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!

We’ve talked about the importance of Twitter for personal branding in depth.  Today, I’m going to share three success stories—companies and individuals that have used Twitter to effectively build their brand.

1) Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh. Zappos was a very early adapter of Twitter, and as a result has built a very strong presence.  CEO Tony Hsieh, in particular, has used his twitter account (http://twitter.com/zappos) to infuse his personality into his business.  Contrary to the approach that many businesspeople take with Twitter, Hsieh isn’t hesitant to tweet about personal thoughts, opinions and activities that may have nothing to do with his business.  Rather than approaching Twitter as a giant billboard to advertise for Zappos, Hsieh uses it primarily to express his personality and connect with his followers.  When he does tweet about his business, he doesn’t make a sales pitch.  Rather, he shares interesting background details with his followers, or invites them to suggest improvements to various facets of his company.  As a result, followers stay engaged because Hsieh isn’t simply trying to sell them products.  In the long term, this results in customers with a strong connection to both Zappos and Tony Hsieh—and that is personal branding at its best. 

2) Comcast’s Bill Gerth. Comcast was another early adapter of Twitter, but they took a very different approach than Zappos.  In order to counter the perception that they were out of touch with their subscribers, Comcast created a Twitter account (http://twitter.com/comcastcares) specifically to help out frustrated customers.  In order to add personality to the account, Comcast assigned employee Bill Gerth to be the face of the operation.  This allowed followers to develop a personal connection—subtly countering the notion that Comcast is a large, bureaucratic, inhuman corporation.  Their customer service team uses the page to assist customers that are having issues— technical, billing, or others.  A glance at their page reveals a steady stream of correspondence with customers, immediately conveying that Comcast is dedicated to satisfying their customers.  Their Twitter presence serves two purposes—first, it’s an efficient way to provide customer support; and second, it presents Comcast as a customer centered company that truly cares. 

3)Southwest’s Christi Day. Southwest has been on Twitter since 2007 and has built a dynamic presence.  Run by employee Christi Day, Southwest uses their profile (http://twitter.com/SouthwestAir) for a variety of functions, but all have brand-building as their central purpose.  Common tweets include correspondence with travelers experiencing problems (a tweet earlier this week to a delayed flier read “I’m so sorry for the delay tonight. Hopefully we’ll get everyone outta there soon, hang in there!”) as well as announcements, information and contests.  This month, Southwest is holding a “12 days of LUV” contest in which they are offering 12 $1,000 Southwest gift cards to contest winners.  The contest asks followers to participate in various challenges, such as dressing their pet festively for the holidays.  Participants send pictures, and the winner is announced via Twitter.  These interactions paint a picture of Southwest as an engaged, fun-loving and customer oriented airline—branding at its finest.

You may not own a Fortune-500 company, but there is nothing stopping you from building a strong personal brand through Twitter.  The companies we covered above found great approaches that work for them—what will your approach be?

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.

If you pay attention to the world of sports, you’ve no doubt heard plenty about Michael Vick’s record setting performance last Monday night. Vick, the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, had an incredible game while becoming the only player in NFL history to throw three touchdown passes and run for two more in the first half of a game. Headlines across the nation paid tribute to his incredible performance—starkly contrasting the headlines that ran in 2007, when Vick was arrested for animal cruelty and other charges. I’ve spoken to many individuals who have been on the receiving end of negative publicity because of their own or other’s mistakes. In many cases, they feel hopeless and are ready to give up. Michael Vick’s story is a great illustration of the reality that it is never too late to begin recuperating your brand and overcoming mistakes. While Vick still has many detractors and a long way to go to make us all forget about his crimes, the fact that he is back in the public eye, making millions of dollars playing in the NFL, is amazing. So how has he begun restoring his brand, and what lessons can we take from it?

1) Take responsibility for your mistakes. Own up, apologize if necessary, do what you have to do to make it right—and move on. In Vick’s case this meant prison time… for most people, this may mean an apology to a customer, employer or boss. If a client complains about your products publically online, for instance, don’t ignore it. Instead, engage the unhappy customer and offer to work with him or her to make it right. Not only might you win the customer back, you’ll also have turned the negative publicity into a positive. Without your response, potential customers that saw your unhappy client’s complaint might have been frightened away. By responding, you’ve ensured that even if potential clients do see a complaint about you, they will also see how hard you’ve worked to make it right.

2) Address the issues that caused the problem. For Vick, this meant finding a new circle of friends. For others, it may mean being careful about what they post and say on Twitter and Facebook, or it may mean terminating or retraining an employee. The bottom line is that you need to fix the problem and make sure it doesn’t happen again. In general, people are willing to forgive and forget about a mistake. But repeating the same mistake over and over will make it very hard to recover.

3) Remember that nearly everything you do contributes to your brand. You may not think that how you answer your phone is important—but it often forms the first impression that somebody has of you. When you’re trying to recuperate your image, every interaction with a customer, colleague, boss or employee is important. Think about how you dress, what you say, and how you say it. Are you sending the right message?

4) Give them something else to talk about. Last Monday night, Mike Vick changed his public perception by performing at an incredible level. You may not be an NFL quarterback, but you are capable of exceptional performance in your field, whatever that may be. Do what it takes to impress those around you with your skill, determination, knowledge or whatever assets you possess.

Dealing with negative publicity or a bad reputation can be depressing. It’s a horrible feeling to see your name or your company’s name associated with negativity. But it is never too late to turn your reputation around. The steps we’ve discussed above will get you started in the right direction.

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.

In just a few short years, Twitter has become a household name. If you had told me five years ago that I would spend my time “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 ideally designed for personal branding—users have the ability to choose a color scheme, upload a picture, and send messages to an unlimited number of followers. The casual feel of the site gives users the freedom to incorporate their sense of humor and personal interests into their tweets—an opportunity that doesn’t exist with many other forms of communication. However, don’t let the simplicity fool you… as with all branding efforts, effective personal branding through Twitter requires a well-conceived plan. Below are five tips to get you started:

1) Put some thought into your layout. You don’t have to design a masterpiece, but you should spend some time on your Twitter layout to make sure it is consistent with your personal brand. Perhaps most importantly, choose a picture that shows you at your best. If you’re like most people, you’re a bit shy about using your picture in public—but resist the urge to use a company logo or some other image. 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 is a great way to gain more followers—and it’s a great way to gain credibility in your field of work.

3) Self promotion should be subtle. 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 once a day at minimum. If you’re tweeting less than once a day, you’re not going to connect with your followers. You need to build relationships in order to convey your brand—and that takes more than two tweets per week.

5) Be yourself. Don’t be stiff and 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.

Twitter provides a unique opportunity to engage your friends, clients and potential clients. Before diving in, make sure that you’ve identified your personal brand. Each action that you take should reflect that brand. Keep the guidelines we’ve covered above in mind, and you’ll be well on the way to projecting your personal brand through Twitter.

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.

Welcome to the NFL, Tim Tebow…and welcome to personal branding!

This has been an especially exciting couple of weeks for new Denver Quarterback Tim Tebow. He just finalized his football contract with the Denver Broncos that could yield upwards of $33 Million and he just signed a 3-year endorsement deal with sportswear company, Jockey.

The Jockey deal replaces Jim Palmer who held the endorsement spot for 20 years and was one of the good guys in sports too. He took everything off except his Jockey’s for a photo spread that was, at the time, a little risqué and the question abounds whether Tebow will repeat the male equivalent of centerfold himself. It will be interesting to see.

The Jockey deal appears smart because it adds a little interest to Tebow’s clean cut image without bruising Christian values and the very large constituency of Tebow followers. He will need to maintain a tight balancing act with the Jockey brand – but that is what he has been doing at the University of Florida for the past four years.

Developing your personal brand requires great congruency. Your actions and your words must be carefully matched or you can lose your audience if they become confused about your message. There will be a lot of eyes on Tim Tebow as he starts his NFL career. Many people will be watching for a stumble and some will even be hoping for one. Understand, it is the same thing you face in your own business with your competition always ready to take your place if you make a mistake. Tim will have to be vigilant and so will we in our own business. Know the message you want to make with your personal brand and always be congruent with it to your fan base. This is one of the true keys for personal branding success.

This Blog originally appeared on FastCompany.com. — Original post: http://www.fastcompany.com/1671298/harry-potters-personal-brand-profits

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened at Universal Studios Orlando June 18 and the studio is reporting rising attendance and guest spending. This is of particular significance since Universal’s theme park attendance had been hurt by the global recession and travel slowdown. The opening of the new attraction had been a long awaited event for Universal and Harry Potter fans, so the news of positive performance brings a welcome sigh of relief for the hefty $250 million bet Universal placed when they went after the Harry Potter attraction and scooped it out from under Disney who resides only a few miles away.

While all looks great with Harry Potter and the investment Universal made, the naysayers have been wondering out loud if Harry Potter will indeed have legs for years to come, after the last movie is out. After all, J.K. Rowling has said she will write no more Potter books and she certainly has enough money (Forbes estimates her net worth at more than $1 billion) to make that statement believable.

First, it will be a very long time before all of the Harry Potter fans even have an opportunity to go to the attraction. By then, many of the readers will have had more of their children come of reading age and turned into Harry Potter fans. And at some point, the books will pass down to the next generation. Additionally, just because J.K. Rowling doesn’t want to write any more books, doesn’t mean she won’t license different forms of Harry Potter adventures, from cartoons to video games. All of this brand continuity is up to Universal, who has both the burden and the opportunity, to make the Harry Potter brand stay fresh and make its product line continue to flow.

The lesson in all of this for us is to remember that we too must be vigilant with our own brands and work to keep them fresh with new ideas and expanding products that not only grow in number, but also lead into new business verticals and opportunities. Like Universal, most of us have invested lots of time and money to build our brand and in doing so have secured a bit of intellectual property that we have that is unique. While our brand may not have the value of Harry Potter, it doesn’t have to for it to be an opportunity to create more jobs, economic growth contributions, and a nice nest egg for ourselves and families. That’s a bit of “Wizarding” magic in and of itself.

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.

In a recent New York Times article by Brooks Barnes, it reported that the Walt Disney Co. was going to take a risky step of recasting Mickey’s image for the future, adding, “Disney has quietly embarked on an even larger project to rethink the character’s personality from the way he walks and talks to the way he appears and how kids interact with him online.”

This acknowledgement by Disney of the importance of “thinking”, about how a personality brand is perceived on many levels by your audience, is a lesson we all need to keep in mind. Clearly Disney is concerned about brand reception and its effect on a brand with $5 billion in annual merchandise sales. Your company’s brand might not have billions at stake but what you do have is just as important to you.

Brand reception by your audience, no matter how big or small, must always be a concern and mixed messages can be as large a problem as bad messages. This is one reason that we encourage clients who have businesses driven on personality brands to be consistent not only with the verbal messages they are conveying to their audience but the more subtle messages as well. Brand reception is particularly important in the age of Facebook and other social media sites where some brand personalities might relax too much. Yes, it is important to let your personality come out and let your client/customer base know who you are so you can create a stronger bond. This is one of the strengths of building your business based on personality branding. However, you must at the same time be cautious to realize that you are being watched by your clients and the messages you are sending must remain true to the brand you are building or someday you may have to, “rethink” the direction your brand has taken.

DMNews is a consistent supply of great content and if you are not a regular subscriber of their free daily email, I would encourage you to sign up. This past month they put out a special 30 year edition magazine and my eye was quickly caught by the marketing strategies they highlighted as having been proven in the past and continue to be. While many of you use some or all of the ideas on this list, I found it refreshing to see them all at one time staring me in the face and tickling my thought as to how I might be able to spin a specific strategy in a new way. Today, I am going to give you the entire list and then in other emails and blogs comment about them individually adding my own spin when helpful. In no particular order:

Customer endorsements
Continuity programs
Loyalty programs
Sweepstakes
Rebates
Coupons
In-Billing advertisements
Business reply cards
Location-Based targeting.

Keep your eye out for my emails and blogs which will carry the heading 30 Year Proven Marketing Strategies and the number I am commenting on.

This lesson is my continuing look at the 30 year list selected by DMNews. The strategies we discuss are in no particular order.

Loyalty programs are well known and clearly successful. Best Western is one of the oldest at 20 years, but most big hotels and airlines now have some sort of a program.

One of the interesting things about these programs is how they expand and contract over the years and how they are also adaptable to any kind of business – national or local. On the expansion level, Delta just announced that you can trade in sky miles for many other things instead of just flying. Miles can be redeemed for gift certificates to national restaurants and retail merchants. These expanded offerings were resisted for a long time but I think they will find it makes the use of the miles accumulated easier and members will think of the airline more often and more favorably when they can use the miles for items they might otherwise have to pay cash for.

Loyalty programs are also adaptable. We use a variation program in our Kennedy’s Barber Clubs. If you are a member, you are given a business card with your own name on it and are invited to hand them out to your friends with a free “haircut and Shave” coupon on the back. If the coupon is redeemed and the customer becomes a new member then the member who passed out the card gets a free month of service. It is a great deal for everyone. Members have an opportunity to do a favor for a friend and at the same time get real value awards for the gesture. The Club benefits in the form of referrals which we all know are one of the strongest methods of marketing.

Cross promotions between merchants also work. Examples are easy to see on a national level with American Express cross promoting with airlines but down at the local level the idea can be adapted too. A men’s retailer can cross promote with a woman’s retailer to provide gift opportunities to their clients and the gift doesn’t compete or hurt their own sales since it is to a different gender.

How can you use a loyalty program in your business? What steps need to take place to implement quickly?

The months of November and December are loaded with reasons to contact your customers with promotions or just good information you think they could use, which is exactly the reason we are sending you these thoughts.

As we all know, the best time to connect with a prospect or customer is when we are able to enter into the conversation already going on in their head. This time of year there is lots going on and thus lots of opportunities.

The following holidays are opportunities for you and the key dates are obvious, but some not so obvious ones can be used just as effectively to touch your clients and prospects.

-Christmas
-Thanksgiving
-American Education Week (second week of November)
-Family week (4th week of November)
-Nov. 27 Black Friday (biggest shopping day of the year and everyone is looking for a buy)
-Nov. 11 Veterans Day
-Nov. 17 World Peace Day
-New Year’s Resolution suggestions
-Predictions for the New Year
-Send your Christmas Cards out
-New Years Eve Be Safe Reminder
-Plan Your January Marketing campaigns so you don’t miss the excitement of a New Year.

Pick one or all of these ideas – but don’t miss this opportunity to connect with your clients and prospects because if you don’t…someone else will.

Happy Holidays!

I have driven Mercedes cars for about 10 years. The last three have been a SL55 AMG, and I mention that only to let you know they weren’t a bad sale for my dealer. Even though one of the cars wasn’t actually purchased from the dealer they do get all of the warranty work on the car as well as the sale of the extended warranty. Frankly, I am a good customer and they treat me well giving me one of those wonderful perks of a “loaner” car when needed. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that the car they loan me is a very nice… Honda Accord.

Ok, I know, I sound ungrateful, but I’m not. I am trying to teach lessons on branding and this is one they haven’t learned. I don’t want you making the same mistake. “Never cheapen your brand.“

Please note: There is nothing wrong with Accords. I actually owned one many years ago. However, if I am selling Mercedes and am giving an Accord to my good clients look what I am saying to them:

1. An Accord is a good car and you might want to consider it if you want to save some money (like during a recession).
2. And Accord is dependable which is why we loan it out.
3. You are a good customer but not good enough for us to loan one of our Mercedes to.

In addition to these non verbal messages (none of which you would really want to convey), they are also missing out on a “prime” opportunity; put me into one of their new cars and have a customer service (aka salesman) go over the car before I drive it off so I “properly understand how to use all of the wonderful new features.” And, when I return, meet me and see what I thought about the experience. Two chances to test my sales pulse. Two chances they get without having to spend money to market to customers just to “try” and get them to come test drive their cars. They spend lots of money normally doing this and they could do it spending no money and giving happy experiences to customers getting service done at the same time.

Hopefully, you aren’t making this same type of mistake with your customers but it is always profitable to stop and look at things you are doing that could be viewed differently than intended. Sometimes it is the case of using the wrong person in a relationship role; sometimes it is an error in the sales choreography your company uses that conveys an unintended and unwanted message. Take a moment, “walk your business” and see if you need to corrected and unintended mistake.

Happy Branding!

The big brands continue to embrace the social media movement and are adapting it in many ways to increase connection to their prospects and customers – as well as to encourage them to help find more consumers who have similar interests.

Nike is using social media and viral marketing to promote its annual Human Race series by inviting consumers to join the race through an email campaign with user generated video. While there is no direct connection with a sale of products, Nike is getting users to help build its brand and when consumers are directed to Nike’s website for registration they capture their information. I encourage you to go to Nike’s specially designed website, www.What-Cha-Doin.com, to view their campaign and go through the process yourself (see they even have me referring people to the site). By visiting the site, what you will notice is that they have set-up a program for the consumer to personalize the email they send to their friends and even include the friends running abilities and hobbies. It will be interesting to see how Nike uses this information at a later date to target advertising or other emails they send out from the names they collect.

Our Company does an event a couple of times per year and part of it is a “behind the scenes” look at Disney and an education on how they do the business magic they do so well.

One segment of the tour is a visit to the “underground” part of the Magic Kingdom – the tunnels below. On tour, the very knowledgeable guides explain in detail some of the “insider” points of what Disney does and the thought process that goes with it.

On this particular trip the guide told us about Disney’s Pin trading. For those of you who don’t know, Disney borrowed the idea of trading Pins from the Olympics when they observed people from different countries using it as an ice breaker to make conversation and connect with each other. Disney then created its own pins for guests in the park to trade with Disney employees or “cast members,” as they prefer the term. Obviously, in order to trade a pin you had to buy one and thus a new product line began to the tune of what is now a $100 million a year industry with its own events, including cruises.

The Pin trading venture is a whole study itself in the process of creating new verticals for your own business – but today’s lesson is perhaps more important. Our guide pointed out excitedly that it really wasn’t the pins that were important; it was in her words, “all about the opportunity to build a relationship with our guest.”
I doubt the guide thought of this on her own, and if she did Disney should certainly give her a raise and a bigger job, for the point is dead on. A sale, no matter what the product, is an opportunity to create or continue a relationship with your customer. The sale will not last. The relationship can. The true value of any sale is not today’s value but the lifetime value of that customer today and tomorrow.

The value of what a personality brings to a brand is normally calculated in terms of immediacy. What does the addition of the personality do to current sales revenue?

In the current issue of Forbes Magazine (September 2009) another method of valuation is discussed which makes personal branding or celebrity branding even more valuable. This valuation is called “incremental value” and it is viewed as the value brought to a business not just in terms of a current sales increase, but overall company valuations for potential sale of the business itself.

The article focus on the increased value of three NFL football teams – the Patriots, Jets and Cowboys after they hired Coach Bill Parcells to turn around their football team. It then demonstrated the economic effect of that hiring to their overall corporate value.

During the Parcells tenure with the teams their total value increased by $1 billion dollars; which was $300 million more than the increased value they would have gained if their appreciation had merely tracked that of the entire league. Frankly, that number did not even allow for the fact that for at least some period of time there would be an added residual increase after Parcells left the team.

Naturally, it isn’t fair to say that it was just the fact that Parcells was promoted as the new Coach that increased the value of the team, because it was his coaching and performance that did the job. The better the team did, the higher the ticket prices were ,as well as the prices of other products. Overall sales increased as well, leading to higher valuations. Nevertheless, the name ”Parcells” now carries with it a value of its own, and that is the essence of the value of personal branding. This is true in football, business or even politics for that matter. At some point, the name becomes the brand and it has an intrinsic value of its own.

The conclusion we want to bring out to this study is the fact that personal branding or celebrity branding has many values including the pull and name recognition to catapult any business or professional practice. Don’t minimize the value as just a short-term boost but instead, see the longer term value added for yourself and your business.

Buzz Lightyear has just returned from space. No I am not kidding. Disney’s action figure literally just returned from spending more than 15 months aboard the International Space Station. Naturally, in Disney “spin”, the joint effort with them and NASA was to “encourage students to pursue studies in science and engineering”. While I am not exactly sure how sending the toy into space will provide that type of encouragement, I do know it will help get attention to the miniature astronaut’s brand as Buzz Lightyear got the same type of ticker-tape parade that real astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, received at Walt Disney World.

Buzz Lightyear is yet another example of the continuing development of “personality branding” that Disney is so successful at. Buzz, not only has ventured into space but has his own attraction, ride and gift shop at Disney where you can buy his entire lineup of products. Surely another Buzz movie is on the way and Disney is already in discussions with the Smithsonian Institute for an exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum, which likely will be a home away from home for Buzz and company, solidifying the Buzz brand not just as a cartoon or toy figure but also as an educational product.

The lesson in all of this from a business perspective is to see how you can use your “personality” to build your brand. You can be the action hero in your own products world, and while you may not be able to give yourself a ticker-tape parade, you can participate in one. As an example, for about $2,000 you and a group of your friends can actually be in Universal Studios’ Thanksgiving Parade and hold the ropes to one of the giant balloons you see on TV. A little picture-taking of you holding a copy of your book or product, and you can produce a press release about you and your product appearing in the Universal Thanksgiving Parade. You could even join the new Buzz Lightyear promotion by buying the Buzz toy, putting him on your shoulder and taking a picture outside the Disney attraction. Your picture caption could read “Buzz welcomes you to Disney” or something fun to that effect. Or maybe take a video using a Flip HD Camera and post it on your web site or YouTube, and all of a sudden you are connecting in a new and fun way to your own customer base. Yes, publicity can be both fun and profitable…just ask Disney!

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!

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.

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.