your audience in a very comprehensive way so that you can tailor your brand accordingly.

4) Expecting instant results. You can’t build a powerful brand overnight. Unfortunately, many business owners grow discouraged if they don’t see instant results—and as a result pull the plug on what could otherwise be a very successful initiative. Understand that building a personal brand is a long-term project, not something you accomplish overnight.

5) Putting it off. Branding requires consistent work on your part (or on the part of your staff). Updating social media, blogging, networking… it all takes time. And because most business owners are extremely busy, in many cases they end up putting off their branding efforts as they don’t seem as immediately important. Unfortunately, this mindset leads to weak or ineffective branding efforts. If you’re serious about your personal brand, commit to it!

6) Not telling the truth. The worst thing you can do when it comes to building a powerful brand is to make promises you can’t keep. Don’t make outlandish claims or crazy promises just to close a deal. While these tactics may be helpful in the short run, in time it will come back to haunt you. Be honest and upfront as you create your brand… that way you can be sure it is built on a solid foundation that won’t crumble over time.

Personal branding can be extremely profitable for business owners. We’ve talked extensively in this space about the process of creating an effective brand. But if you’re committing any of these mistakes, you’re making the job much harder for yourself! Feel free to get in touch with me or any of the other agents at the agency if you’d like to learn more.

1) Figure out what sets you apart. There is no such thing as a “generic” celebrity—they all have a unique skill, trait, or physical ability. Think Justin Bieber’s hair, Lady Gaga’s wardrobe, or Usher’s ability to dance. As a business owner, it’s up to you to identify what makes your business different from everyone else. It could be your years of experience and unique perspective. It could be the customer experience you provide.

2) “Dress for the job you want, not the one you have.” No celebrity waits until they are famous to start dressing and acting the part. Hollywood doesn’t work that way, and neither does the world of business. If you expect to become a market leader, you need to act like one—starting right now!

3) Leverage the media. If there’s one thing that Hollywood celebrities know how to do, it is to leverage the power of the media. Whether it is appearing on late night talk shows to promote themselves or a venture, dominating the tabloids, or giving interviews on the red carpet, A-list celebrities understand the “star power” that the media provides. We help our clients to do the same. How can you leverage the power of the media to promote your business and build your brand?

4) Embrace a cause or a charity. Celebrities routinely endorse or partner with causes and charities—everything from animal rights to cancer research. And while this usually reflects a sincere passion, it’s also an excellent opportunity for celebrities to build goodwill and generate exposure for themselves. How can you partner with a cause in your market in order to build your brand?

5) Never forget that it is your fans who ultimately make you famous. At the end of the day, it’s the fans that make celebrities who they are. Without millions of fans lining up to buy his albums and purchase concert tickets, Justin Bieber would be just another anonymous, albeit very talented, young adult. As a business owner, the same is true of your customers. Never, ever forget that your customers are responsible for your success… and treat them accordingly!

You may not realize it, but business owners can learn a whole lot about marketing and branding by paying attention to Hollywood! How can you apply these lessons to your business?   

It seems like you can’t go five minutes without hearing or seeing an advertisement for President Obama or for Mitt Romney, his challenger. (If you’re completely tired of them and just want the election to be over with already, I can promise you that you’re not alone!)

As you probably know, political elections largely come down to marketing and branding. “Likeability” is an important component of every election—and in fact, many experts believe that the President’s edge in the likeability category is largely responsible for his narrow lead in the polls.

At the end of the day, “likeability” largely comes down to personal branding—so we’re going to take a few moments to look at the efforts both Romney and Obama are making to build their personal brands. How can you apply these lessons to your business?

Pursuing photo ops. If you had a dollar for every time a presidential candidate was “caught” kissing a baby, you’d be very, very wealthy. And it’s no accident. Politicians are acutely aware of the power of photographs to communicate their brand, and they work tirelessly to ensure that they are photographed in as many flattering settings as possible.

Dressing appropriately. Political candidates want to appear to be normal people just like you and I—and they dress accordingly when they’re out campaigning. Mitt Romney in particular seems to be determined to shed the idea that he is somehow “different” from voters due to his wealth and his high-level business success. He can frequently be seen in a dress shirt, with no tie, and with his sleeves rolled up.

Talking about the same things their audience is talking about. Both Romney and Obama made a point of commenting on the “replacement referee” controversy that angered NFL fans through the first four weeks of the season. It’s entirely possible that both candidates did feel passionately about the issue, but it’s also clear that the controversy represented an opportunity to demonstrate that they are “normal” people too.

Interacting with voters and donors. If you pay attention, you’ll notice that politicians put a great deal of energy into every single handshake they make at a campaign event. They want each individual that they interact with to feel valued and appreciated. And they do this by focusing on each interaction, even if it only last for a couple of seconds.

Staying on message. One of the most important elements when it comes to building a personal brand is consistently staying “on message.” They want to hammer the same themes home time after time, and the more they can keep their message consistent, the more sincere and genuine they seem.

You may not be running for office, but you are competing for business. And each of the strategies that are currently being utilized by politicians across the nation can be adapted to work for you. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you’d like to learn more! 

So if a strong personal brand is incredibly valuable and accessible to every business owner, why aren’t more business owners succeeding in the world of personal branding?

The short answer is simple: they aren’t doing what it takes. Like anything else, building a strong personal brand requires commitment. And while many business owners are fired up and ready to go at the outset of a branding campaign, after a few weeks or months the enthusiasm begins to fade.

I don’t want to see you go down this road. As I often tell my clients, it is important that you set yourself up to succeed at personal branding. Below are five ways you can do this:

1. Create a system. Personal branding generally requires work on a consistent basic. Whether it’s posting on Facebook or Twitter, publishing blog entries and articles, working on a book, or something else entirely… it takes time. And without a system, these tasks inevitably fall by the wayside. So create a system- i.e., spend 15 minutes on social media right after your morning meeting, or work on your book every Tuesday after dinner. This leads us to the next point…

2. Delegate when appropriate. Let’s face it: many of you are too busy to spend the necessary time on your branding efforts. That’s okay—many of these tasks can be delegated to team members. However, it’s important that you clearly define the specific tasks each team member is responsible for, so that nothing gets “lost in the shuffle.”

3. Understand that consistency over time is the only way to get results. Building a powerful brand requires consistency—and it doesn’t happen overnight. Don’t expect “overnight success”, because it won’t happen and you’ll end up discouraged. Commit to branding for the long haul and I can promise you that you’ll see results!

4. Identify specific, measurable goals – both short and long term. It’s important that you work towards tangible goals—like surpassing 5,000 Twitter followers, publishing a best-seller, or reaching the first page of Google for important keyphrases. Remember that the best goals are specific, measurable, and tied to a deadline. Evaluate your progress on a regular basis and make adjustments as needed.

 Personal branding can revolutionize your business—and make you a whole bunch of money in the process. But it’s not going to happen if you put yourself in position to fail. Keep these four principles in mind and set yourself up for personal branding success!

That ingredient is relationships. It is only through building strong relationships that your personal brand can achieve maximum effectiveness.

Why is this? Because people buy people. They want to do business with individuals that they know, and that they trust. This means that, in addition to the more traditional branding strategies that you are pursuing, you must also be working to develop strong relationships with colleagues, fellow professionals, and potential customers.

These relationships have the power to “prove” that you are:

1) Trustworthy. Today’s consumers are increasingly skeptical, and with good reason. For every great business, there are five more that either do a terrible job or are outright scams. But a strong relationship demonstrates your trustworthiness and makes potential clients much more inclined to do business with you.

2) Knowledgeable. Trust is great, but it alone isn’t enough to close the deal. You need to show that you are a credible expert in your industry. Hopefully you’re pursuing some, if not all, of the strategies that we regularly discuss on my blog and in these articles—because they will position you as an expert within your market. But it’s important that your face-to-face relationship with consumers in your market convey the same image. If your books, your website, and your media presence position you as a respected thought-leader in your industry, your in-person persona should reinforce this image.

3) Relational. Consumers prefer to do business with others that they like. After all, if they’re going to be spending time working with you or with your team, they want to be sure that the time is enjoyable. (Or at least, that it’s not unpleasant.) For many of you, this comes naturally. But if it doesn’t, it’s important that you make an effort to become known as someone who is pleasant to deal with.

4) Reachable. Finally, developing real-life relationships with others in your market demonstrates that you are reachable. One of the fears that many consumers have is that they will agree to do business with an individual or a firm, write them a check—and rarely hear from them again. Work to establish a reputation as someone that is reachable—that returns phone calls or responds to email. It’s much easier for a potential customer to decide to do business with you when they have complete confidence that they’ll always be able to get you on the phone! (Keep in mind that it doesn't always have to be you. A good staff can help relieve the burden of having to respond to hundreds of questions, which happens when you have a large client base, and still keep your customers happy because you and your team are always reachable.)

As you work to create a powerful personal brand, it is important that you continue to invest into building and developing relationships. As you do this, you’ll find that converting prospects into clients becomes easier than ever!

This sounds great, right—but how can you actually make it happen? This is the first in a two-part series in which we will take a look at proven strategies for generating raving fans and creating loyalty. Where will we pull these strategies from? You guessed it… the music industry. As someone who is deeply involved in the music business as well as more “traditional” business, I witnessed firsthand how strategies that work for musicians can work for your business, too. So here we go…

1) Make fans (customers) feel like insiders. This is particularly true for bands that are just starting out and trying to build a fan base. I tell them all the time that the best thing they can do is make their fans feel like members of the band. The same is true of your business. Let customers get a glimpse behind the scenes from time to time. Sharing pictures on social media is one great way to do this.

2) Develop your own unique “thing.” Lady Gaga is notorious for her creative outfits and stagecraft. When Justin Bieber broke out, it seemed that his haircut was at least as important as his musical ability. What is your “thing”? What can you do to make your business stand out from the crowd? There are many different ways to answer this question—a catchy name for your business, a dynamite personal brand, or even a one of a kind product or service are all ways to differentiate from the crowd.

3) Cultivate relationships with other professionals. One thing that I can say with certainty: it is very hard to succeed in the music industry without the right relationships. And the industry is a relatively small and insulated community—so aspiring musicians must be very careful not to burn any bridges. The same is true in your area. Make an effort to build strong relationships with professionals and fellow business owners… because you never know when knowing the right person could make all the difference.

4) Don’t be afraid to grow. Change is scary. But in business, as in the music industry, the failure to change eventually results in obsolesce. Justin Bieber’s recent “evolution” comes to mind. His re-branding as an adult may have ruffled some feathers and saddened some fans… but the cost for not evolving would have been much worse. Your business can’t afford to stand still—you should always be searching for opportunities to innovate and improve.

Check back soon for part two, where I’ll break down three more lessons from the music industry that can be applied to your business!

1) Lack of confidence. You don’t have to be a “know it all.” But as you work on building a brand as a CelebrityExpert® within your market, it’s important that you build your own confidence. Think about it for a moment—let’s say you’re a business owner visiting a CPA for the first time. That CPA is known as the leading expert in his market. Would you expect him to speak and act with confidence? Of course you would—and a lack of confidence in his area of expertise would cause you concern. Again, I’m not suggesting that you should become a “know it all”—only that you have confidence in your abilities. You’ve worked hard to become who you are… you should be confident!

2) Not “living up” to their brand in person. This is a tough one, and it’s all-important. Whether you are branding yourself through social media, TV/radio, by writing a book, or any other channel… it’s important that you live up to your brand in person. The best way to do that is simply to create a brand that is an accurate representation of you and your personality. Don’t try to be something that you aren’t, and you’ll never have to worry about “living up” to the perception that you create.

3) Poor business cards and other visual materials. This one is simple—if you expect to be viewed as a CelebrityExpert®, your business card and other visuals like brochures, books, and your website must look the part. Don’t “go cheap”—you’ll pay for it down the road!

4) Using old marketing materials that conflict with the current brand. As a business owner, you hate wasting resources. That’s a good thing. But that mentality often leads people to continue using old marketing materials rather than throwing them out. (For instance, many business owners continue to use old business cards even though they have an updated logo.) It’s important that everything a customer or potential customer sees represents your brand—so bite the bullet and toss out any outdated materials.

5) Inconsistency. In order to create a strong brand identity, it’s important that you broadcast a consistent message day after day. Think about politics for a moment—an effective campaign hits the same message over and over and over. (Think Obama in ’08. How many times did you hear “hope” and “change”? How about “yes we can!” In 2012, Romney is doing his absolute best to focus like a laser on the weak economy.) Does your message stay consistent?

Questions? Comments? Would you like to learn more? As always, please feel free to contact me or any of our agents at the agency!

To an extent, they’re correct. Social media sites certainly do come and go. Five years ago, MySpace was the social media platform to have… today, it’s a distant memory. But while social media sites may come and go, the movement is anything but a fad. In fact, social media has existed for thousands of years. As humans, we are fundamentally social creatures. We love to talk, gossip, swap stories, and share our lives with friends and family. Thousands of years ago, people may have sat around the campfire or drawn pictures on the ground. Today, we use Facebook and Instagram. The tools have changed… but social interaction has been around as long as humans have been.

What does that mean to you? It means that you can feel comfortable using social media for marketing purposes—as long as you understand that social media is fundamentally about relationships. It’s not a magic solution that will instantly double your sales. But social media is a valuable tool for reaching customers and potential customers, with the ultimate goal of building strong relationships. Today, I’m going to share five ways that you can use Twitter to build stronger relationships with your customers and with potential customers in your market.

1) “Check in” with others when you are out together. Services like FourSquare allow you to “check in” when you’re at a restaurant, store, or other location. If you’re eating lunch with a client, check in and mention who you’re with. It’s a simple way to strengthen an “offline” relationship on Twitter.

2) Respond to re-tweets and mentions. Thank other users who re-tweet your content or mention you. It’s simple courtesy, and it encourages others to continue to interact with you, boosting your visibility exponentially.

3) Ask questions and look for opportunities to interact with others. Don’t treat Twitter like a one-way street, a place for you to broadcast your ideas to the world. Look for opportunities to interact. Respond to questions that other users may be asking. Compliment them on a great picture they have just posted. Ask a question that pertains to their area of expertise.

4) Participate in #hashtag conversations. Big events, like an American Idol Finale or an NBA Finals game, are typically discussed in real time by millions of users. Join the conversation by using the appropriate hashtag… like #NBAFinals or #Idol. This allows others who may not follow you to see what you have to say, and potentially form a relationship.

5) Be yourself. Tell jokes. Share stories. Don’t be all business, all the time. Let your audience get to know the “real” you—and you’ll find that your relationships have much more depth.

Twitter is a fantastic tool to help you build relationships with customers, colleagues, and potential clients in your market. Let me know if you’d like more information on this topic, and if we haven’t already, let’s connect on Twitter… I’m @NickNanton!

Taken together, these benefits can revolutionize a business—taking a “normal” business and turning it into a dominant force within its market. And I have had the privilege of seeing this happen many times.

We have talked extensively in this space about the strategies we use to accomplish these goals. But here’s an important truth that you need to understand: if you want to build and maintain a powerful personal brand, you need a system.

Why?

Because as a business owner, you’ve got hundreds of details to manage on a daily basis. Many of you must function as the accounting department, the human resources department, and the marketing department for your business—and that’s just before lunch. As a result, it’s inevitable that you’ll be distracted from time to time. An effective branding campaign requires consistency- so it’s important that you develop systems that ensure your brand is being built… no matter how busy you may be.

Specifically, you should have a system for social media. You should have a system to ensure that fresh content is being posted to your blog. You should have a system for identifying and pursuing speaking engagements. You should have a system which ensures that you get out and spend time networking on a regular basis. There’s more, but you get the point.

What do these systems look like? That depends on you and your organizational systems. For some people, it’s as simple as putting “social media” on their daily calendar and putting “write a blog entry” on their schedule once a week.

For others, the best approach is delegating the work to team members. You may have a gifted writer on your team who can handle your weekly blog posts. A younger staff member who grew up using social media may be the perfect person to task your daily social media efforts to. A word of caution, however—before you let your team run with these initiatives, make sure that the content they are producing reflects your brand and your message properly. It may take oversight on your part for a few weeks or even a few months until your team fully “gets it.”

There’s no single “right way” to create a system for personal branding—what’s important is that you create a system that works for you and your business. A personal branding system ensures that your brand is being regularly reinforced, no matter how busy or distracted you may be. If you’d like to learn more about personal branding strategies to take your business to the next level, please get in touch with me today!

1)     Choose the right profile picture. Your picture is going to be the first thing that most of your friends and fans see on Facebook. It’s important that you choose a high quality, professional photo that is reflective of the brand you are building. Your “cover photo” is another great opportunity to visually communicate your brand—take a look at my profile to see how I’ve utilized that space: https://www.facebook.com/Nicknanton

2)     Fill out your profile information. Many people leave the “About” section of their profile empty or incomplete—but it’s great place to reinforce your brand. If you have a professionally written bio, use it—otherwise make sure that whatever you write reflects your expertise, your accomplishments, and what makes you different from everyone else in your market.

3)     Keep your audience up to speed on your adventures with photos and status updates. Photos are one of the best ways to build your brand and tell your story—and Facebook makes this process incredibly easy. Share photos of yourself in action—on the road, working with clients, or even out pursuing a hobby. If you take a look at my Facebook page, you’ll see that I regularly post pictures and updates from projects that I’m working on. It’s a great way to keep your audience up to speed while reinforcing your brand at the same time.

4)     Interact. This is where too many business owners go wrong—social media and Facebook in particular is not a one-way communication medium. If you expect to engage your audience, you need to interact with them. This means responding to comments they make on your page and on your photos. But it also means interacting with their presence. Comment on photos. “Like” their status updates. Tag them in posts and pictures. Facebook is best utilized when you are focused on relationships in addition to building your personal brand—so don’t forget to interact with your audience.

Social media isn’t a “new” phenomenon. As I have noted before, humans are social creatures and have been for thousands of years. Facebook just happens to be the latest and most popular way for us to share our lives and our activities with one another. It’s a valuable tool, and by every indication it is here to stay. If you haven’t yet begun leveraging Facebook to tell your story and build your personal brand, you’re missing out on a valuable resource. If you’d like to learn more about branding via social media, or personal branding in general, please get in touch with me today! 

So what is the best way to get your brand in front of your audience? There are a number of channels that can produce great results—but the best channel for you depends on your market and the nature of your business. Today, we’re going to focus on a channel that is often overlooked in today’s digital age, direct mail, as we focus on how to integrate your personal brand into your marketing efforts.

One of the most important benefits of a strong personal brand is the credibility boost it provides for the business owner. Rather than being “just another” dentist, or financial advisor, or landscaper, your brand has positioned you as an expert in your field. You have worked to attain celebrity status within your market—elevating yourself and your business above the competition. Now that you’ve created a powerful personal brand, the key is finding effective ways to integrate into your direct mail campaign. Below are three suggestions:

1)     Make sure your envelope stands out, if you’re using one. One of the biggest challenges of any direct mail campaign is simply ensuring that the intended recipient actually opens your mailing. You can leverage your brand to address this challenge by showcasing the media exposure you have received right on the envelope. Put something like “A message from personal branding expert Nick Nanton, as seen on…” and then insert the logos of the various media platforms you have appeared on, i.e. ABC, NBC, The New York Times, etc. Also consider using a “handwritten” font to make the mailing appear more personal. Finally, as a means to ensure that your mailing is not categorized immediately as “junk”, consider not listing a return address. This adds an element of mystery, and at the least keeps the recipient from identifying your mailing as a sales pitch.

2)     Understand that most recipients won’t read your entire sales letter. Many of your recipients will give your letter a quick scan, and will only spend the time to read the entire thing if something catches their eye. This means that your personal brand must be communicated in a way that stands out even if the recipient only glances at it. Utilize bold type and colorful language as you describe yourself and your points of differentiation. In addition, it’s important to write your letter in a manner that makes sense both to a prospect who quickly skims it, and to a prospect who takes the time to read every word of the letter.

3)     Include a great photo of yourself. If your goal is to communicate your personal brand, a great picture is not optional! If you don’t have a professional-caliber headshot available, make an appointment with a photographer today. Your picture is essential as it gives your audience a face to go along with your branding statements—without it, your recipients won’t feel any sort of “personal” connection. Use photos that tell a story to your audience, and understand that some of your readers may only look at the photos. Use captions with each picture to “flesh out” the story and to guide the viewers. People will read these captions, so make sure to use strong, descriptive copy!

Direct mail is a challenging marketing channel—but done right, it can produce a high ROI. Fortunately, if you’ve been working hard to create a powerful personal brand, you have a significant advantage over your competitors. Contact me today if you’d like to learn more about communicating your personal brand through direct mail or other marketing channels!

There are plenty of variables to be considered. Should you publish a “hard copy”, or send your newsletter via email? What will the theme of the newsletter be? These are important questions—and the answer depends on many variables specific to your business. If you’d like guidance, feel free to get in touch with me!

Once you have determined your distribution strategy, it’s important to stay focused on your brand as you create the newsletter. A brand-centered newsletter will continually reinforce your perception as a market leader—allowing you to achieve the top-of-mind awareness you’re aiming for. Below are four tips to help you create a newsletter that powerfully communicates your brand:

1)     Get the visuals right. If a newsletter is to convey your brand, you must get the visuals right. This means prominently featuring your company logo, choosing the right colors, and including a picture of yourself if appropriate. If you can incorporate video into an e-newsletter, that’s even better!

2)     Give your readers opportunities to connect with you. Whether it is through Twitter or by attending a presentation you’re delivering at a local conference, continually urge your readers to connect with you—and give them multiple ways of doing so. Establishing an additional “touch point” beyond the newsletter is a great way to work a prospect into your sales funnel.

3)     Get creative. Your personal brand is unique, and your newsletter should be as well. Consider adding a section to your newsletter in which you share personal thoughts, such as analysis of your market, a breakdown of recent news that impacts your audience, or even an update on your family. If your newsletter is going to engage your audience and communicate your brand, you need to inject a dose of creativity. Think outside the box!

4)     Stick to your theme. Your newsletter should have a general theme or purpose—keeping local homeowners updated on the real estate market, or keeping business owners informed as to the latest changes to the tax code, for instance. Stick to your general theme and keep hammering your message home. Repetition builds familiarity—and eventually turns prospects into clients.

A regular newsletter is a fantastic tool for maintaining contact with your clients, former clients, and prospects. Done right, it also communicates your brand and builds awareness in your market. Take advantage of the opportunity!

Of course, those are far from the only channels available to a business owner. Today, we are going to take a look at several less-common personal branding channels—could any of them be leveraged for your business?

1)     Your business card. Your business card plays a powerful role in determining the first impression you create when you meet an individual face-to-face. Take a moment and evaluate your card—does it stand out in any way… or is it just like every other card? Consider using a different card stock or an eye-catching design to reflect your brand and help you stand out from the crowd.

2)     Hobby organizations. As part of a hobby organization (such as a poker club or a group of R/C enthusiasts), you have an instant connection with other members. Of course, you shouldn’t take advantage of the opportunity and aggressively promote your business, but you should ensure that group members know what you do and how you can potentially help them. Work to build your brand consistently and tactfully—over time, these types of relationships can pay huge dividends.

3)     YouTube. YouTube (and other video hosting services) provide an opportunity to connect with your market and a phenomenally low cost. Whether it is creating a video blog or simply providing more information about your business, take advantage of this medium. As you’re doing so, remember to stay true to your brand. If you’re building a brand that relies on energy and enthusiasm, it needs to show up on your videos as well!

4)     Service to the community. Whether it is supporting your local place of worship or joining others to clean up a local park, giving back to the community can be a great way to build your personal brand—in addition to being a good thing to do! Find an organization or an initiative that you are passionate about, and get involved. For some, this may mean lending professional expertise (i.e. accounting advice), or it may mean rolling up your sleeves and personally getting busy. Whatever the circumstances may be, make sure that those you are serving with understand what you do. People prefer to do business with others that they know and trust, and the relationships you create while working towards a common cause are valuable.

Personal branding doesn’t have to mean appearing on TV or writing a book—though such tactics are very effective. The channels we’ve discussed today are a great starting point as you seek to maximize exposure, but the list is by no means exhaustive. Think outside the box and do your best to communicate your brand to your target market—whatever that may entail!

1) Create a personal brand that positions you as an expert. I’ve said this before, but it’s an essential point: consumers prefer to do business with experts whenever they can. If your child is sick and you have to choose a doctor, which would you prefer—one who is generic and non-descript, or a recognized expert in his field? Of course you’ll choose the expert. The same goes when you’re choosing an accountant to prepare your taxes, a real estate agent to help you sell your home, or a dentist to work on your smile. There are many tools that will help you accomplish goal, including creating a brand-centered website, writing a book, publishing articles in magazines and on leading websites, appearing on local TV, and more! Contact me if you’d like to hear more about this process.

2) Brand every interaction with your prospects and customers. It’s important that you send a consistent message to your customers and prospects, from start to finish. From advertising and marketing to the conversion process, from your actual deliverables to the customer service you provide, every interaction must reflect your brand. When every step in the process is handled in a professional, well-branded manner, you’re subtly creating the perception that you are world-class operation… and once this expectation is set, your customers won’t blink at your rates.

3) Don’t offer low prices—offer superior value. As soon as you begin to pursue customers on the basis of a low price, you’ve lost the battle. Customers that make their decision based solely on price will abandon ship as soon as they find a lower price elsewhere. Instead, focus on the superior value that you provide. You’ll attract customers who are willing to pay more for a good product—and because they chose you based on the value you provide, they’ll remain loyal as long as you continue to offer great value.

4) Emphasize customer service. Poor customer service is one of the biggest reasons many businesses have trouble retaining their clients. Always work to provide a first-class experience to your customers—in many cases, exceptional service alone is enough to justify your higher costs.

Every small business owner covets the ability to charge higher rates than the competition and still attract business. A powerful brand, superior value, and exceptional customer service will make this dream a reality. Contact me today to learn more!

1) Persistence pays. Watching Bruno Mars perform at this year’s event, you would never have known about the rocky road he had travelled. In fact, for several years, Mars was unable to get a record deal for himself and instead spent time writing songs for other musicians. Producing, writing, providing background vocals—Bruno Mars did whatever was asked of him before finally getting his big break as a performer in 2010. He seized the opportunity and has wasted no time establishing himself as a household name across the country.

2) Don’t play by the rules. Adele was the big story this year, taking home six Grammys—and she did it by refusing to play by the rules. She has struggled to control her weight and has never been a “classic” pop star, but she hasn’t let that stop her. Rather than conforming to the expectations that others have placed on her, she boldly pursued her dreams on her own terms.

3) To stay in the headlines, reinvent yourself. Noticeably absent from the headlines this year was Lady Gaga. She attended the event in an eccentric costume, as usual—but it didn’t ignite the firestorm of media coverage that she experienced at last year’s ceremony. Now, that may have been a conscious decision on her part, but either way, the point stands: what made headlines in the past won’t do so forever. Find a way to reinvent yourself and your business, or you risk growing stale.

4) It’s never too late to redeem a brand gone band. Chris Brown made headlines for all of the wrong reasons in the aftermath of the 2009 Grammy Awards. He was arrested and pled guilty for assault of his then-girlfriend Rihanna. At the time, most observers thought that his career was over—that it would be impossible to repair his image after his reprehensible behavior. And although Brown still has a long way to go in order to win back his fans, he not only performed at the 2012 Grammys—he actually won the award for Best R&B Album. The lesson? It’s never too late to turn a tarnished brand around. 

It is always a thrill to attend the Grammy Awards, and this year’s event was as exciting as any in recent memory. But there was more to the night than great entertainment—there were valuable lessons to be learned for business owners in every industry. I’ve shared four of the most important takeaways above—if you would like more information, get in touch with me today!

Most business owners recognize the importance of networking—it’s a great way to meet other professionals, identify opportunities for collaboration, and even bring in new clients. Business owners often approach these events with specific goals—such as passing out a large number of business cards, identifying new prospects, or gathering more information regarding a specific industry. Very rarely is “build my personal brand” a priority—and as a result, the opportunity is wasted.

Below are five ways in which you can effectively build your personal brand while networking:

1) Start by listening, not talking. Many networking events primarily consist of individuals looking to promote themselves. But in most cases, the best way to build a connection with a potential client is to listen first. Display an interest in the individual and in their business. Ask questions. They’ll be impressed that you took the time to listen—and much more likely to hear you out when you do begin to talk about yourself.

2) Dress the part. It goes without saying that you need to dress in a manner which reflects the brand you are seeking to build. Your choice of clothing plays a significant factor in communicating your personal brand—so choose accordingly.

3) Make a strong first impression. The first impression you create while networking goes a long way. Not that you have never heard this before, but a little review can’t hurt: offer a strong handshake, speak clearly, and project confidence. You’re great at what you do, and you’re working to brand yourself as an expert in your field. Carry yourself accordingly!

4) Focus on your points of differentiation. What makes you different from others in your industry? There are plenty of real estate agents out there, for instance, but what makes you different from all the rest? Do you have an advanced degree? An exceptional level of experience? A unique business model? Stay away from generic information and try to focus conversation on your points of differentiation as much as possible.

5) Tell stories. Sharing stories (work related, of course) has a number of benefits. It gives your audience a tangible idea of who you are and what you do. It demonstrates your experience and expertise. And storytelling holds the attention of your conversation partner much more effectively than the typical “this is what I do” spiel. Take some time right now to come up with stories that demonstrate your expertise—and use them when the opportunity arises!

Networking is a valuable exercise for a variety of reasons—and branding is one of them. The next time you attend a networking event, make building your personal brand a priority!

If you’d like to learn more, check out "Building the Ultimate Network", a book I co-authored with Dr. Ivan Misner. Dr. Misner is the founder of BNI, the largest business networking organization in the world.

1) Start by identifying your objectives. What do you hope to accomplish through your social media presence? Are you hoping to directly sell products and services? (Note: in-your-face sales tactics are rarely successful via social media.) Are you hoping to spread awareness amongst your market? Are you seeking to build stronger relationships with current clients? Or are you simply trying to drive traffic to your website? As you see, there are a variety of ways in which social media can be approached. Define your objectives before jumping in!

2) Look to build relationships and form community. Social media is a fantastic forum to strengthen existing relationships and to develop new ones. It is easy to plug yourself in to communities of people that share the same line of work, the same geographic location, or even the same hobbies as you. Start conversations, pursue relationships, and work to integrate yourself into various communities. You will find that these relationships often lead to productive collaboration and are well worth the time you invest.

3) Use Facebook and Twitter to share more about yourself, your interests, and your personal life. Whether it is sharing photos of your family or keeping your followers informed of your latest travels, social media platforms represent a great opportunity to “open up” and let your connections get to know you even better. This is an excellent way to build trust, as well—as it gives your audience a chance to see the “real” you. As you probably know, consumers prefer to do business with people that they trust—so take advantage of the opportunity!

4) Remember to stay true to your brand across all platforms. Whether it is Facebook, your blog, or even your latest TV appearance, it is always important to stay consistent with your brand. The ease and frequency with which you can communicate via social media makes it easy to stray off course, so discipline is important.

Social media is a powerful tool for personal branding. Thanks to platforms like Facebook and Twitter, today you have the ability to reach a massive audience in real-time and for virtually no cost. Thirty years ago, marketers would have stood in line for days and paid untold sums of money for this type of reach. The only question is… will you take advantage? And it all starts with a strategy—contact us today if you’d like to learn more!

A strong personal brand is essential in today’s business world because it differentiates you from the competition. For example, let’s say you are a CPA. Now, I’m sure you are great at what you do. But be honest—how many other CPAs are there who could offer the same services as you do, with the same level of quality? This is true of virtually every industry today—lawyers, dentists, financial advisors, real estate agents, and so on. Technological innovation and reduced barriers to entry have created an environment in which competition can spring up anywhere, and at any time.

So how can you build a dominant business, despite the massive surge in competition? As noted earlier, you must differentiate yourself. You must give prospects a reason to choose you, instead of all the others. The best and most effective way to do this is with a powerful personal brand that establishes you as a celebrity expert in your industry.

The primary aim of a personal branding campaign is to create a memorable image for yourself, and to establish yourself as a respected expert within your market.

We want you to become a celebrity. Now, before you laugh, understand that we are not talking about turning you in to the next Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga. Those two are international celebrities—we want to turn you into a celebrity within your own market.

We want you to become not just a CPA, but the respected expert accountant in your town. When prospects in your market need your services, we want you to be the only name that comes to their mind.

How can you accomplish this? There are a variety of tactics, and we aren’t going to go too far in depth in this article. We have discussed these strategies elsewhere in blog entries and articles, so feel free to look around.

Essentially, the strategy we recommend for our clients is to create and leverage media exposure in order to boost credibility and create a celebrity image. That may mean writing and publishing a book. It may mean appearing on national TV networks, local affiliates, and being quoted in national magazines and newspapers. It may include the development of a powerful blogging presence. The options are nearly endless, and the best approach depends on the specifics of your business.

2012 could be your most successful year yet—but only if you find a way to differentiate yourself from the competition in your industry. A powerful personal brand offers the solution—contact us today to learn more!

To help you answer this question, and also to identify areas in need of improvement, answer the following questions below:

1) Does the essence of your brand come to mind whenever your audience hears your name, sees your logo, or meets you face-to-face? This is an easy question to answer—simply ask friends, family members, clients, and employees to write down the first three things they think of when they hear your name. Take a look at the results—do most of the traits identified relate to your brand?

2) Does your personal brand differentiate you from the competition in your market? A powerful brand effectively places you in a different category than the competition—in other words, there may be many tax accountants in your city, but you want to be known as THE premier go-to guy for tax accounting. Come up with a list of ten competitors and compare your branding materials—including website, business cards, blogs, books, speaking events, etc. Are you in a class of your own—or is it hard to identify any differences between you and the competition?

3) Does your brand justify higher prices by establishing additional value? The goal for most small business owners is to stop competing on price. In other words, to be able to charge higher prices and still bring in business. To do that, you must be find ways to add value to your products and services. Examples could include regularly publishing a newsletter, sending out holiday gifts, or even advertising a “24 hour response” policy for all phone calls from clients. The possibilities are endless. What do you do to add value to your services? Create a list—and if there is nothing substantial, get to work!

4)     Does your brand address the needs of your market? An effective personal brand appeals to its target customers—does yours? Take the time to ask several clients to list their biggest fears or worries as they relate to the services you offer. If you’re a retirement planner, these fears may include things like “uncertainty about the future,” “fear of a market crash,” or “fear of running out of money.” Your brand should address these fears by radiating stability, experience, and level-headedness. If you’re a tax accountant, the biggest issues facing your customers may be a sense of intimidation or a fear of overpaying taxes. Your brand should address these concerns by emphasizing your knowledge and experience. Poll your customers—and evaluate whether or not your brand addresses their concerns!

Your answers to these four questions will be instructive. If you are excelling in all four areas, chances are you’re currently enjoying the fruits of a strong personal brand. If you are lacking in several areas, you now have an action plan—let us know if you need any help along the way!

Today, we are going to focus on a fundamental concept: does your personal brand resonate with your customers?  When you get right down to it, a fancy logo and a great website don’t mean much if they don’t appeal to your market.  So by all means, continue to look for new and innovate ways to build your brand—but make sure that you always ask the question “will this appeal to my customers?”

Does your current brand appeal to your customers?  Take a moment and consider the following questions:

1) Is my personal brand consistent with the goods or services provided by my business? Now, this doesn’t mean that your personal brand should be focused only on business.  In fact, as you know if you’ve been reading my blog and articles, it’s important that your personal brand goes beyond just business and incorporates your personality as well.  However, you need to make sure that your personal brand remains consistent with your business.  For instance, as a retirement planner, you probably shouldn’t build a personal brand centered around reckless risk taking!  If you happen to love bungee jumping, that’s fine—but you’d better explain how it’s a calculated risk and that you balance your “hobby portfolio” with other less risky activities too!

2) Does my company brand make sense in the context of my market? There is a fine line to walk here—because on one hand, you don’t want your brand to look just like everyone else in your market.  On the other hand, your brand cannot be so far outside of the box that customers and prospects in your market don’t “get it.”  A good way to evaluate this is to compare your branding materials (i.e., logo, website, etc) to four or five competitors in your market.  If your materials are indistinguishable from the competition, your brand may need a facelift.  If your materials look like they came from an entirely different planet than the rest, you need to carefully consider whether you are too far outside the box.  All I’m saying is to “consider” whether you are too far outside the box or not.  There are definitely instances when doing the exact opposite of your competition works very well.  The whole idea is to stay conscious of it.

3) Does my personal brand and my corporate brand appeal to my customers? Is your brand attractive to your market?  If your market is retirees, they are going to be attracted to very different things than a market of teenagers.  Fundamentally, both your personal and your company brand need to appeal to customers—if they don’t, what’s the point?  Take a moment and write down five traits that your customers value highly.  Now consider your brand—does it touch on at least a couple of these traits?  If not, it may be time for a makeover!

The bottom line, when it comes to branding, is that great graphics, a strong personality, and technological innovation mean nothing if they don’t appeal to your customers.  Does your brand appeal to your market?  

1) Write a book. Yes, I realize that this sounds intimidating.  But it really isn’t—every business owner has a book in them just waiting to come out.  And once you have written the book, you are transformed from just another small business owner into an author—and it’s amazing how much credibility flows from that title!  If you are interested in writing a book, but don’t know where to begin or don’t think that you have the time, get in touch with me today! 

2) Start a blog and publish articles online. Writing a blog focused on topics relating to your industry is a great way to establish yourself as a credible expert.  Even if your audience doesn’t read everything you write, just by quickly skimming your blog, it will be clear that you have the ability to write authoritatively on subjects relating to your market.  Focus on providing value to your readers—offer actionable tips, advice, or break down recent developments that may impact your audience.

3) Give speeches and presentations. Yes, the thought of speaking in public can make many of us feel queasy.  But it is hard to match the instant boost in credibility that you receive the moment you begin speaking on topics relating to your market.  Giving a speech positions you as an expert in front of your audience—but the credibility boost can be leveraged even further than that.  You can post videos of yourself in action on your website and promote the fact that you are a frequent speaker on matters that impact your target customers.

4) Believe in yourself. Believe it or not, many business owners limit their own credibility by not taking themselves seriously.  But until you buy into the notion that you are a credible expert in your industry, you are not going to be able to sell anyone else on that idea.  So repeat the following: “I am great at what I do.  I have insights into my profession that my customers can benefit from.  I’m an expert!”

Establishing your credibility is a central component to any effective personal branding campaign.  By establishing yourself as an expert, you can expect to draw in more business, be able to charge higher rates, and have the opportunity to lock out the competition.  And it all starts with credibility.  The tips I have shared above will get you started in the right direction—for more information, contact me today!

1) A strong personal brand establishes you as the leading expert in your market. Your customers want to work with an expert—that’s simply human nature. Think about it for a moment—if you had to choose a new doctor, and cost wasn’t an issue, who would you choose? Chances are, you’d look for the most well-respected, expert doctor in your area. The same goes for an accountant or a wealth manager. Expertise matters, and a strong personal brand will establish YOU as the expert in your market. This position in your market will ensure that you have a steady stream of new business—and it guarantees that your customers will be willing to pay premium rates for your services.

2) A strong personal brand puts you on the forefront of the minds of consumers in your market. An effective personal brand is memorable. It sticks in the minds of your customers and prospects, and ensures that when they think about your industry, it will be your name that springs to mind. Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, and the late Steve Jobs are great examples of individuals with memorable personal brands—and it’s not just because they have been successful. There are plenty of businessmen and women who have been equally (or more) successful, but remain virtually anonymous. Why? Because Oprah, Trump, and Jobs created a personal brand that was truly memorable.

3) A strong personal brand enables you to make headlines and reinforce your position. As a respected expert within your industry, you have the ability to generate valuable publicity. Your expert status provides the credibility necessary to get you on the radio or appearing on local TV. And one you’ve built a powerful brand, this becomes a recurring cycle—each media appearance further reinforces your credibility and further separates you from the competition in your market.

4) A strong personal brand inspires trust—and helps you close the deal. Your personal brand allows prospects to feel like they know you—even if you’ve never met. They’re familiar with your personality and are well aware of your expert status. As a result, you don’t have to convince them to trust you—your brand has done that work already. This implicit trust makes it much easier to close the deal… and it widens the gap between you and your competitors.

Your personal brand can become an incredible marketing tool. It can establish you as the leading expert within your market—and will have your competition constantly playing catch-up. Contact me if you’d like to learn how to get started!

When I am working with a client to create a brand-building campaign, I suggest many different tactics.  These tactics include everything from social media to book publishing, from TV appearances to article writing campaigns.  One of the tactics that I always seem to get pushback on is the idea of public speaking—whether at seminars or other events.  Of course, it is perfectly understandable that many people don’t love the idea of public speaking.  In fact, just the phrase “public speaking” takes many of us back to speech class in high school or college—and for most of us, it’s not a positive memory.  But the truth is that speaking at a seminar or a conference is a uniquely powerful personal branding tool and should be seriously considered by anyone who is serious about building their brand.  Not convinced?  Below are three good reasons public speaking needs to be part of your branding campaign.

1) Public speaking brands you as an expert. Think about the last time you attended a seminar that featured a speaker.  Without even thinking about it, you granted the speaker “expert” status in your mind, didn’t you?  We naturally assume that someone qualified to address a large group on a specific topic knows what they are talking about—which is why making a speech is such a good idea.  When you speak on a topic, you become an expert in that subject. 

2) Public speaking dramatically increases your credibility. How much competition do you face in your market?  If you’re a dentist, how many other dentists are there in your city?  If you’re a CPA, how many other CPAs are there in your market?  The number is probably high.  Now, of those competitors, how many of them are sought-after speakers?  How many are considered a leading authority in their line of work?  By pursuing speaking opportunities, you differentiate yourself from the vast majority of your competition.

3) Public speaking is like networking on steroids. Do you ever attend networking events?  If so, you’re familiar with the routine—shake hands, swap cards, move on to the next person.  If you are lucky, you’ll leave a networking event with a handful of connections and maybe one real prospect.  Speaking, on the other hand, gives you a chance to tell your story and share your expertise with a large audience.  And in my experience, the members of the audience that are most interested in your services (in other words, the best prospects in the room), tend to seek you out afterwards and engage in conversation.  When you’re finished, you’ll often walk away with several great prospects eager to do business.  And, you’ll already have sold them on your qualifications just by showing up to speak!

Public speaking is an incredibly powerful way to brand yourself as an expert in your field.  It’s a great way to increase your credibility, and it can even be a direct source of new business.  What are you waiting for?  If you’d like more information, please get in touch with me today!

By Guest Bloggers Gregg Rollett and Brett Burky

Building the brand of ‘you’ online is something of an art. Maintaining the niche you carved out for yourself takes dedication and focus as you continue to grow within your respected discipline.  And of course, you want to develop and maintain a congruent brand in your offline world as much as your online world.

This includes things such as ensuring that your social profiles online are congruent with your offline material. It also can involve your business cards and even the clothes you wear, making sure they represent and portray you in a way that you want to be viewed.

But once you have your branding organized and you are out marketing from different media outlets, stages and platforms, how do you maintain the relationships of all of the people that you’ve met in your quest to build your brand?

Enter In Personalized SMS Text Message Marketing

If this is your first time hearing about using SMS marketing to build your brand then you will be pleasantly surprised to hear about the ways you can further engage with your audience.

According to Frost and Sullivan, the open rate for SMS messages is as high as 97%, considerably higher than through email marketing.

Another amazing reality is that, as a society, people have officially been inducted into the mobile era.  This represents an incredible opportunity to connect your audience with your brand. There has never been anything quite like this in the history of marketing and advertising.

Marketers from centuries ago couldn’t have imagined the direct contact that we now have access to.

But how can this benefit you in your own personal branding?

To put this into context, as someone who is trying to build their personal brand, a major goal is to get more people to attend events that you are offering, such as seminars, conferences, or webinars.

SMS marketing allows you to increase the amount of people attending these events you are holding. The ability to send out a text message an hour before your event can drastically increase the amount of people that will actually attend the webinar. That means more people seeing you and your message, and ultimately more exposure to your brand.

Text marketing is particularly powerful because many webinars happen at night, and events on the weekends.  This means that people may not be sitting in front of their computers just checking their email. However there is a high likelihood that they do have their phone on them.  This simple event strategy can easily increase your attendance by up to 312%.

Take that a step further and now you can personalize your text messages with your subscriber’s first name, last name, birthday and other fields to create a highly customized message to each subscriber.

For example,

“Hey Chris, thanks for signing up for our text alerts. Here’s a special gift for joining our exclusive list – link”

Since text messaging is so personal, treating it as such is critical to its success. Treating text messaging as another “marketing” channel can and will hurt you.  You need to treat your messages as personal texts from you, your company, mascot, or whomever. Blasting your contacts can quickly ruin a relationship.

Giving SMS text message marketing a try is a wonderful idea when you are trying to increase your engagement with your current customers, fans or colleagues-- and can be another effective touch point in your personal brand development.

This article was written by Brett Burky from Call Loop and Greg Rollett from the ProductPros. Call Loop is an easy, integrated, automated voice and text messaging system and the ProductPros helps authors, speakers, entrepreneurs and small business owners create more freedom in their business through direct marketing and leveraging information.  Learn more about SMS Marketing at http://callloop.com/ and about monetizing your information at http://productprosystems.com.

As you know if you have been paying attention to my blog entries and articles, storytelling is an essential aspect of personal branding.  The goal is to create a personal brand that resonates with your audience—and to do that, it is important that your brand tells a story.  A flat, one-dimensional brand doesn’t give an audience any reason to pay attention.  On the other hand, telling your story and letting your brand evolve will naturally generate interest in your personal brand—and by extension, your business.  So how do you tell that story?  Today, we have more effective storytelling tools than ever before… starting with Twitter.  Twitter is a great place to engage with your audience and keep them up to date on all of your latest adventures.  Twitter provides a fun, laid-back atmosphere—it is the perfect venue for building an interesting and dynamic brand.  If you haven’t created a Twitter profile yet, get started!  And if you are already on Twitter, here are some suggestions to help you tell your story:

1) Let your followers know what you are up to. If you follow me on Twitter (@NickNanton), you already know that I spend a good bit of time travelling, speaking, and producing various TV productions.  As a result, my followers recognize that I am truly immersed in the world of personal branding.  What do you spend time doing?  It doesn’t have to be exciting—just keep us all in the loop! 

2) Make it personal. Your Twitter profile should not be all business.  In fact, it is much easier for your audience to truly connect with you when they perceive you as a “real” person.  Tweet about your family, your hobbies, your opinions… don’t be afraid to open up a bit.  The more you share your life on Twitter, the better your audience will feel that they know you.  And the more they know you, the more likely they are to give you a call when they need your services!

3) Interact with your followers. Possibly the most overlooked concept when it comes to branding on Twitter is that interaction is critical.  Too many business owners treat Twitter like a bulletin board—they log on a couple of times each week, post something, and then leave.  But as you know from real life experience, it is hard to connect with someone who won’t interact with you.  Take the time to respond to your followers—your profile will become a much livelier and inviting place.  And when your audience is paying attention, you can tell your story much more effectively.

Personal branding is all about story telling.  Fortunately, Twitter provides the perfect platform for business owners looking to create an engaging personal brand.  Keep these tips in mind as you engage your audience— and you’ll find that telling your story comes naturally.  And don’t forget to connect with me on Twitter… I’m looking forward to hearing your story!

Recently I got an email from a regular reader of my articles.  She said that she loved the concepts and that she was ready to begin her own personal branding campaign… but that she had no idea how to start.  I shared some information with her, and today I am going to share it with you all.  Below are the first steps to take when it comes to building a strong personal brand:

First, figure out where you are going.  Who are your target customers?  The brand you seek to build must cater to these customers—as you can imagine, if you are targeting teenagers, your personal brand will be very different than if you are targeting retirees.

Once you have identified your target market, you can begin drawing up the brand you seek to create.  Some of this is already done for you, in the sense that your personality will be a big part of your brand.  You will want to choose traits or abilities to highlight, but you don’t want to make them up.  Effective branding requires you to be genuine—you can’t brand yourself successfully as something you are not.  What traits can set you apart from your competition in ways that appeal to your target market?

You’ve got your brand figured out, so now it is time to launch your campaign, right?  Wrong.  There’s an important step to be taken first, and it is a step that too many people miss.  It is essential that, before you launch your branding campaign, you test it on your audience.  Is your brand believable and appealing to your target market?  Do you come off as genuine?  Is your personal brand memorable?  You may not have the resources to test your brand on a focus group, but all of us have friends and family who will be happy to share their input!  Seek out as many opinions as you can find, and solicit their honest feedback.

Once you have determined that your brand will appeal to your market, it is time to start living it out.  It is not enough to simply create a website or launch a media campaign—if you are not reinforcing your brand on a regular basis, it is not going to grow.  So before you spend money launching a media campaign, take the time to make sure you are doing the little things right.  How are you answering your phone?  How are you dressing?  How are you conducting yourself in conversation?  What type of first impression are you making?  When you are confident that you are living your brand out each and every day, only then is it time to begin thinking about your campaign.

Personal branding is an enjoyable and profitable pursuit.  But for many people, getting started can be a challenge.  The tips we have covered today will get you started in the right direction—feel free to contact me for more information!

There’s a constant theme that I repeat whenever I’m talking to business owners about their branding efforts.  That theme is simple: it’s essential to brand yourself as an expert in your field.  I’ve written about this in books, given speeches about it, and referred to the concept often in this space.  Most people accept the idea without questioning it, because it’s logical and it sounds good.  But there is much more to it than that, and the benefits of branding yourself as an expert deserve discussion.  So today we are going to look at some of the benefits business owners can expect when they brand themselves as an expert in their field:

1) Experts draw customers in. Think about it—when you need services, whether it be from a dentist or from a landscaper, who do you look for?  You look for a respected professional who is truly great at what he (or she) does.  Expert status means that customers will look for you, while your competition is forced to pursue them.  (Yes, it’s true that some customers will be looking for the cheapest service provider they can find— not necessarily an expert.  But those aren’t the customers you want!)

2) Experts command higher rates. Take two CPAs, identical in every way, except for their branding.  One is a typical, ho-hum accountant.  The other is an exciting, dynamic expert in his field.  Which one do you think can charge higher prices?  Obviously the expert—because most customers are willing to pay more money to work with the best in the business.  Think about the last time you bought sports gear.  Were you willing to pay more for a brand like Nike or Reebok than you would have for a generic brand?  The same concept applies here. 

3) Experts build customer loyalty. We mentioned earlier that you shouldn’t go after customers looking for cheap service.  Why not?  Because as soon as they find a lower price somewhere else, they will dump you and move on.  When you brand yourself as an expert, customers choose you because of your qualifications and the quality of your service.  These are the types of customers with whom you can build a real relationship—and relationships are the key to inspiring loyalty. 

4) Experts can set trends. Let’s say you want to introduce a new business model to your market—for instance, a different fee structure for your wealth management firm.  It looks a bit different than what you’ve done before, and it’s different than what your competition offers.  If you’re a “no-name” business, chances are high that your innovation is ignored, because you don’t fit the description that your market is looking for.  As an expert, your market will assume you know what you are doing.  Expert status gives you the freedom to innovate without alienating your target customers.

More customers, more money, more loyalty, and more freedom.  Now do you see the value in branding yourself as an expert in your field?

Why should you care about social media?  It may be fun, it may be something your kids are into—but as a business owner, why should you care?  The short answer is simple—an effective social media presence will help you make more money.  Today I am going to tell you how it will make you money.

But first, I need to dispel a common myth which states that “social media is just another fad… it will be gone in five years.”

The truth is that social media is not a new invention.  It may be a new technological innovation, but it taps into an ancient human impulse.  Humans love to talk.  We love to see what our friends and family members are up to.  We love to connect.  And that is what social media is all about—connecting. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube may be new mediums, but they are simply the 21^st century tool for accomplishing an essential human function.

Social media is here to stay—and that is good news for business owners.  Here is why:

1) An effective social media presence can create brand awareness… at very little cost. Your social media presence allows you to connect with billions of potential customers across the globe.  It allows you the opportunity to reach your audience in an environment where they have mostly let their guard down.  We are so used to being bombarded by commercials on the radio and on TV that many of us subconsciously tune them out.  While social media is certainly going to see a dramatic increase in advertising over the next decade, as of now its advertising potential is largely untapped. 

2) An effective social media presence allows you to create community… centered around your business. Social media platforms, particularly Facebook, are great places to form common-interest groups.  Hobby enthusiasts, sports fans, Justin Bieber fans—it won’t take you more than a few moments to find these communities on Facebook.  As you can see, this presents a golden opportunity for, for instance, the owner of an R/C shop.  By either creating or joining a community focused on remote control vehicles, he or she can create a great place for enthusiasts to connect—all the while establishing himself as the natural choice for their next purchase.

3) An effective social media presence connects you to your customers. A business that is active on social media will often interact with customers or clients several times each week.  Whether it is “liking” something they posted on Facebook or them simply reading an informative Tweet you publish on Twitter, an active social media presence keeps you on the mind of your customers.  As a doctor, for example, you typically see your patients a couple of times per year.  But if you are active on social media, you can potentially interact with them hundreds of times in that same year—keeping your practice fresh on their minds.

So there you have it—if you are not yet active on social media, now you have three great reasons to engage this growing market.  However, we have barely scratched the surface… stay tuned for more in the weeks to come!

1) Differentiation—as an individual and as a business. A strong personal brand makes you unique within your marketplace.  In turn, your individuality sets your business apart from the competition.  There are thousands of financial planners, for instance, in this country—but a strong personal brand can help you stand out from the crowd.  Why should a potential client choose you instead of the competition?  A strong personal brand answers this question and dramatically increases your chances of picking up business from the competition.

2) Client retention. Forget picking up new business for a moment—a strong personal brand makes it easy to retain the clients you already have.  Think about the power of branding for a moment… how many people do you know that are incredibly loyal to a specific brand?  Whether it be Starbucks, Harley Davidson, Mercedes, Apple, or Rolex, strong brands inspire loyalty.  For a business owner, a strong personal brand can have the exact same effect.  Your strong personal brand inspires loyalty, and your customers enjoy being affiliated with you.  A strong personal brand will allow you to keep customers even when they could find better prices, service, or greater convenience elsewhere.

3) A strong brand makes business fun. Building a strong personal brand gives you the freedom to be yourself.  You don’t have to wear a suit every day (unless that’s part of your brand, of course!), you don’t have to carefully measure every word you say for fear of gaining unwanted attention, and you don’t have to pretend to be someone you aren’t.  Personal branding is all about expressing your individuality—and once you have built a strong brand, you get to stay true to yourself 24/7.

4) Stop competing on price. Once again, think about the power of branding in your daily life.  Pretend you are in a sports store looking at a generic red t-shirt.  How much are you willing to pay for it?  Now, stick a Nike logo on it.  How does that change what you’re willing to pay?  If you’re like most people, you are willing to pay a substantially higher percentage for a product made by a brand you love.  The same principle applies to your business.  Once you have created a strong personal brand, your customers are willing to pay more for your products—giving you the ability to charge higher prices than your competitors and still win the business.

So there you have it—a strong personal brand differentiates you in your marketplace.  It makes it easier to retain your clients.  It enables you to charge higher prices and still win business.  And because you are free to be yourself, it makes going to work every day enjoyable.  Keep branding—it is worth the effort!

It’s not success that makes an individual memorable. What else do Richard Branson, Donald Trump, Steve Jobs, and Oprah Winfrey have in common? You guessed it—they have incredible personal brands. What do they know that the rest of us don’t? Below are several lessons we can learn from these giants in the world of personal branding:

1) Don’t be afraid to turn heads. Richard Branson, the founder of the massive Virgin brand, has made headlines for a variety of outlandish stunts over the years. From attempting to break the speed record for an Atlantic Ocean crossing to skydiving and bungee jumping, Richard Branson has found plenty of ways to grab headlines and receive massive amounts of free publicity over the years. Now, obviously bungee jumping isn’t for everyone—but the point is that attracting attention for yourself and your business is a great way to build your brand. Just remember to stay true to your brand.

2) Turn your name into an icon. Trump. Oprah. These names stand for something. You may never have millions of fans or your own TV show, but wouldn’t it be great if your name become synonymous with expertise in your field? Many professionals that I’ve spoken to are used to branding their company—but aren’t sure that they are comfortable branding themselves. In some circumstances that may be the right decision, but in general it is much easier for your market to connect with an individual than with a company. By establishing yourself as the dynamic face of your organization, you become a valuable marketing tool for your business.

3) Hard work and focus pays off. In the 1980s and the 1990s, Steve Jobs and his company, Apple, lost the operating system battle with Microsoft. While many people would have been discouraged and moved on, Steve Jobs believed in his vision. He reinvented himself and his company, and in the last decade Apple has become the dominant player in the consumer electronics market. Just recently, in fact, Apple was named the most powerful brand in the world by BrandZ (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2385069,00.asp.) By staying committed to his vision, Steve Jobs was able to turn himself and his company into a global icon.

Most of us will never have as much money as Donald Trump, and we probably won’t have our own TV network, as Oprah does. But that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from their successes.

1) Straying from the core of your brand. This is probably the most common mistake made by business owners. We have talked often about the importance of consistency, so we are not going to go in depth here. Just remember that you cannot be an expert in every subject and you cannot please everyone, so don’t try. Focus on the core of your brand and keep driving those points home.

2) Failure to connect with your audience. If your brand does not resonate with your target market, there is little point to your efforts. First and foremost, it is critical that your brand appeals to your target customers. If you are targeting senior citizens, “hip and forward thinking” is not going to work for you. Similarly, you aren’t going to attract young professionals through an old-fashioned “classic” brand.

3) Failure to buy in. Building a strong personal brand requires time and effort—and if you are not committed, you are wasting your time. Branding cannot be something you think about twice per month, it needs to become a part of your daily life. Every sales pitch, every email you send, every time you address your staff you have an opportunity to reinforce your brand. If you aren’t reinforcing it, you are undermining it. So commit—or don’t waste your time.

4) Copying the competition. Whether it is subconscious or intentional, many business owners tend to shape their brand into a copy of the competition. And while it is a good idea to pay attention to the brands that are competing with yours in the marketplace, simply imitating your competitors is literally defeating the purpose of your branding efforts. Your brand is supposed to set you apart from the competition, not make you blend in. That doesn’t mean you can’t borrow a clever idea from another business—but make it your own, make it distinctive. A strong brand should distinguish you from others in your market.

5) Poor visual materials. Your logo and your company colors are the main visual representation of your business—besides your own image, of course. All of your branding efforts revolve around this visual identity. So don’t go too cheap here—it is important that you have a logo that you can be proud of. Invest in a session with a great photographer and ensure that you have at least one picture that makes you look great. Make sure your visual materials and your pictures truly reflect the spirit of your company and your brand.

Are you guilty of any of these common mistakes? If so, the good news is that you can fix it. But it won’t happen by itself, so get busy!

1) Share your interests. What are your hobbies? Are you a sports fan? What other interests do you have? These can all be very valuable components of your personal brand. Sports have a unique ability to create bonds between total strangers, so don’t hesitate to share your allegiances. If you follow me on Twitter, you know I’m an avid Florida Gators fan. Over the years, my public allegiance with the Gators has been a great conversation starter. And if you’re in to unique hobbies, those can be a great way to stand out in the minds of your prospects. So don’t hesitate to share!

2) Share your physical location. One cool way to use social media services is to let your followers know where you are. Twitter works well for this, as does Foursquare and the Facebook ‘Places’ functionality. Not only is it a great way to keep your audience connected to your life, but you’ll probably find that you have similar favorite restaurants to clients and prospects—another great way to connect.

3) Include your family. If you’re married or have kids, working your family into your brand can be a great way to connect with your audience. Share pictures or update your followers on the latest exploits of your children—it’s a great way to become more than just a one dimensional businessman or woman. And who doesn’t love to see a cute baby appear on their Facebook or Twitter feed every once in a while?

4) Share your opinions. If you’re in business, you understand the importance of keeping certain things personal. Politics is often a no-no, for instance—it simply doesn’t make sense to risk alienating customers. But that said, sharing thoughts and opinions that aren’t completely sanitized and bland is a great way to stick in the minds of your audience. It is always important to be sure that you are not going to offend anyone, but don’t be scared to express yourself. You are unique—don’t build a personal brand that is boring and bland.

Remember that a big part of branding is making yourself memorable. If nobody remembers you, you’re not going to pick up much new business. So search for ways to differentiate yourself and connect with your audience. Sharing personal interests such as sports allegiances, hobbies, and information about your family can be a great way to stand out from the crowd. So don’t be shy!

The conclusion reached by the end of the experiment is obvious, at least at first glance: if you make something fun, more people will do it. While this isn’t rocket science, I believe it is potentially very powerful. As a business person, take a moment to evaluate the culture of your company. Is it fun? Do employees enjoy coming to work? Let’s be honest—for most of us, the answer to that question is no. And the idea of transforming a workplace into a giant piano or an amusement park may sound like fun, but it’s not practical. But is there any way to transform your workplace into a more enjoyable environment? And don’t stop with your employees— what about your customers? Is it fun for them to do business with you? Below are some ideas for managers and business owners to consider:

1) Make it impossible for your clients to resist doing business with you. Every year, I take some of my clients to the Grammy’s. I’m also taking clients to The Kentucky Derby, Hollywood, and Bermuda. Why? Because we have business to do… but we might as well have some fun in the process!

2) Start an office bowling league. Or form a softball team. Or a weekly basketball game. The activity doesn’t really matter—the point is to find something, outside of work, that your employees and coworkers can enjoy together. You’ll find that the basketball game from the previous evening becomes a popular topic of conversation around the office. While it may not make the work itself more fun, it will gradually build camaraderie throughout the office—and that makes everything more fun.

3) Engage your employees’ minds. Many people “shut down” their mind as they walk in the office door each morning. And why wouldn’t they? A day spent following directions and performing scripted tasks just isn’t very stimulating. As a manager or a leader, look for opportunities to make your team think outside of the box. Whether it’s troubleshooting a problem or creating a new product to be sold, asking an employee to think is a great way to get them engaged in their workplace. And an engaged employee is a happier employee, every single time.

“Fun theory” states that if something is fun, people are more likely to do it. As a business owner or a leader, you want to keep your employees around and have the ability to attract new talent, right? Making your workplace a fun place to be is a huge step in the right direction.

Take real estate agents, for instance. Most real estate agents want to be known as trustworthy, well-connected, and as great communicators. While those are all desirable traits, building a brand on those qualities alone is about exciting as vanilla ice cream. A real estate agent who wants to truly stand out from the competition needs to spice things up a bit. This doesn’t have to be difficult—in fact, simply identifying a favorite sports team or a unique hobby can be enough. The point is to give potential clients something to connect with. Generic talking points simply don’t feel “real” – but a short conversation about the state of the National Football League or a discussion of the latest episode of Glee can create a bond quickly.

Of course, the most powerful branding occurs when your unique traits or skills give you a competitive advantage. In that case, your personal brand becomes more than a way for clients to get to know you—it actually provides a powerful incentive to choose you over the competition. What’s your competitive advantage? Why should a potential client choose you instead of someone else? Maybe you’re an accountant that also happens to be a flying enthusiast—and you use your small plane to fly across the state, meeting clients wherever they are. Or maybe you’re a real estate agent with previous experience in construction, or plumbing, or even banking—experience that can be invaluable when it comes to spotting potential problems for your clients. Not only will each of those traits help you stand out among the masses, but each of them offers your clients a specific reason to choose you—because you can help them in a way that no one else will.

Now here’s the important point you need to grasp: YOU have something that sets you apart from the rest of your field. Whether it’s an incredible ability to listen and empathize with others, an ability to focus relentlessly until the job is done, or even family connections that give you an advantage over others in your line of work, each of us has something that makes us unique. So take a couple of minutes to think about what sets you apart. And then, make sure that your branding strategy includes an emphasis on the traits that make you truly one of a kind.

The common objection when I suggest writing an E-book to a client or colleague is “I have no idea what to write about.” That’s just not the case! You definitely have an E-book in you. You’re an expert at whatever it is that you do—and you’ve accumulated plenty of wisdom and insight throughout your career so far. You’re not trying to write a bestseller here—in fact, your E-book probably wouldn’t interest 85% of the potential readers out there. But that’s not the point—the point is that writing an E-book based on your expertise makes you look like a true expert in your field. Your potential future clients will be very interested in your E-book—and that’s who you’re targeting.

I’ve had clients tell me that they’d love to write an E-book, but that it sounds like a huge undertaking and they don’t know where to begin. But in our high-tech world, creating an E-book is much easier than it used to be. There are plenty of websites and software programs that will help you from start to finish. If you want, there are sites that will publish and host your book for you, in exchange for a portion of the revenue. And yes, you will have to actually write it, but that task isn’t as difficult as it may seem either. For one thing, you don’t need to write hundreds of pages. Thirty pages can be just fine—as long as you’re communicating clear and helpful information to your target audience. If you’ve been blogging regularly, you probably have all of the content you need—it’s just a matter of adapting it to a new format.

Don’t get me wrong, producing a quality E-book will take work. But it’s not the insurmountable and expensive task that you may think it is. If you’re looking to separate yourself from the competition in your market, an E-book may be the perfect tool to take you to the next level. You are an expert in your field—now it’s time to make sure that customers, prospects, and colleagues in your field recognize your expertise.

1) Social media is more important than ever. Whether or not you’re a fan of Justin Bieber, the story of his rise to fame is an excellent example of the power of social media. Bieber’s chances of success certainly seemed bleak early in his childhood, as he was raised in low-income housing in Ontario, Canada—hardly an ideal situation to launch a career in the entertainment world. It was through YouTube that he was first discovered by talent scouts, and his rise to fame began. Twenty years ago, the Justin Bieber story could never have happened.

2) Whatever you stand for, don’t be bland. Lady Gaga showed up in an egg. Yes, an egg. Now, I can’t in good faith recommend that you show up at the office that way, but the point still stands: it’s better to stand for something, even if it’s outrageous, than to stand for nothing. What unique talents, opinions, or attributes do you have that can make you stand out?

3) It’s never too late. A couple of weeks before the Grammys, Christina Aguilera was nationally ridiculed for tripping over the lyrics of the national anthem before the Super Bowl. At the time, some “experts” predicted that the mistake would kill her career. Instead, Aguilera performed a stellar rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way” that quickly made everyone forget about her Super Bowl disaster. The lesson? When you get knocked down, get back up. Branding is an ongoing process—it’s never too late to fix a previous mistake.

4) Always be prepared. The most common reaction to Esperanza Spalding’s upset of Justin Bieber to win the Grammy for Best New Artist was “Who the heck is Esperanza Spalding??” Barely anyone, probably not even Ms. Spalding herself, gave her a chance to win. But she did, and was rapidly thrust into the spotlight. Will she seize the opportunity to establish herself as a household name? That remains to be seen—but the point is this: you never know when opportunity may arise. Be ready to make the most out of every branding opportunity that comes your way.

5) You can be a celebrity. Possibly the strangest revelation that comes with meeting celebrities face to face is the realization that they are regular people too. Lady Gaga may have a great persona, but how many thousands of similarly, or ever more talented women never make it in the business? Usher is certainly a talented performer, but there are plenty of non-celebrities that could give him a run for his money. Celebrities aren’t more talented than everyone else. But they do make a concerted effort to brand themselves in a way that makes them stand out from the crowd. You may not be the very best accountant, the most creative graphic artist, or the brightest lawyer in the world—but that doesn’t mean you can’t establish yourself as a “celebrity” in your world!

1) Start with eye contact and a strong handshake. You want to convey a message of confidence upon meeting someone for the first time. Deliberately make eye contact and give them a strong handshake. This sets the tone for your relationship and lends credibility to the brand you’re seeking to build.

2) Use their name often. People love to hear their own name. When you’ve just met someone, use their name often in conversation. This makes your conversation feel more personal and increases the chance that you have their undivided attention while speaking. In addition, it will make it easier for you to remember their name the next time you meet.

3) Avoid sarcasm and offbeat humor. You may have a great sense of humor, but until you get to know your new acquaintance better it’s wise to stay away from anything but the most generic type of humor. The last thing you want is for them to fail to pick up on your sarcasm, or for them to be offended by a joke you tell. You’ll have plenty of time to utilize your sense of humor as your relationship grows.

4) Dress appropriately. Your outfit plays a major role in forming the first impression that you make. You don’t have to spend hours agonizing over what to wear—just make sure that you dress appropriately for the situation. A casual Saturday morning meeting with a group of colleagues doesn’t call for the same level of dress as a weekday meeting with a potential business partner. In addition, if there are certain colors that you want associated with your personal brand, take that into consideration. Don’t over think your wardrobe—but do make sure it’s not going to contradict the brand you are trying to build.

5) Listen. Everybody appreciates a good listener. Not only is it an appealing characteristic, but listening carefully allows you to get a better feel for your partner in conversation. You’ll also find yourself picking up on things you would have missed had you been talking every chance you got.

The first impression you make goes a long way towards establishing your personal brand. The impression you create is determined by a variety of details, many of which we covered above. Like many other things in life, the key is in managing the details. Pay attention to your dress, your speaking patterns, and your use of eye contact. Creating a strong first impression not only paves the way for you to establish your personal brand, but it also starts any new relationship off on the right foot.

1. Inappropriate pictures and/or statements. This one is obvious, but it has to be covered. Social media sites make it easy to share an opinion or a picture—to the point where if you’re not careful, you’ll post something you shouldn’t have without even thinking about it. A compromising picture or an inappropriate remark can destroy your brand… and possibly your career. Be careful!

2. Inconsistency. Remember, you can’t be everything to everyone. Your brand needs to be centered on a few specific traits. Don’t over extend your brand. Focus on the core of your brand and reinforce it constantly.

3. Misunderstanding your audience. Who are you targeting? Facebook has a different audience than Twitter, which has a different audience than LinkedIn. Know who you are reaching in each space and tailor your message appropriately. For instance, your audience on LinkedIn is going to consist primarily of professionals while your Twitter followers will be a mix of friends, colleagues, family and others. Your contacts on LinkedIn probably don’t want to know what you had for dinner last night—your Twitter followers might. Know who you’re reaching!

4. Negativity. Excessive negativity will poison your personal brand. Nobody enjoys constant complaining—so be careful about saying anything negative. Not only is it a turnoff to most people, but complaining about your boss or your clients is a sure way to chase other employers or clients away.

5. Inward focus. Don’t make your social media presence all about you. What are you doing to help others? If you have a great experience with a certain retailer, share it with the world! If a friend makes a great post on Twitter, retweet it! Compliment others whenever the opportunity arises. In addition to being the right thing to do, demonstrating your selflessness makes you much more appealing to others.

6. Advertising. Nobody joins Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn because they need more sales pitches in their life. Be social. Get to know others. Display your personality. The relationships you build will be far more beneficial to your business or your career than any sales pitch will be—especially since most people will ignore a sales pitch without even thinking about it.

7. Not committing. You can’t build a strong personal brand through social media without putting in the time. Tweeting three times a week is simply not enough. You need to be active nearly every day—several times a day, if possible. There are lots of people out there—if you aren’t active, you’ll be lost in the crowd.

1) Focus on relationships. Twitter and Facebook are full of individuals and companies that are trying to establish their brand and sell their products by ramming them down their audience’s throat. It’s free marketing, the theory goes, so why not aggressively self-promote and sell? The problem with that line of thought is that most people don’t log on to Facebook or Twitter looking to be sold something. People use Facebook and Twitter to build relationships, both personal and professional. The key to establishing your brand on these sites is to build relationships. Spend more time replying to status updates and tweets than you do creating your own. When you see a friend or a connection asking a question, answer it. If you’re not connecting with your followers and your friends, you’re going to be lost in the crowd.

2) Don’t be boring. Most smart social media users are very, very careful about what they post. After all, a thoughtless post or tweet could have disastrous results. While this is certainly true, the unfortunate result is that many Twitter and Facebook profiles are completely devoid of originality, personality and substance. If you’re going to stand out, you need to be interesting and thought provoking. Post jokes, or commentary on pop culture, or predictions for upcoming NFL games. Tweet using only haiku form for a couple of days. Be creative. Find a way to express yourself and your personality—and before you know it, you’ll realize that followers and friends are looking forward to your next tweet or status update.

3) Break down the news. Twitter and Facebook are great sources of breaking news. As soon as anything of even minor importance happens, you can bet there will be thousands of posts announcing it and linking to news stories. Posting a link to a breaking news story will not help you stand out—but insightful analysis will. Let’s say you’re a stock broker and a new law was passed impacting the capital gains tax. Rather than simply providing a link to the story, add some instant analysis. Your tweet will stand out from the thousands of others, because you won’t simply be stating what happened, you’ll be telling your audience what it means to them.

Social media has exploded in popularity. The challenge for individuals and companies looking to build their brand is finding away to stand out from the millions of other users. Be creative, don’t hesitate to think outside the box, and keep these three strategies in mind as you build your social media presence.

1) Negativity. Regardless of the type of brand you are trying to build, negativity is poisonous. Potential clients don’t want to work with an individual that is overly negative, and companies don’t want to hire negative employees. Don’t get on Facebook and complain about a friend or a business that mistreated you. When you’re on the phone with a client, don’t spend time complaining—not even about the weather, the local sports team, or anything else. You want to appear positive and approachable. Negativity will kill your brand quickly—avoid it at all costs!

2) Lack of Focus. You can’t be everything to everyone. Your personal brand should be focused around a few key qualities—your engineering skills, your sense of humor, or your customer service skills, for instance. You can’t be a brilliant chef, political commentator, science expert, comedian and financial guru all at once—at least not in the world of branding! Overdoing it will dilute your brand, and you won’t stand for anything. Decide what qualities are most important, and focus your personal brand around them.

3) Dishonesty. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Don’t claim to know more than you do. Don’t pass other people’s work off as your own. The real danger with dishonesty, from a branding standpoint, is that it will render you untrustworthy. If you’re known as the writer who plagiarizes, for instance, you’ll need to find a new career. If you’re known as a business that promises clients the world and then can’t deliver, you’re going to find it very hard to attract customers. When you’re branding, don’t embellish and don’t lie. Sooner or later, dishonesty will come back to haunt you in a very big way.

4) Impatience. Building a strong brand takes time. You can’t expect to have an incredible brand within a couple of months of work. Branding is about building a long-term perception of yourself and your company. Unfortunately, I’ve known many businesspeople and individuals who were very excited about branding—but dropped it after a couple of weeks. Building your brand is a long-term project that requires commitment and dedication. If you’re expecting instant payoffs, you’re going to be disappointed—and you’re probably going to quit.

5) Procrastination. One of the top reasons that personal branding is neglected is because you don’t have to do it. It’s not like paying taxes or filling up your gas tank. There is no required timeline, and the benefits can be hard to quantify. As a result, when you’re going through your to-do list, it’s easy to push branding off to the next day. Building your brand requires consistent work—whether it’s posting on Twitter or Facebook, writing on a blog, or sending out a newsletter. If you procrastinate, it’s simply not going to happen.

If you haven’t been paying attention to your personal brand, don’t panic. Technologies that make it easy to establish your personal brand are still relativity young—and many people have yet to take it seriously. You haven’t been left behind-- yet. In fact, you have the opportunity to be ahead of the curve and set yourself apart from many of your peers. But the time to act is now. A recent survey conducted by Kelly Services (http://tinyurl.com/38engr2) has indicated that a rising number of workforce members are recognizing the importance of personal branding. As Kelly Services General Manager Mike Webster put it, "Personal branding is taking on a new importance as more people take control of their careers and market themselves to a vast audience.” As you’ve heard many times now, one of the most powerful tools you have to project your personal brand is social media. Not surprisingly, the survey indicated that 52% of the workforce is at least “somewhat active” on social media. These numbers will only increase in the future as young men and women enter the workforce—the vast majority of them very active in social media.

Now, you may be wondering how exactly personal branding can help you in your career.
Remember that the central goal of personal branding is to position yourself as an expert in your field. If you’re an accountant, branding yourself as a highly qualified expert should have an obvious impact on your job prospects—whether you’re looking for a promotion, a new job, or new clients. If you are a restaurant manager, successfully branding yourself as an expert will increase your value to your current employer, will make you more desirable to other restaurants, and will make you appear more impressive both to your customers and your employees.

But there is much more to personal branding than just positioning yourself as an expert in your field. You also need to emphasize the unique qualities that make you who you are. Your friends and family know your personality—you need to make that personality shine through your branding efforts so that colleagues, employees, bosses and customers see it as well. You don’t want to be just an expert accountant—you want to be a young, bright, motivated accounting expert. Or an experienced, well connected accounting expert. Social media is a great platform for projecting your brand, but there are other great ways to do this as well. In fact, every time you communicate, you are impacting your brand. This includes face-to-face chats, email, and phone conversations. Think about the way that you communicate and what it says about you. Are you sending the messages you want to be sending?

Personal branding is as essential to your career as your resume. Each day, more and more members of the workforce are recognizing this and making it a priority. Don’t get left behind!