There is no mystery in the fact that the companies and people who are most well known and successful, are the ones that have positioned themselves as leaders in their field or niche. Take a big corporate brand such as Nike. Everyone recognises the ‘Nike Swoosh’, it’s well known around the world. Branding is a critical component to any customer in their purchasing decision and the same applies to prospective affiliates and distributors who might be considering joining your company and working with you.
Individuals that appreciate the power that personal branding brings, such as CEOs, the Presidents and Priministers of this world and celebrities, like Lady Gaga and Britany Spears are those who are the most successful and influential.
Yet, don’t be naive, personal branding isn’t just for celebrities. Personal branding by its very definition is the way in which people like you and me are able to market ourselves to the masses around the world. With web 2:0 technologies and social media platforms like You Tube, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin etc, building a brand equity has never been more possible.
Tips on Getting Started with Personal Branding
Who are you?
This is extremely important and you don’t want to get this part wrong. The crux of personal branding is showing off your personality. Being sure about your passions and finding your niche are crucial to positioning yourself as a leader. Consider what you are good at and showcase your talents and experience to the world. But be careful, it is really important that people GET who you are. You might be trying to portray yourself one way, but you might be coming across completely different. The key to success here is being authentic.
First Impressions Count
We have all heard the cliche, that people make their minds up about someone within the first 7 seconds of being introduced to them. And whilst the world of social media means we will not always meet new team members face to face, the same principles about good etiquette apply. Whatever social media circles you’re in right now, pay close attention to:
- The way you act
- The things you say
- What you sound and look like (on Skype, Webcams and Videos)
People considering your friendship, business opportunity or services, will inevitably decide whether they want to work with you by considering one or all of the above. Don’t think because you are communicating through video or over the phone that you can do business in your dressing gown or slippers. Dress for Success!
Be Interested and Visible
Having a great brand, isn’t enough on its own, however good you are at graphic and web design. You will need to be visible in the social circles you are working in and affiliated too. The more interested you are in others, the more interesting and MEMORABLE you will become. Going that extra mile for someone always does wonders for your credibility and ultimately your brand. Make sure you are visible in your communties.
Be Consistent
One of the key principles for any brand is the need to be 100% consistent. If you are being authentic from the start, then this really shouldn’t be a problem for you. But most of all don’t lie, brag, or exaggerate. Potential followers will spot your fakeness easily.
Creating your Brand
Consider how you might showcase your brand to the world. Traditionally business cards were a must have and still are an extremely successful marketing tool for any professional or company. They are practical, easy to distribute. They show who you are, what you do and where you can be contacted.
Consider creating your own Blog or Website. Having a website that represents yourname.com is a must have, if you want to stand out form the crowd, be uber professional and show commitment to your line of work. Personally branded blogs; if done well, will be an extremely effective branding tool. What’s more, Blogs are an asset, because they rank highly among search engines and over time will provide a massive portfolio of your knowledge, expertise, work ethic and authenticity.
Biographies, Testimonials and Resumes are also great ways to have written content on who you are, what you have achieved and what you have done for others. Consider asking people you have worked with for testimonials to place on your marketing material and blog.
Don’t underestimate the branding capabilities that come with social networks such as Facebook, You Tube, Linkedin and Twitter. On social media platforms like these, you will be able to create full profiles about yourself and your business. They great thing about social networks is that people get to see the real you, far more than you would a work colleague in the real world. Having professionally created Twitter and You Tube backgrounds will make you stand out.
Finally a little reminder about the benefits of PERSONALLY BRANDING YOURSELF
- It will position you as an expert in your niche
- It will create and increase your competitive edge
- It provides a platform to get your ‘authentic self’ noticed
- It focuses your talents, strengths and achievements
- It allows you to create a buzz around new products, concepts and services
- It WILL generate sales and a higher income over-time
- It attracts likeminded people
- It builds trust, respect and mutual admiration.
I would love to hear your thoughts on Personal Branding, including your experience if this is something you have achieved for yourself.
Yours in Success,
Republished by Blog Post Promoter
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:06 am
Excellent post Beth, I am glad you did a post about the importance of personal branding. I recently posted on a blog about NIKE branding the best basketball players and inspiring kids. Michael Jordan started it off then Lebron James and Kobe Bryant took it to another level with the puppet commercials. I see that you are headed to the top by the value that you are giving to your readers. I am excited to read more of your post in the future.
To your success,
Damon Jennings
.-= Damon Jennings´s last blog ..Enjoy A Hawaii Kona Vacation For Pennies On The Dollar =-.
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February 2nd, 2010 at 4:14 am
Thanks Damon, you know I was going to say, BMW or something else and then Nike just popped in my head…On reflection I think I might have seen your post. Maybe it was subliminal that I chose the Nike Swoosh lol.
So glad that you are enjoying my posts
Beth
.-= bethhewitt80´s last blog ..Personal Branding and YOU! =-.
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February 2nd, 2010 at 4:17 am
This is such an important subject. So many people are not congruent with their message. They say they stand for one thing and their actions say something totally different.
One has to have personal branding down to a science, this is how you will get the most bang for your buck.
Thanks for sharing.
.-= Jose H. Caraballo´s last blog ..The “Not So” Obvious Benefits of Joining a Social Media Tribe! =-.
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February 2nd, 2010 at 4:40 am
Beth, what a great article on HOW to brand yourself. You really covered all of the basis on what I consider an “emerging topic”. Social media is just getting its training wheels off and hitting the big time, and people are still struggling with the basics of attraction marketing. Finding our niche and approaching it with dare I say REAL authenticity is the key. You can no longer bluff your way onto people’s radars today.
I struggled.. and somewhat still struggle… with finding my niche, yet it seems that my niche is finding me. Its about what we ALREADY DO that makes our heart sing. How we take what lights us up and amplify it in a way it can benefit others.
.-= Kimberly Castleberry´s last blog ..The Power of Authenticity =-.
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February 2nd, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Beth,
Thanks for the excellent post on Personal Branding. Building YOUR brand online is essential to laying your foundation to success marketing online.
A good way to jump start building your brand is to first define what your best characteristics are, and what it is about yourself that you are trying to sell to others. Making a well-defined list can be a great way to do this. Following all of these techniques will make sure that you are sellable as a brand.
It is important when building your brand to create a consistent message online , and regardless of which social networks you use, it is important that your profile accurately reflects who you are and what you do.
Thanks again for the valuable content.
Liam McCauley
.-= Liam McCauley´s last blog ..Setting Personal Development Goals – Achieve Success and Fulfillment =-.
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February 3rd, 2010 at 12:10 am
Really good info here Beth. Branding is crucial but I`ll take it one step further… you have to live up to your brand…. you can look as pretty and congruent as you like but if you don`t deliver the goods…. it is all for not.
You really need to know what your purpose is and have everything you say and do be in alignment with that.
Thanks for a great post!
Live Full Out & On Purpose,
Susan
.-= Susan Davis´s last blog ..Social Media Etiquette 101… part 2 =-.
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February 4th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Beth,
Incredible piece on The Power of Branding YOU!
Anybody out there reading this be sure to bookmark this page and refer to it consistently so that it awakens your Authentic Self because that is the key to reaching out and connecting to the masses.
Beth has truly over-delivered some extremely valuable marketing content for starting any successful venture online or offline and has given it totally free from her heart without any attachments.
Pay Attention to all the subtleties she has emphasized including First Impressions, Dressing for Success, Being REAL, and Staying Consistent.
Keep On ROCKING THE FREE WORLD, BETH!
I had a BLAST reading this! It’s Opened the Mind up quite a bit.
.-= Tone Floreal´s last blog ..img_0906 =-.
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February 5th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Well since the Blog Mastery Program with Katie Freiling Ive been head over heels in love with Branding and dicovering you Niche. I started to understand a lot of different things that were not clear to me before..I found this and it toally clikced to me along with the teachings you provided for us Here it is, “Personal branding is not just about finding a niche, become an expert, and marketing yourself to others. While these are part of any personal branding journey, on a more fundamental level personal branding is a form of psychological evolution that you go through as you begin developing a deeper relationship with yourself.
By getting to know who you are, what is important to you, and where you want to go, you put yourself on a path towards creating a stronger sense of self, which in turn will eventually lead to a much stronger personal brand.
Answer these questions:
1. What are my five favorite activities?
2. What are the top five personality attributes I’d use to describe myself?
3.What are the top five personality attributes that others use to describe me?
4. What are the key elements of a successful career in your opinion?”
Remember: Branding its not performing a specific task or being in certain occupation or living in specific location.
Its about sharing yourself in creative, loving way using the skills and interest that are inherently part of you. Hope this makes sense..My niche is Entrepreneurship & Personal Development.
.-= Therese Miu´s last blog ..GURU 101: You are Your Own Guru =-.
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Richard Goutal Reply:
April 23rd, 2011 at 5:49 pm
Nice… but challenging!
Richard Goutal´s last [type] ..The Road to Collaboration Begins With Building Rapport
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February 8th, 2010 at 6:21 pm
Great Post! Being authentic is essential to building your personal brand - especially when you’re marketing yourself. I always liked the business model that teaches you can have any level of success you desire if you’re willing to help other people get what they want. When you get out of your own way (and sometimes your own head!) and make ‘it’ more about other people more than about you, you win too. Thanks for your insight.
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March 13th, 2010 at 3:40 am
Nice work and well thought out post. Keep up the great work.
.-= Jerry´s last blog ..Secrets Of Creating Wealth? Could it be Giving? =-.
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March 18th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Great post Beth! This is an area that I think is so important and I’m looking to learn as much as possible. You gave me a lot of information to think about. Thank you
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March 27th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Hi Beth…I’ve got to really identify with myself
.. but really focus on branding myself as it realates to my business.
.-= Bill Cowan´s last blog ..Motivational Tip #3 Dare To Dream =-.
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May 3rd, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Great advice, Beth. Personal branding seems to be the new standard for anyone doing business - especially on the internet. Combined with integrity, it’s an unbeatable marketing tool.
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May 3rd, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Hi Beth,
A true fundamental criteria for any one wishing to build a presence online. This is valuable information to your readers, I just hope that they take your advice and implement the techniques and tips that you are recommending.
Thanks alot for the quality post after post.
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May 3rd, 2010 at 9:20 pm
Beth, great information on branding yourself, this is so very important if you want to be successful in any business but especially online. Hopefully more people will start to brand themselves and not the business that they are in. Thanks
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May 3rd, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Social Branding is so necessary and the key to doing business in this day and age. Great Post Beth thx.
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May 3rd, 2010 at 11:14 pm
Beth,
You have clearly and concisely explained the only effective way of creating a positive presence on the internet.
So many internet marketers still don’t get it. The old way of pushing products and services doesn’t work. Period. People have to know, like and trust you so give them content to showcase who you are and what your talents are. Start thinking about contributing to others and stop chasing after the $$$. Your value will make you magnetic and will attract buyers to you.
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bethhewitt80 Reply:
May 4th, 2010 at 12:03 am
Hi Jacqueline,
I am glad you agree. It’s a nice feeling to offer value. I wonder how long it will before the rest of the internet marketers work it out!!
Thank you for stopping by.
To your success,
Beth
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October 19th, 2010 at 5:15 am
All great points. The only thing I will add is be yourself!!!
I think sometimes we think of ourselves as these corporate professionals, which in most cases is what we are trying to get away from then when we are building our brand we are all concerned with the words we use and how we speak.
People want to see, hear, and get to know you, not the stuffy person with all the book smarts you appear to be.
Thanks again. Have a great day!
Joe
Joe Malinowski´s last [type] ..4 Steps to Enhance Your Business’s Social Networking
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April 22nd, 2011 at 8:28 am
Hi Beth.
Your post is full of excellent stuff on branding. How anyone thinks they can be an internet marketer without developing a branded presence beats me.
Not only do you share great insights but your blog is congruent with your post…fully branded and well laid out.
My personal business has gone from strength to strength since I started a blog, developed facebook pages and built my own member site. The next step of course is to develop your own information products so that people begin to trust you as an expert in your niche.
You give excellent value, Beth.
Best wishes
Pete
pete chapman´s last [type] ..How to Cache Your WordPress Blog and Why You Need to Do It
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bethhewitt80 Reply:
April 29th, 2011 at 11:07 am
Peter,
YOu are so right. I will be working hard over the next 12 months to make many info products. THank you for your comment and kind words.
Beth
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April 23rd, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Hey Beth,
Great article on personal branding. But wait…. I’ve seen Lady Gaga appear in her dressing gown and slippers! LOL
I think that being authentic is the best you can do. I am starting to think that having a presence everywhere on social media is crucial, but being everywhere consistently is nearly impossible for anyone that has a business to run. Focusing on one or two areas that get results has been working well for me.
Cheryl James´s last [type] ..An Offer I Couldn’t Refuse
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April 23rd, 2011 at 5:57 pm
I think one of the struggles (among the many) in branding is implied in your list of benefits at the end of your post, but not articulated. For example, “It attracts like-minded people.” Yes. And it will also “lose” people who are not so attracted to your brand. You have to be so comfortable in your branding skin that you don’t mind losing some to gain others. You speak about 3 things that impact the impression we make on others. The moment you show a decent portrait, it shows, for example your age and your sex. Many women may prefer to work with another woman. BAM- I’m out. A twenty-something may not relate to my trembling hand (video) or slightly cracking age-related voice. BAM- I’m out. I have to accept and learn to be comfortable with those that are looking for what I offer. Then I can be confident to “exploit” what I have for branding purposes. Does this make sense?
Richard Goutal´s last [type] ..The Road to Collaboration Begins With Building Rapport
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April 23rd, 2011 at 10:10 pm
Hi Beth - great post about personal branding. We speak the same language
YOU are your brand is my mantra. Just so that you know, YOU personally are true to your brand promise in that before I even got here to your blog, I “knew” you, recognized you, had an idea of who “you” were from connecting with your elsewhere on the Web. Way to do and I look forward to engaging more with you. BTW - I love purple!
Julie Weishaar´s last [type] ..Has the Internet Taken Away Personal Responsibility
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bethhewitt80 Reply:
April 29th, 2011 at 10:59 am
HI Julie,
Thanks for stopping by and your kind words, purple is one of my favourites too.
Beth
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April 23rd, 2011 at 10:56 pm
Branding is such an interesting topic. For instance, your point about having a URL with your name - I recently read an article by a highly successful blogger who was lamenting doing just that when he started out 5 or 6 years ago. The reason is that he’s now ready to move on to other things and has found it extremely difficult to sell his blog since it is so firmly connected to his name. I’m not even on the same planet as he is in terms of experience, but I did debate that very thing when I started and opted not to use my name on the URL, but on my articles and products. Right or wrong, it will allow me to move on to bigger and better things when/if I’m ready to do so. Great information - thanks!
Marquita Herald´s last [type] ..One Radical Idea Guaranteed to Help You Achieve More Goals
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April 24th, 2011 at 5:27 am
Branding is a key to attracting visitors, prospects, leads, downlines, customers and anybody else that you need to bring into your business.
Social media, as you point out, is an extremely powerful way to build your brand. You gave us some great ideas for using it, here.
Nice job, Beth.
David Merrill´s last [type] ..Watching Dad Die
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April 29th, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Great points about personal branding. This is something I’m definitely planning to do in the next phase of my business. We’re seeing more and more especially in the social media age that your personal brand, even for “regular” people can be something that stands apart and even above from all your other businesses.
Jeremy@Yellow Toenails´s last [type] ..Is Tea Tree Oil An Effective Toenail Fungus Cure
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August 23rd, 2011 at 10:10 pm
Hello Beth
Not only have you told how important branding is but you have included what many other articles omit, real nuts and bolts about branding. Your post gives me a checklist to use as I continue to brand myself.
Thanks
Perry A Davis Jr
Music City
Perry A Davis Jr @Network Marketing Nut and Bolts that make building your business Fun, Simple, Magical and Profitable.s´s last [type] ..What might be the most important idea of the “now” and “next” of network marketing ?
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August 24th, 2011 at 1:42 am
Hi Beth,
Looks like it has taken me a while to find your post on Personal Branding but I am glad I eventually got to read it.
Branding does have it’s advantages and I feel is a necessary area all IM and would be IM need to look at very sreiously.
A while back I lost the contents of my blog and when I came back from scratch I decided to use my name… just the start in the long process.
Thanks for a great post.
Cheers
Bryan
Bryan McHeyzer´s last [type] ..A-Professor-or-Friend
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August 24th, 2011 at 1:45 pm
Great post on Personal Branding. I am getting ready to do a live class locally on personal branding and these are great tips and reminders on how we can improve our brands. And yes, it is critically important to our business that we distinquish ourselves in the way we want others to perceive us as long as it is authentic and real. For me, I 95% of the time wear jeans. That is just part of my brand and me. I wear nice shoes and a nice shirt and only do the dress up thing when I have to. I have another student who wears a baseball cap and that is just part of his persona. Whatever you choose, your brand is YOU!
vanessaduplessie@smallbusinesscoach´s last [type] ..Details Schmetails? Now I’m in the Black.
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bethhewitt80 Reply:
August 29th, 2011 at 11:29 pm
I agree, be who you are and others will be drawn to your authentic you.
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August 24th, 2011 at 4:05 pm
Beth, great post! This is something that is sooo important that most people don’t think about. A lot of business owners I know only worry about their company brand, but what really sets them apart from their competition is THEM and their personal brand. I love your be interested statement. This is huge! Networking 101 teaches that you shouldn’t ever just spout off about yourself, yet that is all most people do. You made great points in a concise, clear ways and even for those (myself included!) that “know” these principles, it’s always good to have a reminder; because it’s too easy to fall off the wagon!
Jenna Waites´s last [type] ..Advantages of Facebook Messages!
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bethhewitt80 Reply:
September 5th, 2011 at 6:34 pm
Thanks Jenna, I wrote this a while ago, maybe a little before I had a chance to truly appreciate the real benefit of what I was teaching in its entirity. After having developed a solid brand through blogging over the last few years. I have been able to leverage that to really build solid relationships and business relationships with customers. People really shouldn’t underestimate the power of building a brand …and as the technology changes, whether it blogging, social networks, video communication you name is, it is important to build that solid brand from day one.
Thank you for your comment Jenna, I appreciate you and hope to connect with you soon.
Beth
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August 24th, 2011 at 8:43 pm
Hi Beth,
Thanks for this article on personal branding. In today’s marketing world I really don’t think there is any other way except to be sure that you have a solidified your personal branding and niche in order to reach your goals, whatever they may be financially or personally.
I especially appreciate your 4 tips on personal branding:
1) Who are you?
2) First Impressions Count
3) Be Interested and Visible
4) Be Consistent
These are an excellent way to start your journey to personal branding. After that, it takes diligence, persistence and time. After awhile, you will be rock solid with your niche and branding and people will not make a second thought as to who and what you represent.
You don’t have to be a celebrity to brand yourself and if you don’t, the competition will prevent you from becoming successful. The market depends upon trust and relationships.
Raena Lynn
Raena Lynn´s last [type] ..Driving Your Dreams To Reality
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bethhewitt80 Reply:
August 29th, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Hey Raena,
Thank you so much for such a detailed comment, I love it when my readers interact like you do :)…diligence and persistence are much needed skills and traits. I was just thinking about doing a post on patience, how strange is that
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