What can you do to keep your personal brand alive and well in 2012? Simple: it needs to continue to grow. Humans are attracted to motion, growth, and change—and the world of business is no exception. An appealing personal brand is always developing. Like a good book, it holds the attention of its audience.

But for many business owners, the challenge is determining how to keep their brand interesting. They know that growth is important, but in which direction should it grow?

The key is thinking outside the box as you come up with interesting yet valuable new ideas for your audience. Below are some ideas to get your wheels turning:

1) Launch an industry-focused blog. Blogging is a fantastic way to build stronger relationships with your audience while increasing your expert credibility. A blog allows you to mix a bit of personality in with your business persona—giving your audience a chance to get to know you better.

2) Offer a new product or service. This requires a bit more time and planning, but the launching of a new product or service is a great idea—even if your customers are already happy with your current offerings. The launch of new products and services creates the perception of motion, change, and advancement. It positions you on the cutting edge of your industry.

3) Write a book. Very few initiatives will change your perception within your market as rapidly as authoring and publishing a book! As soon as you add the word “author” to your biography, your credibility skyrockets. You are no longer “just” a real estate broker or a financial advisor—you’re now an expert in your field.

The key to building a compelling brand over the long term is to keep it interesting. Yes, consistency is very important—so it’s critical that your new adventures don’t contradict the brand you have build in the past. But consistency alone won’t establish you as a leading celebrity expert within your market—so don’t get complacent! If you’d like to learn more, or if you are ready to take your personal brand to the next level, get in touch with us today!

You have heard us talk often in this space about the value of speaking when it comes to establishing credibility and expertise. Because of the fear most people have of public speaking, the simple fact that you are willing and able to give speeches on your industry establishes you as an expert in the minds of many people. However, speaking can be very intimidating… so below are three tips to help you overcome anxiety and give great speeches:

1) Thoroughly prepare your presentation / speech. The best antidote to nervousness is impeccable preparation. Don’t procrastinate—make sure that you have all of your content organized well in advance. This includes any slide shows, illustrations, or other visuals. Tailor your content to your audience and make sure that you’re confident in every element of the presentation.

2) Write a great introduction. Devote time to coming up with a great “hook” for your speech. You will be able to sense that you’ve drawn your audience in—and you’ll feel relaxed and totally in control. If you’re not sure how to begin, think about a statement that sums up a problem facing most members of your audience. If you’re speaking to retail store owners, a stat about employee theft will likely catch everyone’s attention!

3) Adjust your expectations. Much of the anxiety felt before a speaking event stems from a fear of mistakes. But here’s the thing: even the best speakers in the world make mistakes. Therefore, it’s inevitable that you will too. Whether it’s mispronouncing a word, losing your place in your notes, or losing your train of thought… you are going to make mistakes. When you realize and accept this fact, much of the pressure goes away. Don’t aim for perfection—just get up there and deliver valuable content to your audience.

You are an expert in your line of work. There is no reason that you can’t find opportunities to speak—whether it’s in an industry conference, a trade association, or other event. Speaking gives your personal brand a massive credibility boost—so don’t let your nerves hold you back. Contact us today to learn more!

While the concept of personal branding has become more mainstream in recent years, there are still many Americans who don’t understand what it means. As a result, there are a number of myths and flat-out falsehoods that are commonly circulated. In the interest of clearing up common misconceptions and making sure that businesses and individuals recognize the value that a strong personal brand can provide, today we are going to get to the bottom of four particularly common myths:

1) Personal branding is only for extroverts. This idea is very prevalent, and understandably so. Personal branding is all about shaping public image—so for an individual who does not enjoy the spotlight, personal branding may sound incredibly stressful. The important thing to remember, however, is that there are many channels for building a personal brand. While some focus on public speaking and TV appearances, others strategies such as publishing a book, writing a blog, and focusing on face-to-face relationships.

2) Personal branding is too expensive for a small business. Sure, investing big money into personal branding will lead to greater returns—but there are plenty of strategies for business owners with no room in their marketing budget. Take a look at my blogs and articles—you’ll find plenty of great, cost effective strategies.

3) “I don’t need a personal brand.” This line of thought is misguided—because like it or not, everyone has a personal brand. What do people think of when they think about you? Are you boring? Funny? Knowledgeable? That’s your brand. I don’t help my clients to create personal brands out of thin air—I help them define and shape their brands for maximum profitability.

4) Personal branding doesn’t generate results. A strong personal brand, properly leveraged, can completely revolutionize any business owner’s marketing systems. A strong brand differentiates the individual from the competition—and allows them to stop competing on the basis of price. Make sure to leverage your brand effectively with direct marketing—and you’ll see results you never through possible.

If you’d like more information about personal branding, feel free to get in touch with me today (http://www.jwdicks.com/contact)!

Personal branding is a unique form of marketing for many reasons—including the reality that, to create an effective brand, the individual must commit to truly living his or her brand. It doesn’t do you any good to halfheartedly commit to personal branding—because your brand must be consistently reinforced whenever you interact with your customers and your market.

At first glance, this may sound like a lot of work. And it can be a lot of work… if you fail to create a brand that reflects your personality and your values. On the other hand, if your brand is true to your personality and your values, you simply have to be yourself. I’ll give you an example—I enjoy fishing. If you’ve read my bio on my website, you know this. If you’re my client, you probably know this. If you’re my friend, you definitely know this. And while my love for fishing may seem to be a rather small part of my personal brand, it’s significant. And because it’s part of my brand, it is important that I live it out. Now… do you think it’s difficult for an avid fisherman to bring up fishing from time to time? It’s not—reinforcing this portion of my personal brand is easy and fun, because it’s a true representation of my personality and my values.

What do you value? Are you a passionate moviegoer? A devoted sports fan? Dedicated to social justice or charity work? Committed to your family, your friends, your community? Who are you—and what do you stand for? Those values should be built in to your personal brand—in fact, those values and interests, combined with your professional expertise, should be the core of your personal brand.

When your personal brand accurately reflects your passions, interests, and values, it becomes easy to live out. And when you are able to commit to living out your brand, it becomes believable and powerful. As you seek to build your personal brand, start by making sure that the brand you build is consistent with your personality and your values. Once you’ve done this, you’re well on your way to creating a compelling and effective brand!

As technology rapidly develops, video platforms such as YouTube have exploded in popularity. But if you are serious about building your personal brand, YouTube needs to be more than simply a source of entertainment in your spare time. As a business owner, YouTube offers an invaluable channel by which you can enhance and broadcast your personal brand. Considering the affordability of recording equipment, there is no reason you and your business should not be active on YouTube. Below are three reasons why you need a YouTube presence:

1) Face-to-face communication establishes trust. It’s one thing for a prospective client to read the content of your website or of articles you have written—it’s quite another for them to be able to sit back and watch and listen as you speak to them. Video is the next best thing to face-to-face conversation—and if you aren’t utilizing it to reach customers and prospects, you are missing out on a prime opportunity to build trust and establish a strong relationship.

2) Video allows you to express your personality in a way no other medium can. Writing is great, for many reasons—but it limits the ease with which you can communicate to your audience. With video, every facial expression and every inflection of your voice is captured. You can vary the speed and volume with which you speak. You can get your audience excited. Video allows you to communicate the essence of your personal brand in a way that no other form of media can.

3) YouTube is a great way to bring potential customers into your marketing funnel. YouTube is rapidly becoming a search engine in its own right—many people utilize the site to search for tips, advice, and information. If you provide valuable content, you can bet that potential clients will be intrigued—and in many cases, they’ll visit your website or even give you a call.

It’s simple: if you are serious about your personal brand, you need to have a presence on YouTube. Don’t put it off—get started today!

This blog was originally posted and featured on FastCompany.com. The original post can be found here: http://www.fastcompany.com/1786381/time-for-a-checkup-is-your-personal-brand-healthy

How strong is your personal brand? Today, rather than sharing tips to build a stronger brand, we are going to turn the focus onto the current state of your personal brand. Below are several questions for you to answer. Be honest—and remember, even the strongest personal brands usually have room for improvement.

1) Are you staying consistent? Consistency is one of the most important elements of building a strong brand. You need to be consistently interacting with your audience, and you need to be doing so in a consistent manner. You shouldn’t be Mr. Amateur Comedian one week, and the next week present yourself of Mr. All Business. Are you consistent?

2) Is your brand focused? Similar to point number one above, it is essential that your brand stays focused on the core of your brand. You can’t be everything to everyone, so don’t try. If you’re a forensic accounting expert, don’t branch off and spend time talking about how to beat the stock market. Are you sticking to the core of your brand?

3) Is your brand relevant? Take a moment and consider you target customers. Does your brand appeal to them? How does your brand identity compare with others who are successful in your market? It’s good to think outside the box—but not so far that you are no longer relevant to your customers. Does your brand appeal to your target market?

4) Is your brand actively evolving? Too many business owners have created a static personal brand. It never changes, never evolves, never moves. And that’s just not appealing. Your audience is attracted to authenticity, and that includes growth. Is your personal brand evolving?

5) Is your personal brand engaging? Does your audience find you appealing? Do they want to follow you Twitter in order to hear what you’re up to? Do they want to attend your speeches and read your book?

Now that you’ve answered these questions, how did you do? If your answer to each question was an emphatic “YES”, good for you. And if not, you know what you need to do to create a stronger personal brand. Good luck, and feel free to get in touch with me (http://www.jwdicks.com/contact) for further information!

This blog was originally posted and featured on FastCompany.com. The original post can be found here: http://www.fastcompany.com/1780828/personal-branding-secrets-lessons-from-nfl-superstars

The NFL regular season has just kicked off, much to the relief of football fans everywhere who were worried about the lockout that consumed the summer. But the NFL has more to offer us than just football… in fact, we can learn valuable lessons about personal branding from some of the players. Below are three personal branding secrets we can learn from NFL superstars:

1) Social Media is a great way to bypass traditional media and connect directly with your audience. NFL stars such as Chad Ochocinco (@ochocinco), Arian Foster (@ArianFoster), and Mike Vick (@mikevick) have built tremendous followings and have used the platform to engage with their audience. Chad Ochocinco, in particular, is a prolific tweeter and is able to interact with his fans in ways that traditional media doesn’t allow.

2) It’s never too late to turn around a struggling brand. Just recently, Mike Vick signed a new contract worth $100 million dollars. Yes, this is the same Mike Vick who, only four years ago, was convicted of dog fighting and spent time in jail. He was on the verge of bankruptcy and his professional career appeared all but over. But instead of giving up, Vick took responsibility for his mistakes and set out to make things right. He has become an advocate for animal rights and a contributor to many charities. By and large, his audience has forgiven him and embraced his return to superstardom.

3) Sometimes, branding can even trump performance. Last year, Denver Bronco quarterback Tim Tebow started only one game in the NFL. Despite that, he led the league in jersey sales for 2010. That’s right—Tebow sold more jerseys than Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback who led the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl title. He outsold superstars such as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Adrian Peterson. Why? Because of the power of his brand. Tebow is no doubt working hard to make a real impact on his team in football terms… but the power of his brand is unquestioned.

NFL players aren’t only strong, fast, and talented—some of them are branding geniuses. We would all be well-advised to pay attention to the tactics they employ!

This blog was originally posted and featured on FastCompany.com. The original post can be found here: http://www.fastcompany.com/1776113/are-you-making-these-three-common-branding-mistakes

Over the years I’ve spent working as a personal branding consultant, I have seen plenty of mistakes made. The reality is that mistakes are inevitable—what is important, as a business owner, is that you learn from your mistakes and that you do not repeat them. That said, there are several personal branding mistakes that I have seen pop up time and time again. I am going to cover three of the most common mistakes below—take a moment and ask yourself if you are making any of them.

1) Inconsistency. This is perhaps the most common personal branding mistake that business owners make. The temptation is to alter your message and change your approach on a regular basis, in order to attract the prospects you are most interested in at the time. Unfortunately, over the long run, that approach leads to a weak personal brand. Once you have identified the personal brand you are seeking to create, stick to it!

2) Failure to evolve. If you are hoping to engage your audience and create interest in your brand, it is important that you tell a story. Too many business owners construct a personal brand, but fail to let it grow. Tell a story. Share experiences with your audience. Give your market a living, breathing personal brand that they can connect to.

3) Failure to establish expertise. For a business owner, establishing expertise should be the most important part of any branding campaign. If you are a tax accountant, your brand should position you as a leading expert in your field—the go-to accountant for clients who need to work with the best. Whether it is modesty or insecurity, I have found that many business owners are hesitant to brand themselves as an expert. This is a huge mistake—positioning yourself as an expert allows you to charge higher rates, attract more business, and lock out the competition.
Take a few moments to evaluate your personal branding efforts—are you making any of these mistakes? If so, now is the opportunity to take corrective action and get back to building a dynamic and powerful personal brand. Contact me if you have any further questions!

This blog was originally posted and featured on FastCompany.com. The original post can be found here: http://www.fastcompany.com/1772592/personal-branding-dont-get-stale

Building a brand isn’t like constructing a skyscraper, or finishing a race, or completing an audit. Your brand, no matter how powerful it may be, is never “done.” If you begin to think that way, your personal brand will start to grow stale. What was once innovative and exciting will become routine. The traits that once set you apart from others in your market will be imitated, and soon you will look just like everyone else. How can you avoid this fate? Keep the following tips in mind:

1) Tell a story. In addition to being known as an expert in your field, you want your brand to tell an ongoing story. Keep your audience up to date on your latest adventures, whether related to business or your personal life (as long as you are staying true to your brand!) Let your audience see you grow.

2) Keep it interesting. Nothing kills interest in a brand as quickly as a total lack of personality. While it may be “safe” to build a completely vanilla, politically correct brand, it will also be boring. You don’t want to offend anyone or step over the line, but don’t be afraid to stir up controversy every once in a while. Your audience may not agree with every single thing that you say, but they will be interested enough to keep paying attention!

3) Don’t lose touch with your market. The biggest mistake many business owners make is failing to keep connected to their target market. Just as disco balls and psychedelic rock fell out of favor as the Seventies gave way to the Eighties, so can traits that once appealed to your customers. Just because your brand resonates today doesn’t mean that it will next week—so make sure you are connected well enough to make any necessary adjustments.

Branding is a process—it is never done. If you have built a strong personal brand, congratulations! But now is not the time to sit back and enjoy your victory. As soon as you take your foot off the gas, your brand begins the slow process of going stale. Keep it interesting and keep your brand on top!

This blog was originally posted and featured on FastCompany.com. The original post can be found here: http://www.fastcompany.com/1768997/personal-branding-why-you-need-a-coach

As a personal branding expert, I’m often asked what it takes to build an effective brand. Specifically, many people wonder if it is something that they can do by themselves, or if they need expert guidance. My answer to this question is yes … it is possible to do it by yourself. You don’t need a coach. But I mean this in the same way that you don’t need an accountant to do your business taxes, or that you don’t need a lawyer to draw up a seven figure contract. You can build a brand without a coach, but it’s not going to be efficient, and in many cases it is not going to be successful. Below are three major reasons to seek out a coach when it comes to building your personal brand:

1) Personal branding requires knowledge not found in books. Sure, you can learn the basics of branding through Google or through a textbook. But there is a difference between what works in theory, and what works in the real world. An experienced coach knows what works and what doesn’t, and will save you many setbacks along the way. Do you want to learn the hard way, or do you want to learn from someone who has already learned the hard way?

2) Personal branding requires an outside perspective. By definition, personal branding relates to the way others see you. It’s not about how you see yourself. A coach will be able to give you honest and realistic feedback that you can’t possibly discover on your own.

3) Personal branding requires consistency and discipline. If building a brand was something that you could do in a week, you wouldn’t need a coach. But it’s not something that you can ever finish. As soon as you stop building your brand, or as soon as you stray off course, the brand begins to weaken. Building your brand requires work on a regular basis–and a coach will keep you focused and on task. Without a coach, most business owners give up within a couple of weeks.

If you are serious about building your personal brand, the first step is to find a coach that will keep you focused, motivated, and on course. If you’re ready to make that commitment, I’d love to have a conversation–feel free to get in touch!

This blog was originally posted and featured on FastCompany.com. The original post can be found here: http://www.fastcompany.com/1767023/make-the-right-impression

It is often hard to quantify precisely what a strong brand consists of. It’s hard because a powerful brand creates equally powerful feelings in the minds of its market. We pay plenty of attention to important branding tactics utilizing social media, websites, and other media. But I believe that many business owners overlook the power of the “vibe” they create in person.
Whatever you may think of Bill Clinton’s politics, just about anybody who met the man spoke of his charisma and the command he had of a room or a conversation. Do you think that ability helped him reach the Presidency of this country? Of course it did … and you may not be planning on running for office, but the impression you create on those around you will go a long way towards defining your personal brand–for better or for worse. With that in mind, below are some tips to help you make a strong first impression. Some of these may be review–but we can all use a refresher course every once in a while!

1) You need to look sharp. It’s that simple. This means clothing that is appropriate to your profession and the occasion, it means being neatly groomed, and it can even include smelling great!

2) Be confident. A first impression is not the time for modesty. You are an expert. You are the best at what you do. You are an authority in your field. Now act like it! Walk like it. Talk like it. We are all drawn to confident leaders … confidence attracts followers (and customers!)

3) Make eye contact. When you meet someone, look them in the eyes. Making eye contact indicates warmth and confidence–while avoiding it can make you appear weak, or, even worse for a business owner, it can make you seem like you are hiding something.

4) Take a moment to think, if needed. Many people, when they are nervous, will stammer or repeat “um” thirty times per minute. If you are caught off guard, don’t blurt out a poorly conceived answer. Take a couple of seconds to process, and then speak. You will be amazed by the difference this can make!

The first impression you make on a potential client plays a large role in defining your personal brand to that person … so make sure it is positive!

This blog was originally posted and featured on FastCompany.com. The original post can be found here: http://www.fastcompany.com/1765584/personal-branding-tips-be-yourself

Personal branding doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, the best way to ensure that your personal brand is unique and vibrant is to incorporate your personality into the brand you are seeking to build. In other words, be yourself! If you are a fanatical sports fan, let that become part of your brand. Not only does branding become more fun when you are being true to yourself, but your audience will be able to sense that it is genuine and will pay more attention. Below are ways to incorporate your personality into the personal brand you are building:

1) Make your hobbies a visible part of your brand. Whether it is a love for your favorite sports team, your fishing habit, or a less-common interest such as coin collecting, your hobbies are a great way to give your personal brand some life and help stand out from the crowd. Incorporate these passions into your blog, your social media presence, and your “Bio” page on your website. It will make you seem more genuine, more interesting, and it will give you a chance to bond with clients or prospects who have similar interests.

2) Show off your family. If you are married and/or have kids, your family is a major part of your life. Make them a part of your brand–don’t hesitate to post family pictures on Twitter, for instance. Once again, including your family as part of your brand makes you appear much more “real” instead of one-dimensional.

3) Don’t be shy. Many people are afraid to share opinions, ideas, or even their sense of humor. While you do need to be sure that you aren’t offensive or inappropriate, don’t hesitate to express ideas that aren’t pure vanilla. You’ll become more interesting and more engaging–and you’ll find that your clients appreciate getting to know the real you. Injecting a touch of humor into your blog posts, emails, and social media updates is always a good idea as well.

Many people make the mistake of believing that their personal brand should be sterile, clean, and one-dimensional. That’s simply not the case! An effective personal brand is based largely on personality–so don’t be afraid to let yours shine through.

The technological breakthroughs we have experienced in the last twenty years have made it possible for anyone with an internet connection and a good plan to build a strong personal brand. That said, the ease by which any of us can interact with the outside world presents challenges as well. Staying consistent can be difficult. Think about it for a moment—most business owners have a presence on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Virtually all of them communicate with clients and prospects via email, phone conversations, and face to face meetings. Most businesses have a website, many have additional marketing materials, and some of you may run larger-scale campaigns including billboards, radio commercials, and TV spots. On one hand, it’s incredible to have so many platforms by which you can engage your market. On the other hand, from a personal branding standpoint, it’s incredibly easy to send mixed messages. And as you know, it is impossible to build a strong personal brand without being consistent.

How can you stay consistent? The first step is to have a clearly defined personal brand. We’ve talked about that in depth elsewhere—so all I’ll say here is that you should have a very short list of attributes that make up your personal brand. Every time you engage the outside world, no matter what the platform may be, ensure that the message you are sending reinforces the brand you are trying to build.

We must also acknowledge that there is a big difference between Twitter and a billboard, for example. The style of your communication must change depending on the platform, but your message should not. Yes, you may use incomplete sentences or phrases on Twitter that you’d never use in an email. That’s fine—as long as the message you are sending reinforces the brand you are trying to build.

Staying consistent across various platforms doesn’t have to be difficult. But it does require the right mindset. It’s critical that you view your branding campaign from a big picture perspective—in other words, recognize that your Facebook page and your billboard advertisements are intertwined not separate from each other. Each platform is an element of your branding strategy—and only by coordinating your presence can you be successful.

In today’s world, it’s easy for a branding strategy to become incoherent as you spread your message across a broad range of platforms. Don’t fall into this trap. Make sure your brand is clearly defined. Recognize that each platform is an element of your strategy, not a separate entity. Change your style of communication to fit each platform, but keep the message consistent. If you can stay focused, you’ll be able to build a powerful, dynamic personal brand capable of engaging your market—wherever they may be.

I share many strategies and techniques in this space, including many that take a “big picture” approach—in other words, they may not pay immediate dividends. Like most things in life, a great personal brand cannot be built overnight. Today, however, I’m going to take a different approach and share several personal branding tips that you can put into practice immediately.

1) Take a look at your business cards. Are they sharp, professional, and distinctive? In many cases your business card may be the only connection you have with a potential client—so make sure your card represents you and your business well.

2) Control your name online. Even if you don’t yet have a website or a social media presence, it’s wise to plan for the future. Check to see if YourName.com is still available, and if so, purchase the rights to the domain. It will cost you less than $15 per year. In addition, register your name on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

3) Work on your elevator speech. Every business owner needs to have their “elevator speech” honed to perfection. You should be able to tell potential clients, partners, or employees about your company in 20-40 seconds—and you should be able to do it compellingly. Evaluate your elevator speech right now. Do you have one? Is it effective? If not, get to work.

4) Think about your first impression. How do you come across when you meet someone for the first time? Confident? Friendly? Nervous? Ask for some opinions—friends, colleagues, and family members can probably give you an accurate picture of the impression you make. If it isn’t what it should be, spend some time thinking about how you can improve.

5) Tell your story. Remember that branding comes down to painting a picture of yourself for the world to see. So take a moment to think about your interactions with the outside world. Are you reinforcing your brand at every opportunity? Or are you contradicting the brand you’re trying to build? Evaluate your branding efforts and make changes, if necessary.

While personal branding is an ongoing process that is never “done”, the ideas I’ve just listed can make an immediate impact. Put them in to practice today!

Whatever your personal brand may look like, it’s important that the central component be your expertise in your field or occupation. If you are a landscaper, you are THE expert landscaper in your city. A retirement planner? You are THE expert retirement planner in your area. It’s a simple concept, but it’s critical if you’re hoping to translate a strong personal brand into more business. You can have the strongest personal brand in the world, but if it doesn’t include expertise in what you do, it’s not going to lead to more clients. This concept holds true no matter what platform you are using for your branding—billboard advertisements, social media, direct mail campaigns, or whatever else you may use. If the central message behind your brand isn’t “I’m the best at what I do,” you need to reevaluate. Below are three ways to incorporate your expertise into your branding efforts:

1) Break down the news. One of the absolute best ways to establish yourself as an expert is to break down news that impacts your business and your customers. Don’t simply parrot the news, analyze it. If you’re a landscaper and the weather forecast is calling for an extremely hot and dry summer, provide tips to your clients to help them keep their plants healthy. By interpreting the news and explaining the impact to your clients, you quickly become a trusted expert in your area of work.

2) Play the part. You’ve heard the old cliché “a man should dress for the job he wants,” right? That concept holds true for marketing purposes, too. You’re an expert—so act like one! Look for opportunities to speak, whether to trade associations or high school students. Write a book, publish a blog, try to get quoted in the newspaper.

3) Stay focused. Remember that you cannot be everything to everyone. You’re not going to be regarded as an expert landscaper, architect, marketer, and accountant. Don’t overdo it—focus on building your expertise in your field of practice.

A strong personal brand can bring you plenty of new business—but only if your brand is centered around your unique skills and abilities in your line of work. It’s easy to focus on being funny, knowledgeable, or any number of other things. And that is ok—just make sure that when all is said and done, you’re an expert first… and everything else second.

Close your eyes, clear your mind, and think about McDonalds. No, I’m not trying to make you hungry—but I bet I can tell you exactly what came to mind: Happy meals, French fries, or maybe the iconic golden arches. Now repeat the exercise, but this time the word to consider is Microsoft. What came to mind? This time it’s a lot harder—Windows may be the answer for many, but many others would point to Bing, Excel, Hotmail, X-Box gaming consoles… the list goes on. What’s the difference between McDonalds and Microsoft? Clearly both companies have been incredibly successful—but McDonalds has a much more powerful brand than Microsoft. Why? Simple—focus, and consistency.

McDonalds is a fast food joint, plain and simple. Microsoft makes operating systems. And search engines. And productivity software. And gaming consoles. See the difference? Microsoft doesn’t stand for anything in particular. Now, as a multi-billion dollar company, their lack of a focused brand won’t kill them. But for a small business or an individual, the difference between a focused brand and a diluted brand can literally be the difference between success and failure.

Let’s make this personal now—what is your brand? You’re THE go-to marketing consultant in your area? Then focus on repeating that message, hammering it home time and time again. Resist the temptation to branch out with your brand—for instance, adding and advertising management consulting services to your current services may seem like a good business decision, but what will the impact be on your brand? Suddenly your audience, who has come to know you as the marketing guru, is hit with a conflicting message. Who are you—the marketing guy, or the management guy? You simply can’t be seen as an expert in every subject—and if you try, you end up not being seen as an expert in ANY subject.

Here’s the bottom line: you can’t be everything to everyone. If you try, you’ll end up standing for nothing. So resist the temptation to branch out. Focus your branding efforts around the key components of your personal brand and keep hammering the message home.

As you know, building your personal brand is an ongoing process. Creating a powerful brand requires action on a regular basis—and if you fail to make it part of your routine, your brand will slowly lose its power. The problem is that you’re busy—so how can you make sure that you’re dedicating sufficient time to branding? There is only one answer to this question as far as I’m concerned—you need to make it part of your routine. Eventually it will become a habit, just like checking your email in the morning is a habit. Below are tips to help you incorporate your personal branding efforts into your routine:

1) Schedule your branding activities. Hopefully blogging is a part of your branding, along with a social media presence. Schedule these activities into your week—for instance, make blogging the first thing you do each Tuesday and Thursday. When branding becomes another item on your agenda, instead of an “extra” task to do when you have time, you’ll find that you become much more effective.

2) Make it fun. Are you a good public speaker? If so, seek opportunities to speak on topics relating to your area of expertise. If you’re a great writer, look for opportunities to contribute an op-ed to the local paper, or even write frequent letters to the editor. Branding doesn’t have to be hard work!

3) Seek accountability. It’s hard to keep yourself motivated and on schedule. This is true in just about every situation—whether you’re trying to get into shape by working out at the gym, or trying to build your personal brand. Find a partner and hold each other accountable. This could be a friend, a colleague, or even an employee. It could be someone who is similarly struggling to devote time to branding, or it could be an individual that needs to be held accountable and encouraged for a different purpose. You don’t need a branding expert—you just need someone to call you up and say “how’s it going?”

Building your brand requires constant work. And like a houseplant that needs to be watered regularly, if it is neglected it will wilt and eventually die. It’s vital that you create a system for your branding efforts. Address your personal brand regularly and you’ll be reaping the benefits for years to come.

Why is personal branding such a big deal? The fact is that a strong personal brand means different things for different people, though it is valuable for everyone. Today, I’m going to answer the question from the vantage point of a business owner. Below are some of the many benefits of a strong personal brand to a business owner:

1) Credibility. When a potential client comes across your website, what will they find? Are you Johnny Q. Smith, one of five hundred landscapers in your city? Or are you Johnny Q. Smith, THE landscaping expert in your area? As a customer, which profile is more appealing? Obviously, any customer would rather have an expert working on their yard. So how can you establish yourself as an expert? You guessed it—that’s what a strong brand will do for you.

2) Command a premium price. As we discussed in point number one, customers and clients will always prefer an expert in their field. A consequence of this, of course, is that experts in their field can command higher fees. A strong personal brand allows you to make more money in addition to attracting more clients.

3) Make yourself memorable. Contrast these cases: Let’s say you’re working on a short-term project for a customer. In case A, you do a solid job, collect your payment, say goodbye, and move on. In case B, you do a solid job, demonstrate the traits that make you unique as the expert, collect your payment, and continue to keep in touch after you have done your job making sure the client is happy with the work you delivered. In which instance are you more likely to get a call for a repeat job six months down the road? Case B, of course. If you can stand out in the mind of each of your clients and follow up to make sure they got what they need and are satisfied with your work, you’re much more likely to get repeat business. And a strong personal brand and good customer relations will help you stand out to each one of your clients.

A strong personal brand creates instant credibility, allows you to command a premium price, and enables you to stand out in the mind of your clients. Each of these abilities will directly contribute to your bottom line—and that’s why personal branding should be very, very important to you.

What makes a celebrity? As I discussed in a recent article, talent is not the answer to that question. There are probably thousands of female vocalists with more talent than Lady Gaga, but she’s on the cover of every magazine and they aren’t. It’s more than talent—it’s connections, it’s luck, but a huge part of it in my opinion is personal branding. So what can we learn from the personal branding habits of celebrities?

1) Stand for something. It doesn’t matter what it is—if you want to stand out from the crowd, you need to stand for something. Simon Cowell will call it like he sees it, whether he’s offensive or not. Whatever you think of Sarah Palin’s political views, you’ve definitely heard of her. Eminem is notorious for the violent lyrics in his songs, but he’s managed to parlay his notoriety into commercial appearances for major national brands. Now, I’m not suggesting that you morph yourself into a polarizing or outrageous character—but I am telling you that if you don’t stand for something, you’re not going to develop a powerful brand.

2) If you want to be a celebrity, act like one. Justin Bieber grew up in Ontario, Canada. If he had chosen to stay there, would he have blown up into the international phenomenon he is today? Of course not. Part of making it in his line of work is moving to Hollywood, or New York, or Miami. Does Rihanna still dress and do her makeup the same way she did before she burst on the scene a few years ago? I can’t say for sure, but it’s highly doubtful! The point is this—to be taken seriously as a celebrity, one must act like a celebrity. If you want to be taken seriously as an expert in your field, you need to act like one. Write a blog. Publish a book. Speak in public.

3) Don’t try to please everyone. Taylor Swift is wildly popular, but there are plenty of music fans who hate her music. The same goes for just about every celebrity out there—even a figure with such universal appeal as Bono of U2 is certain to have his fair share of detractors. It’s a simple concept, but it’s often overlooked: You can’t please everyone. You can’t be an expert at everything. So don’t try. Instead, focus on what you do best. Work to give your target market exactly what they need, and don’t worry about the rest of the world.

We’ve talked before in this space about the value of your blog in positioning yourself as an expert in your field. And obviously, establishing your expertise is a big part of establishing your brand. But your blog is more than simply a place to establish credibility, it’s also an opportunity to broadcast your personal brand as a whole. It can be used to convey your sense of humor, your non-work interests and your passions. Used effectively, your blog can be a great vehicle to truly connect with your readers as you build your personal brand. Below are tips to help you get the most out of your blog’s branding potential:

1) Choose an appropriate layout or theme. Whether you’re designing your blog from scratch or using a theme, it’s important that the layout of your blog conveys your brand. If you’re branding yourself as a serious, dedicated professional, you should probably stay away from a sports-themed blog. Conversely, if “sports fan” is a big part of your personal brand, a sports-oriented layout may be perfect. The key here is that your layout should reflect the brand you are trying to build.

2) Make sure to include a picture of yourself. Even if you’re camera shy, it’s important to include a picture of yourself on your blog. After all, your blog is all about building a personal connection with your audience, and it’s hard to do that if they can’t see your face.

3) Display your sense of humor. Your readers aren’t expecting your blog to read like a textbook. While you want to stay focused and professional, don’t hesitate to show off your sense of humor.

Whether it’s a link to an article you found amusing, a joke you want to retell, or just some sarcastic commentary throughout your posts, don’t be shy. Not only will it make your blog posts more fun to read, but your readers will be seeing the “real” you. And that’s what personal branding is all about.
Your blog is a powerful tool for building your personal brand. Make sure that you are making the most of it.

As personal branding becomes more of a mainstream topic, there’s an objection I’ve been hearing lately: “I’m too shy to build a personal brand.” Do you feel that way? If so, this blog entry is for you. First of all, let’s be clear: you do not have to be an outgoing person to build a personal brand. There are many, many different tactics that can be utilized to create your brand—you don’t have to appear in YouTube videos, you don’t have to become a public figure, and you don’t have to plaster pictures of yourself all over the internet.

The misconception that you have to be outgoing to build a personal brand springs from a misunderstanding of the concept of your personal brand, so let’s review. Your personal brand is simply the way that others see you. Whether you know it or not, you have a personal brand right now. Ask ten people to describe you in one word—their answers will give you a great idea of what your brand is. Personal branding is simply the process of taking control of your image and ensuring that the outside world perceives you as you want to be perceived.

The first step is to determine what you want your brand to be—I’ve covered this elsewhere, so I’m not going to spend much time on it here. But essentially, you need to decide what you want to be known for. Maybe you want to be seen as a creative problem solver with a great sense of humor. Or maybe you want to be thought of as a strong leader who leads by example. Whatever you want your brand to be, the key then becomes broadcasting it efficiently. And there are countless ways to do this, many of which I’ve written about in the past. Social media is a great starting point. But you also send branding messages in your daily life—how you dress, how you talk, how you go about your business. In short, every single interaction you have with the outside world is impacting your personal brand. Take a couple of moments and evaluate whether you’re sending the messages you want to be sending. Once you’ve figured out any changes that need to be made, make it a priority in every single interaction you have going forwards. Personal branding doesn’t have to mean TV appearances or big public speeches—it’s about everyday life. So no more delaying—start building your brand today.

I’ve shared many strategies relating to building your personal brand in this space. Today, I’m going to focus on some of the many benefits of a strong personal brand:

1) Expert status. Once you’ve established yourself as an expert in your field, you’ll be privy to opportunities that wouldn’t have come your way otherwise. This might mean new job offers, promotion, new clients or invitations to industry events.

2) Control of your image. Creating a strong personal brand gives you control of your perception to the outside world. You can highlight the traits that you want seen, and you can keep other information less visible. You’re not dependent on other people to build your image—it’s all in your hands.

3) Referrals. Once you’ve branded yourself as the go-to-guy (or gal) in your industry, you can count on receiving a steady flow of new business. People love to share their experiences—positive or negative. When your clients and customers view you as THE best choice in your line of work, they will be falling all over themselves to spread the word to their friends.

4) Credibility and trust. Even if prospective clients, colleagues, or potential employers don’t know you personally, an established personal brand provides instant credibility and trust. You’re not a nameless, faceless individual on the other end of a phone conversation. Because you have a strong public presence, people trust that you’re going to deal with them fairly.

5) More money. As an established expert in your industry, not only will you be able to attract new clients and new opportunities, but you can expect more compensation. Because you’re the expert, clients will be willing to pay more for your services. If you work for someone else, your expertise will increase your value to your employer, putting you in position to make a higher salary.

6) Marketability. If, for whatever reason, you need to either find a new job or bring in new clients to your business, a strong personal brand makes it much easier. A strong personal brand makes you a known commodity. New opportunities will be much easier to come by—after all, everyone knows what you bring to the table.

This list represents a very small sampling of the benefits of a strong personal brand. A strong personal brand can be the difference between the success and failure of your business. A strong brand can open career opportunities that never would have existed without it. The time you devote to building your personal brand is one of the greatest investments you’ll ever make.

When prospects and clients hear your name, what do you want them to think of first? Among other things, most people want to be thought of as great at what they do. If you’re an accountant, you want to be known as a great accountant. If you’re a DUI attorney, you want people to consider you an expert DUI attorney. There are many ways to build this perception of yourself, but today we’re going to focus on one of the most powerful: your blog. Below are several blogging tactics to help you establish yourself as an expert in your field.

1) Break down current events in your field. Are you a tax accountant? If so, what better way to demonstrate your expertise than by analyzing the tax impact of a new law passed by Congress? Not only will it make you appear up to date and savvy, but you’re also likely to attract extra traffic—any time news breaks, you can bet people are going to Google to find out what happened and what it means to them. The key is not to simply report the news, but to perform and publish your own analysis. Doing this well establishes that you’re truly an expert in your field.

2) Explain difficult concepts in simple terms. Experts are expected to be able to break down complicated concepts in a way that laypeople can understand. If you’re a criminal defense lawyer, writing a blog full of confusing legalese doesn’t make you look like an expert… after all, any lawyer can write in legalese! But if you can take a complex ruling and explain it in plain English, it’s obvious that you have a true grasp of the subject matter.

3) Write guest blogs — and host guest bloggers. Constantly keep your eyes open for guest blogging opportunities. Obviously you don’t want to post on just any blog, but if you have the opportunity to guest blog for a well respected blogger or website, seize the opportunity! Being featured as a guest blogger on a well-regarded site gives you instant credibility—after all, why would they seek out your wisdom if you weren’t an expert? Conversely, allowing a well-respected blogger to post on your blog makes you appear connected and respected by other thought leaders.

Your blog provides an incredible opportunity to build your personal brand and establish your expertise. Take advantage!

A concern that I’ve heard often regarding the usage of social media for branding is the potential for negative publicity. The openness of social media platforms make it a great place to build your personal brand, but that openness also means that it’s easy to take public criticism. Whether it’s a blog, Twitter page or Facebook account, the possibility that an upset customer will deliver a scathing complaint is unavoidable. So how do you respond?

While your first impulse may be to simply ignore (or even delete, if possible) any negativity that comes your way, that’s a mistake. Rather, take the opportunity to turn a negative into a positive. Respond to the complaint immediately—if it’s a comment on your blog, respond with a comment. If it’s a post on your Facebook wall, respond in the same place. If it’s a “mention” on Twitter, reply to the tweet. Your goal should be to make the situation right—apologize for the problem and ask what you can do to fix it. Stay in touch with the customer throughout the process, and follow up to make sure he or she is satisfied. You’ll impress the client or customer, but that’s not the best part. The true benefit of publically responding to a complaint or a disgruntled client is that everyone else will see the lengths you went to in order to make things right. You’ll be powerfully branding yourself as a company or individual that is truly committed to customers service and that is willing to do whatever it takes to make things right. That type of publicity is incredibly valuable—because let’s face it, nobody is perfect. Whether or not your blog has any negative comments, potential clients know that you’re bound to make a mistake sooner or later. Everybody makes mistakes. The “news” being delivered isn’t that you’re less than perfect—the newsflash that clients and prospects will receive is that you’ll do whatever it takes to make them happy. And that is a great message to send!

If you’re worried about negative publicity harming your personal brand, don’t be. If you’re in business long enough, an unhappy client is inevitable. Don’t focus on the negative—instead, turn an unfortunate situation into a positive branding opportunity.

You have heard me talk in depth about the importance of twitter for personal branding. And for good reason—after all, twitter is perfectly suited for projecting your personal brand. From time to time, however, I do hear questions about what to tweet. And based on the amount of twitter accounts that have been created but are not active, I have a feeling that many people share the same dilemma. Below are six suggestions to help you find your voice on twitter:

1) Comment on popular topics within your industry. Twitter is all about cutting-edge developments. Demonstrating your knowledge of recent events is a great way to show your expertise.

2) Questions for your followers. Twitter is a great resource. If you’re stumped by a challenge, or simply looking for a new perspective, tweet a question to your followers. Not are you likely to get some great answers, but you’ll be building your relationship with your followers.

3) Links to news and opinion within your area of expertise. In addition to demonstrating your own knowledge, linking to interesting articles and opinions in your industry shows that you are connected and up to date. However, you want to be careful that you are not promoting a competitor—for instance, if you’re a graphic designer, it may not be the best idea to link to a great blog post by another designer.

4) Links to your blog posts. Many people use twitter primarily to promote their own blog posts. Linking to your blog is a great way to drive traffic—but your twitter profile will be more interesting if you use it for more than blog promotion. Use this type of tweet in moderation!

5) Tweets announcing special deals. Tweeting special deals for your followers is a great way to keep them engaged and drive traffic to your site. Include a special promo code in your tweet and your followers will feel like they are receiving an exclusive deal.

6) Personal thoughts & interesting statements. Finally, mixing in some of your own opinions can make for great tweets. Whether it’s sharing an inspiring quote or telling your followers what you’re up to, these tweets are a great way to express your personality to your audience.

As you can see, there are many topics to tweet about. The list I’ve provided is just the tip of the iceberg—but it will get you pointed in the right direction. Have fun and remember that twitter is all about expressing your personal brand to the world.

Five years ago, if you told me that I would spend time each month “tweeting” I would have thought you were crazy. Today, most people are aware of the power of Twitter for networking, website promotion and communicating… but have you thought about the impact Twitter could have on your personal brand? Twitter is an ideal format for personal branding—users have the ability to choose a color scheme, upload a picture, and send messages to an unlimited number of followers. Below are five tips to get you started:

1) Think about your layout. Your profile doesn’t have to be a great work of art, but it does need to be consistent with your personal brand. Choose a picture that shows you at your best. Resist the urge to use a company logo or some other image—it’s important for your followers to see your face. When it comes to the colors of your profile, try to use the same colors as you have on your website, blog or other branding materials.

2) Engage experts in your field. Follow experts in your field and look for opportunities to contribute to their conversations. If they reply to you, you can bet that many of their followers will follow you. This will give you instant credibility.

3) Don’t self promote—too much. Many experts suggest that no more than 20% of your tweets should be self promotion. More than that may make you look like a spammer—and that is not the brand any of us want to convey! In addition, even when you are promoting your blog posts, web site or special deals, make sure that you choose your words carefully. Twitter is not a place for an in-depth sales pitch.

4) Tweet at least once each day. You need to build relationships in order to convey your brand—and that takes more than two tweets per week. Tweets don’t have to be deep, meaningful statements, so don’t spend all day thinking about them. Just make sure that whatever you’re going to say represents your personal brand.

5) Let your personality shine through. Don’t be boring. Display your sense of humor! Share some opinions! You don’t want to be overly controversial, obviously, but an interesting opinion is a great way to catch the attention of your followers.

As I’m writing this, the first of the Chilean miners are being freed from the depths of the earth, over two months after being trapped in a copper and gold mine just outside Copiapó, Chile. I’m talking about this because all of the miners will soon be exposed to a tsunami of media exposure and each of them will have to decide how they want to be viewed by people. Everything they say and do will reveal who they are, at least in the public eye.

The courage displayed by these miners is admirable, and the publicity surrounding their rescue is a publicist’s dream. And that’s where personal branding comes in.

Every single one of these miners will find that they will become their own personal brand. You see, the miners have now become celebrities whether they like it or not, and some of them will no doubt sell their survival stories. There has already been talk of book deals, movies, radio interviews, international trips, television appearances, and all manner of publicity.

Their personas will become well known, and some will likely capitalize on their fame better than others. I have a sneaking suspicion that Luis Alberto Urzua Iribarren, the shift supervisor whose experience helped save all thirty-three of them, will be offered a fortune for movie rights to his story.

Perhaps like these miners you have personally overcome adversity to become successful in your field. Let people know about it! Personal branding is all about letting the public get to know you, and people love the success stories of those who have overcome adversity.

Though events like those that happened at this Chilean mine are fortunately not so common, significant events occur every day that a savvy business person, or any type of professional, can use in personal branding. Non-profit organizations can pair with churches to promote their causes. Lawyers on high profile cases can use the publicity in personal branding themselves. There are sporting events, charity drives, political campaigns, and other events that can offer publicity that can meld with your personal brand.

All it takes is a little creative thinking and a look at what’s happening in the world around you, and perhaps even in your life, that can provide a foundation for building your personal brand.

Recently, I strolled through a local music shop and saw something that I had nearly forgotten about. It was a section of CDs for sale called “Staff Picks.” I remember seeing this happen frequently at Blockbuster and other video rental stores. I always found it amusing to see the video picks of the staff – some would have the latest big budget summer movies, while others would have more independent, lesser knows movies possible housing a hidden gem for the more adventurous movie renters.

How does this relate to personal branding? Well, I like the idea of matching a personality with recommendations. I imagine that if I were a frequent customer of this music store that I went to, I would probably get to know some of the staff and their personalities. If I ever “pulled the trigger” on one of their suggestions and liked it, then I would be more willing to buy one of their recommendations in the future.

This personal branding strategy works for almost any business. Personal branding consists partly of showcasing your personality to allow your customers or clients to get to know you. Once people get to know you and learn to trust your expertise, they are more willing to take your recommendations seriously. Let your customers know what your “picks” are and provide them with some value that will encourage them to seek out your opinion on other things.

Remember that your “picks” do not necessarily have to be products. Suggest a new trick you learned with a certain piece of software, or share a great new website you found. Even local restaurants or places of interest can be great recommendations. Things like this allow others to find what they may have in common with you – aside from your business. Just like a friend, you may be one of the first people that they turn to when they need a recommendation or a service that you provide.

Try to think of some ways that you can get involved with your customers and become a valuable resource to them. You’ll be surprised how adding a little personality to your brand can be a boon to your business!

Has anyone else noticed a seemingly sudden new trend in the restaurant business? I’m talking about the surge in gourmet Food Trucks.

Just the other night I was flipping through channels and came across the Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race,” and an episode of “Food Wars” on the Travel Channel showcased a “battle” between two local Los Angeles food trucks. This seems to be one of the new trends in the restaurant business, and I find it quite fascinating.

Before this recent trend, I never thought much of the food trucks that I would randomly see around town. Their reputation was nothing special – having only a small selection of deli sandwiches and snacks. They were usually found around construction sites, outdoor events, at the beach, etc.

This is definitely not the case now. Gourmet food trucks are starting to pop up in major cities across the country…this time in front of office buildings, parks and downtown areas. And it is no longer snack food. These trucks are staffed by well-trained culinary experts and experienced chefs. I’ve noticed that, just like themed restaurants, these trucks are using marketing and branding to set themselves apart – specifically personal branding.

On the “Food Wars” show, the two trucks competing against each other featured two completely different “personalities” when it came to their owners – and it was reflected in the theme of their truck. Both trucks were known for their innovative gourmet burgers, with unique and fresh ingredients. Truck one was called “Grill ‘Em All,” a play on a Metallica album called “Kill ‘Em All.” Any you guessed it, these guys were all rock and roll. Their truck’s brand and the personal brand of the chefs was big, bold, manly and “loud” – in both their flavors and their aesthetic.

On the other side, “Baby’s Baddass Burgers” showcased a very “bad girl” appearance, complete with outside waitresses in somewhat revealing clothing. The two women who ran this truck displayed these traits as well, and they marketed an party girl, fun-loving type of theme.

Both of these trucks provided gourmet burgers, but each went about it in a way that reflected the personalities of their owners – their personal brand.

I find it interesting that in some pretty rough economic times, talented chefs and restaurateurs are finding ways to cut down on overhead. A food truck is MUCH cheaper than renting space and maintaining a full sit-down restaurant. This has enabled them to focus only on the food – providing gourmet meals at a reasonable price for people on the go.

The personal branding lesson? Ask yourself how you can shape your business around your personality. What traits can you market to other like-minded people? Combine your personal brand with your expertise, and you’ve automatically made yourself and your product or service unique. Showcase your passion in your work, offer a good product, and you’ll find that others with the same passions will be drawn to you!

I recently read an amazing story about a family that was facing foreclosure. The house in question had been in the family for decades. As they were moving out of the house, due to impending foreclosure, they came across an extremely rare item.

The item they found was a copy of Action Comics #1. This comic book is famous because it is the first time that Superman was ever introduced! Can you imagine finding this? The even more incredible part of this story is that the comic book is worth over $250,000! The family was able to persuade the bank to give them some time. They have set the comic book up for auction and it will certainly save their house. Amazing! (You can read the story here: http://www.newser.com/story/97219/superman-comic-saves-family-home.html)

So what does this have to do with business growth and personal branding? This family had completely run out of options… they were stuck. Many of us have been in this position with our business. Now, you may not have been on the verge of closing up shop, but were you stuck on a plateau? Was your business just not growing? Had you run out of ideas?

When was the last time that you stopped to think about all of those ideas that you once had, but had just stuck in the “attic?” Maybe when you started your business, you had a certain direction in mind, and just got sidetracked. Perhaps other opportunities came about and were easier or more lucrative to pursue.

Well, if you’re ever in that place where you feel stuck, why not pull those old ideas out of the “attic” and see if they can fit into the business that you have built. It might just be the perfect idea to stimulate a new marketing campaign or business strategy. Maybe it will help you reach a certain niche within your client base.

Even better, it might be that certain something that compliments your personal branding strategy and sets you apart from your competition.

By FastCompany Expert Bloggers Nick Nanton & JW Dicks

Companies must take control of their own brand message and use their own media to do so when possible. LeBron James’ control of ESPN’s own show, to announce his jump from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat NBA Franchise, was as strong of an in-your-face illustration of the point as you can make.

James told ESPN who would interview him, when they could pop the question on his choice of teams, which sponsors would fill the hour long show, and perhaps more importantly, where the money paid for the sponsorships would go. Like it or not, and many journalists don’t, this is just the beginning of high profile sources taking control of a news event. The bigger the story, the more control the newsmaker will have–and that means content control, revenue control and residual spinoffs. Whether you like the way it went down or not, take a look at the opportunity it presents and think about how you could leverage this kind of coup using your personal brand like LeBron did on a local, regional, national, or industry level.

In a world where athletes and celebrities now have their own direct relationship with fans through social media channels, they can not only deliver the news, they can bring the eyeballs to watch the announcement. When the fans have fun and the media and the celebrity make money, who is to complain except the purist–and that cat is out of the bag.

Even though you may not have superstar status in your own market, don’t miss the point that this same formula can also be used in other ways. Local announcements of sports events or celebrity appearances can be used to create your own media appearances where you act as host, agent, deal maker, or sponsor depending on the role that best helps to elevate your personal brand. Use of news to expand your brand is not a new idea, but it’s taking on a new form that offers lots of opportunities.

Reminiscent of the early days in the battle lines being drawn between the music and movie industry vs. the “free music world”, a war is brewing between the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the media and fans.

The SEC is very worried that fans will become their own broadcast stations for football games through the next generation of Flip HD cameras and so they are introducing rules they hope will stop the loss of their exclusive broadcasting rights before the loss begins. They are imposing new rules to prohibit fans taking pictures during games and posting them on Facebook, YouTube or Flickr. Oh yeah, just in case you wondered, you can’t Tweet about the games either.

If you think the SEC will be the only event organizer who sets new media policies, think again. The billion dollar TV rights buyers will demand the program sellers try and do something to preserve the exclusivity of their broadcast rights. Anyone with half a brain knows this is going to be like putting your finger in a hole in the dike. The over flow will be everywhere. How the SEC thinks they will enforce the new rules will be a question without an answer, although early on we may see some season ticket holders banned and a few lawsuits used to scare people just as in the days of early Napster.

The real answer the SEC and broadcasters are missing is the lesson social media brings us in the first place. More involvement by fans in the entire experience will only improve the interest in what is being broadcast and a rabid fan is more valuable than a fan who thinks big brother is watching his every move.

Trying to fight city hall has always been a losing proposition and the same is true for trying to bridle technology and fans. The more you try, the worse it gets. Transparency should be the new mantra for big institutions, government and yes, even football conferences.

My daughter Jennifer and I just spent our joint birthday celebrations at the Resort of the Brand of Brands…Disney.
Some people may accuse me of picking Disney to visit as a way of writing off the trip since I was both “working by studying brands”, and at the same time having good fun watching the fireworks display while toasting our joint birthdays. No one said you couldn’t enjoy your work and I always do my best to put work and play together whenever possible.

In any event, both the play and the work were of great value and while I might write on my Facebook wall about the fun side of Disney, there is plenty to comment about on the “work” side of things.

Disney is one of the best studies of Personal Branding there is. Starting with the original brother Walt and running to the expanded personal brands of characters such as Mickey, Donald and Goofy, the company has now further extended to rock and television stars such as Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers. Just like their cartoon characters, the Disney Company creates, packages and then builds an entire industry around the real life stars as well. Lest anyone think that the characters aren’t treated as people with their own specific brand position and product line you have only to look to Goofy, one of my favorites. Goofy has his own cartoons, hats, t-shirts, and even now a Goofy food company. What Disney does, and is one of the best at it is, “run deep” with every character and personality they have letting the market dictate how far they go.

The lesson to each of us is a reminder that we have an opportunity to do the same with our own personal brands. Don’t stop at offering just one level or one product of your own brand; see how far your brand will take you. If you are a dentist, be all you can be as a dentist but don’t be afraid to spread your wings and stretch out into other areas such as coaching other dentist who may not be as far along in their practice as you are with yours. Take some of your more successful dental marketing ideas and offer to license them out for dentist to use in other areas of the country were your practice isn’t located and won’t compete. In some cases you may find that your license fees become as profitable as your practice just as franchises have discovered franchise fees can be just as profitable as opening a store themselves.

We as individuals marketing our own personal brand have an unusual opportunity to expand in a variety of ways never before available because the internet has given us the ability to do this at minimal cost. The challenge is to take an audit of all the assets you have, determine who might profit from those assets including your knowledge, and reach out across the web to find those people and do business with them. There is a new frontier for growing yourself as a personal brand using all of the elements of online marketing and social media. The opportunities for profit are huge just as Disney has shown us. It’s all pretty exciting!

Banking has always been tough before for Entrepreneurs, but in this economy you need to be alert and take extra precautions. Here are some new rules to follow to help your business keep flowing.

1. Get more credit cards. Yes, I know some people are advising against this because it could have an adverse affect on your credit score. I can argue about how that theory is wrong, but your credit score isn’t the important point today, credit is. The problem is that banks are raising rates on credit cards on any excuse they can find. Additionally, they are also freezing cap amounts and no longer extending credit. As you pay down the credit card, your cap automatically lowers. This gives you no more credit and makes that card worthless to you. You need to get more credit cards when you can so you have options if problems with your others occur. New cards often have low teaser interest rates for 6 to 12 months. We all know this can work against you when you hit the time deadline but in the meantime you can transfer balances on cards you are having rate spikes with today. Deal with today’s problems and then work on cures for the future.

2. Watch your merchant accounts carefully. Banks have the right at any time to pull out money for a reserve if they feel they need to. If you are counting on that money for operations, and all of a sudden it gets frozen, you can be in big trouble. The best recourse against this is to build a relationship with someone at the bank who works in merchant services, and the higher up you can go the better. The relationship isn’t a guarantee something won’t happen – because most of the banks are tied in with card processors and don’t do the work themselves. Nevertheless, you are better off with a bank advocate pleading your case then you are talking to the 800 number recording.

3. Establish more than one merchant account. Banks always want all your business but today you simply cannot afford to do that, or you may wind up with an account you can’t use – and it will take more than 30 days to get a new one. In the mean time, you can’t take new charges on your old merchant account so you lose lots of cash flow. Having a back up is an answer, and use both of the accounts for some of the processing each month so you always know they are working. Even then, alarms will go off when the account all of a sudden has more money running through it then the bank’s computers think is normal – but at least you should be able to explain that you are now using them for all of your processing, so that’s the reason for the spike.

4. Consider lining up one or more investors who are prepared to step in should you have a crisis. If your merchant account does get a reserve requirement slapped against it, you will eventually get the money so you could use that reserve for a private loan. I am not saying this is easy, but thinking about this and other resources before a problem occurs, gives you more time to act – because you know what you need to do and who you might call to help.

Just a reminder that all of us are allowed to check our credit report for free once every 12 months, from each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

It is a good idea because there are frequently mistakes in them that lower your credit score and as we all know, credit is tightening. Go to the web site I have listed, and you can order free from one, or all three at the same time. If you order one now, you can then order from the other two over the course of 12 months so you can view your credit more often. Order all three at once and you’re done for 12 months, which I don’t think is as good.

http://www.annualcreditreport.com

Congress is notorious for giving wonderful sounding names to new bills they want to pass just to fool the public who don’t read them. They are about to do it again.

Senator Kennedy and Rep. Rosa DeLauro are pushing the “Healthy Families Act”. Who could object to a wonderful name like that?

The bill requires any firm who has 15 employees to provide a minimum of 7 days of paid sick leave. I have no problem with that and have always had sick leave days in my companies. My preference is that you don’t come in when you are sick and spread whatever you have to everyone else. The problem with this law comes in the form of detail. The bill allows you to take the leave anytime and in the smallest increment the employer tracks payroll, and no notice is required. This kind of language would allow an employee to show up consistently late with no advanced notice, ultimately causing all sorts of problems with real staffing issues, especially in shift positions. An employer would have no retribution for such tardiness and disruption to everyone else.

There are other new bills coming down the pipeline, which impact our business. I encourage you to look beyond their names and see what the real affect they will have on your business. If you like them, great – but if you don’t, let your Congressman or Senator know they need to make some changes. To do nothing is a mistake.

Cheap is not my favorite word when selling, but it is a marketing position and should always be considered for a loss leader or name capture if nothing else.

During this recession and economic pullback, price can have an appeal and if you can compete on that level than you should point it out loudly and even make it a competitive advantage.

A couple of interesting examples and how value can be successfully marketed is Validas (www.myvalidas.com) and InchWorm Shoes (www.inchwormshoes.com).

Validas offers to shave an average of 22% off your mobile phone bill by letting them analyze what you are currently paying and making some suggested changes. You can upload your bill and pay $5 for a report that shows a breakdown of usage, compares carriers, and makes other suggestions for saving money.

InchWorm Shoes is a clever example of problem solving. We all know the cost of shoes and for kids how fast they outgrow them. Inchworm Shoes has a special technology that allows you to increase the size of your child’s shoe by pushing a button and pulling on the toe. Shoes can grow in half size increments and can expand up to three sizes… now if they could just do that for men’s pants I’d save a ton.

Keep thinking about the benefits your products and services have and remember …price can be a successful one.

You have got to be kidding me. BlackBerry and probably every other phone now has an app that literally lets you take a picture of something, send it to Amazon and back comes a picture and order information about how you can get the product rushed to your door. If you happen to be an Amazon “One Click” subscriber ordering is virtually instant.

We tried taking some pictures of some very unusual thing, and the order information we got back was at least always interesting. But if you took a picture of something normal like a book or electronic gadget, the results were right on.

Apparently the service uses a combination of computer technology and human interference, which I am sure will be decreased as time goes on. This is not only a cool new service for ordering, it can be a great price comparison system. (My tech son-in-law tells me there is an app that scans bar codes even better but I haven’t done that yet.)

It really is quite a gadget that really works, so check it out!

Old is new again!

Back in the “old days” most things were bought on cash but if you didn’t have the cash to buy, retailers came up with a system called a lay-a-way plan. The retailer held the goods and you made payment to them. When you were done paying the full price you got your furniture, dishwasher or whatever. Christmas lay-a-way assured gifts for the kids.

Over the years, the plan morphed into giving you the furniture at the point of purchase and making payments. Then someone got the bright idea to charge interest and once that took off credit cards began. Soon, merchants were making more on their financing charges than the sale of goods (GE Capital) and the world of credit was born perhaps to all our chagrin.

History has a way of repeating itself and during this economic downturn the lay-a-way plan has made a comeback in various forms and from unusual sources. Who would have ever thought a Music Festival would be sold that way.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California offered a Lay-a-way plan this year for the first time in their ten year history. Customers had the option of buying their tickets over several months by putting 10% down and the balance over two additional months, with the final payment due prior to the event.

The payment plan was adopted because other festivals have had to cancel their events this year due to sluggish sales. The plan has been working. The organizer was quoted as saying, “without the lay-a-way option we wouldn’t have done so well”. Like any good idea it is also already being adopted at other festivals in Tennessee, New Jersey, and Arizona.

The NFL also now uses a similar payment plan for their season tickets. You start paying right after the season and get paid up before the new season begins.

We use a lay-a-way option in our own business. The Ultimate Celebrity Branding Experience™ payments are spread out over 12 months; franchise legal work and business consulting are all extended over at least 12 months instead of charging the full fee or requiring the total to be put on a credit card and the client getting killed by interest. We are convinced it has made a tremendous difference in everything we do and why our business is growing rapidly even in this economy.

We aren’t alone and several of our clients including Orthodontist, Donna Galante and Paul Cater (www.CGBraces.com) have added monthly payment programs to their standard pricing. Clearly others should consider doing the same no matter what your business.

If you adopt a variation of the lay-a-way plan in your practice we encourage you not to add interest. All of us are very serious about our dislike of interest payments right now, and we all would love to avoid paying it when we can. You will make more sales by not charging interest and that alone will increase your bottom line.

Looks like some businesses have money to spend these days…and they are spending it. The Super Bowl sold out all 69 of their 30 second spots for a price ranging from $2.4 million to $3,000,000 per spot. The total was a record $206,000,000 haul for one day.

What this record shows is that people will pay for what they “think” is working, even in a recession. It is up to us to find what “will” work for our customer and give it to them. That is not to say that I think an ad that cost that much is even worth it if it isn’t direct response. It definitely reminds me of some of the advertising purchases during the dot come boom which saw the business quickly go broke after spending big money on their ads. We all need to remember it is the right kind of ads you buy that is important. And how can you tell if your money has been well spent if you can’t or don’t measure the results?

Remember, ROI (return on investment) is a number you must know and monitor on your advertising and marketing or you can’t compare where your money is going and pulling the best.

On the other hand…you probably won’t get your 30 seconds of fame on the Super Bowl if you are counting pennies.

As we watch the fallout of layoffs and cutbacks in business, I am looking for other profit centers in my clients business and my own that can be capitalized on. In the search for these hidden nuggets I found the results of a survey conducted by the management-consulting firm of Bain & Company. The survey found that a third of the Fortune 500 companies that made a shift in the strategic direction their company used, “secondary assets” of the company to make the change.

What “secondary assets” or underused product or service do you have in your present business that you could use to make more money? While the opportunity may be in a similar arena to what you are currently doing, it may also be in a new direction. You may capitalize on something else you haven’t used yet or previously had the time to explore. Perhaps the opportunity is even outside of your company, such as a joint venture or applying your technology or know how to help someone else capitalize on what they don’t see or are not using to their advantage.

Whenever I think of ‘secondary assets” I always think of Post It Notes and how something can be discovered even by mistake, that can change the face of your company forever. What do you have that is underused?

This economic upheaval is making strange bedfellows. If the big three highly competitive auto makers can join forces to borrow on one of the biggest loans of our time it is clearly a sign that we should all consider our own venture opportunities we may have shunned in the past.

I am not going to be critical of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court except to use the fact that he decided not to use notes in the swearing in of the President of the United States as an example of what happens if you are not prepared. He wasn’t and messed up the oath of office for himself and the President.

The Business Lesson: In business you cannot be prepared for everything, but you can be prepared for the things you know are coming and if you are not prepared, there is a great chance that mistakes can and will happen. There isn’t any excuse in that.

Not to long ago there was a very successful bestselling book call, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff . While I understand the point the author was making about the importance of not getting stressed out, I hasten to point out that good business is the essence of sweating the small stuff. To review every detail of an event, sales letter, marketing campaign or new hire is important. If you can’t do it yourself make sure the person handling the job for you can or get someone else.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court made a mistake today that could have been prevented. Unfortunately, he will have to live with it. Don’t put yourself in the same position.

Flying in your own jet to a Congressional Hearing to ask for money was a stupid idea but it wasn’t the worst blunder the car companies made. The worst mistake they made was forgetting the two reasons we are in business. Serve your customer and make a profit. They weren’t doing either.

Clearly the big 3 dragged their feet in producing new car concepts that went with the times and their bottom lines are terrible. Yet seemingly nothing was being done about it. I am totally fine with paying big salaries to people who produce but just like football if the Coach or top player isn’t producing it is time for a change.

BizIdea: Take a look at your business. Reward the people who are producing and let go those that are not. Yes, those decisions are tough but delaying them will only risk the possibility that your business may find itself having to lay off even the producers. Moves like that makes no economic sense nor does it serve the core reason for being in business. To risk repeating. The purpose of business is to serve its customers in the best fashion it can and to make a profit so it can keep serving those customers. Miss either side of that equation and sooner or later your business will pay for it.

Southwest Airlines is known for its quirky fun staff, low fares and peanuts for lunch. They may have added another new idea. If you elect to check your bags curbside in Las Vegas, the friendly bag handlers loudly tell you, “thanks for the tip” if you do give them one.

The Bizidea lesson: Telling someone thanks is always a good idea and I don’t know if this is a nationwide movement for Southwest or just something the Las Vegas guys thought of but it works at two levels. People are happier when they are thanked and when you hear thanks for the tip said by many people while you are waiting in line you can’t help to feel like a jerk if you aren’t fishing in your pocket looking for a tip to fork out when you check your bag. In an economy where many people are cutting back they sure are forking over the cash in Vegas.

The next time you have a training session with any of your employees that deal with your customers (even if you are your lone employee) remind them to thank your customer for their business. You may not get a tip but over time you will be rewarded.

I am attending an Athletes Investor and Franchise show in Las Vegas. No, I wasn’t invited because I am an athlete (LOL) but because we are presenting on the franchise side.

At 6 after the first day, everyone is invited to a cocktail party for a meet and greet. Free food and drink… so most attend including me.

Towards the end of the party and much to my surprise I was approach by two mid 20 something low v-neck type attractive young women. I knew at once something was up since it has been a number of years that a twenty year old approached me for anything.

“Hi”, the blond said extending her hand to shake and immediately establishing rapport. “What are you doing”, she added. Gawking was what I wanted to say but fortunately managed to come up with something about meeting new people to which she and her friend replied they were too. For the next few moments I found myself interested in hearing a slightly different sales pitch about how they were out meeting people too and inviting them to come out to their club. To make a longer story short, the Club was a “Gentlemen’s Club” and their limo would be happy to take me there and bring me back. The pitch was great but I declined and knew I had something to tell you.

The Biz Lesson…. Businesses everywhere are down because we are… whether we like it or not… in a world recession. We all have two choices. Hide our head in the sand and ignore the economy or face the fact and go out and get business. I don’t know whether the two ladies were self motivated or their club owner made a decision to take matters in his own hands and send some of his employees to find business and bring it back but that was exactly what he was doing. He wasn’t sitting back and moaning about the weather or any other excuse he might have come up with. He knew there were people in town at other places and one way he could reach them was to take the party to them wherever they were. My business side wanted to meet the owner and quiz them on their strategy. I didn’t think I could pull off explaining to my wife where I had gone to do a little research on business so I can only relay my observations to you instead. If the business isn’t coming to you, … go to where your customers are. Maybe that’s trade shows, Chamber of Commerce meetings or, like this one, cocktail parties. The point is, where ever your customer is, design a marketing plan to find your customer and go shake hands. It beats the wait. Think about it.

…Out in Vegas for an Athlete Investor and Franchise Show. This is supposed to be a gathering of professional athletes who are looking for business ideas they can get involved in and it seemed like a good idea to come see if they would be interested in Kennedys, our barber franchise.

Vegas is…well…Vegas. There may be a slowdown in people who are here but there are buildings being built and cranes moving, so I guess the city developers didn’t read about the recession or some are just getting ready for the turnaround. The hotel for the event is called the Palms and I have discovered that it is the only Playboy Club in existence. Wonder what they paid Hef for that license agreement?

Anyway… I was in the elevator on my way to my room and it was flying through floors at what seemed like unusually fast speeds. I wondered why they felt it was necessary to add so much speed. Then it dawned on me. Money. Of course…follow the money. The faster you get out of the elevator, the faster you get on the floor and bet money. I will bet there is some green visor genius sitting in some accounting office in Dubai figuring out the numbers for how much more money they make if they get every gambler out on the tables x minutes fast over the course of a year, several years etc. I bet it pays for all the elevators and then some.

The business lesson : It’s all in the details. If your telephone is answered faster is your prospect less irritable and more likely to buy? For some businesses the question may be if your phone is just answered is there a better chance your prospect will buy. You get the point. Details can make a big difference particularly now in slower times. My suggestion to us all is to do a walk around our business and see what is going on. Are there details that can be altered just a little in a phone script to increase your numbers? Are your employees offering additional products to clients when they speak to them. These little bumps should be high margin items that boost you profit per sale. The saying is that “the devil is in the details”. I say it’s the “money” in the details.

This is a question to ask yourself now and to also put in your calendar to ask yourself every 6 months.

Who is making money now and what are they doing?

Let me give you an example. Six months ago Mortgage brokers were dying on the vine. Many talented people in the industry went broke or moved out of the business because the mortgage industry dried up.

Now, things are changing. No, not everyone is making money but some are, and the industry is starting to turn because interest rates are falling. When long term rates fall far enough, people begin to refinance.

Refinancing is a sweet spot in the mortgage brokerage business because anyone with property and an interest rate about 1.5% higher than the refinance rate is a candidate to refinance and the sale to those people is starting to become a no brainer. Once the rush begins, history shows us that money is to be made fast for those that get their business lined up and a system to process it. So who is making money now…The mortgage brokers who are flexible are starting to and the trend will now be up not down. People that begin to follow the trend will reap some great rewards.

What else is starting to change again in the economy or, to say it another way…who is making money now? Follow it.

Walking the street of restaurant row in Miami beach I was stopped by some dude sitting at a table drinking his cafe-whatever when he stopped me and wanted me to give him 50 bucks.

Normally I have a policy for street people and when they ask for a little donation, I give it to them. I was a bit stunned, but not that blinded, and this guy got zip.

Guess he was working the averages but I never saw him get any money.

What’s the business lesson?

Always ask for the order and never stop. Sure we all get our share of no’s but a yes is sure to be just around the corner.

In the July issue of our newsletter, I talked about opportunity brought about by economic upheavals. The government bailout that Congress just passed is the next opportunity. 

There is no question that all of our customers and clients are concerned about what is going to happen next, and rightly so. However, as I mentioned in the previous newsletter, problems mean opportunity. 

Problem: People are being laid off.  

The Opportunity:  Job-training programs, employment agencies and entrepreneurial training are all businesses that can prosper. I think that franchising (one of our businesses) will get interest from lots of people who have previously been interested in doing something else, but have been reluctant to move because they had a good job. Now they may be unemployed and the decision is made for them. Many of these people have some money saved and realize that they need to do something with it before they spend it trying to hold out. 

Problem: Real Estate foreclosures. 

The Opportunity:  The government bailout will create multiple opportunities by offering real estate to investors who are willing to move it off the banks’ books. Sure, the investor will have to hold the property for a few years, but you may be able to buy at 20 cents on the dollar. 

Problem:  Lenders not making loans. 

The Opportunity:  In the past, people have put together private pools of money to back local projects for a good interest rate; and since there are not many good investments out there this will get interest again. 

Look in your own town and see where the problems lie.  Wherever the problems are, the guy that can help solve them can do some good and make some money. Those of you who remember the last government bailout (The RTC) in the late 80s early 90s know what I mean. Fortunes were made solving problems then, and new fortunes are going to made solving the problems again. 

1.     Thanksgiving Cards:  September is almost over and it is time to order your Thanksgiving “thank you” cards.  We have long promoted sending these out to your clients because Thanksgiving is a universal holiday and it is perfect for giving … thanks!  Thanksgiving cards can be funny, serious or fun — and the turkey isn’t sensitive.  Order a bunch of cards, sit down with your address book, and write away.  Try to say something more than just your name, and do not use an email card.  I am talking about a physical card with real ink handwriting.

2.     The Presidential election is November 7^th:  This means everyone will be thinking about the election so it is a perfect time to use it as a reference point in your correspondence or sales copy to customers.  Remember, starting a sales letter using a point of reference already on the mind of the reader is a great way to engage the reader and avoid being thrown the “B Pile” or “C Pile” of their mail, which may never get read.

3.     Look in your old ad file for an ad that worked before and brought in business.  We all change our ads from time to time, and sometimes we forget ones that worked great but that we just stopped using for some reason.  Yes, that was a mistake — but turn lemons into lemonade by pulling out the old ad and running it again.  By the way, if it works again, keep using it this time until it stops making you money.  A good ad is like printing money.

4.     Speaking of printing money … if you find an ad in your business that works, consider offering it as a license to other people in your industry outside your market area.  They will pay you for the right to run an ad that you can prove works.  If you doubt this concept, just ask yourself if you would pay for an ad proven to produce instead of wasting money starting from scratch?  Of course you would.  If you need help putting this together and selling it to others, let us know.  We can help you put one together. 

5.     Market More!  You may not have heard this recently, but it’s a gentle reminder.  Most people have a tendency to cut back on spending money for marketing when the economy slows.  The only possible way I agree to that is if you have no idea of your ROI on your marketing dollar.  If you do know that each time you implement a certain marketing strategy it brings you in a certain amount of money and profit, then you should increase your marketing — not cut back.  If you do not know your ROI, then you need to find out, but that is a different story.  Increase your marketing if you know your ROI is positive.