Basic Brand Building

A brand is the essence of who you are. The more powerful the brand the more memorable you will become. Think about brands that you can identify with. What impresses you about them and what attributes make you remember them? Brand icons didn't get that way over night and many of them have failed because they couldn't "connect" with their audience. Strong brands will stand the test of time.

After you have thought about strong compelling brands that impressed you start building your own brand statement by distilling down your essential core message: Who are you and how do you want people to identify with you? What values do you represent? When people think about you what image do you want them to visualize? Think about what sets you apart from you associates. This is about building your own image so forget the company or business in your personal brand statement.

Now that you have started thinking about your core message consider ways that you can reinforce your brand. Remember YOU are the brand, not your product or service, so this is essentially about you. Where and how can you demonstrate your brand message? When and how can you reinforce your brand?

Your brand needs to be authentic, from the heart; you can't make a brand statement believable about something you are not. When evaluating your brand message it's important to understand your audience who are you trying to impress with you message? What do you want them to remember? You are creating your own "personal buzz" with your brand so the more you can hone in on your audience the better you can craft your message. It?s important to recognize that you can?t be all things to all people so you want to capture your target audience with your message.

Everything you do should have your brand image, whether it?s giving a speech, writing a letter or the message heard on your voice mail. The brand is a living thing, the more you utilize it the more powerful it will become. Building a brand is like using a set of building blocks. One piece doesn't make much of a structure but 20 pieces will. Think about how you can build your brand by adding pieces to enforce the totality of the structure "you." Getting outside opinions helps your cause. When people think about you what assets to they remember? If it?s different than what you are tying to convey then you need to reshape your message.

Take a moment to study the brand messages of people you admire or hope to model. Using the Internet is a great place to do this. Type in the name of the person in quotation on any search engine and see what turns up. It should give you ideas on ways to craft your own message.

Think about how many places you have your name listed on a piece of paper or the Internet. That?s where you should be building your identity here a short list of places you should be making your brand shine.

Voice mail
Business cards
Stationery
Email address & SIG file
Personal website
Press releases

Personal branding will help you stand apart from your competition. Whatever the circumstances your brand can only enhance your identification in the marketplace. Keep on refining and honing your brand message as you become more comfortable with whom you are.

Recognized Packaging Guru and Chief People Packager JoAnn R. Hines unlocks the secrets that propelled her career from anonymity to world recognized leader. This indispensable workbook will show you specific ways to accomplish your personal branding goals and launch your career into the stratosphere. We have done all the work for you with guidelines, cheat sheets and easy-to-use templates to customize for your own use.

"The Packaging Yourself Workbook" is the only career workbook you will ever need!

This workbook cuts through the clutter in a simplified, straightforward manner and drastically reduces the time it takes to build your personal brand.

The "Packaging Yourself Workbook" is $29.95 plus shipping and handling. Place your order @ http://packaginguniversity.com/pkgustorefro nt.htm

Don't take my word for it. Hear what Linda has to say "JoAnn provided me with the no-nonsense approach I was lacking in my business. I needed new and fresh ways to promote my business; and JoAnn helped me focus on goal setting and finding concrete ways to reach my target audience.>

---

What You MUST Understand About Your Web Numbers

Two years ago, when I first started selling online, I... Read More

5 Ways to Give Your Web Site a Big-Company Look and Feel

We all DO judge a book by its cover, and... Read More

Five Marketing Tips to Double Profits

It's a startling fact: almost all entrepreneurs aren't marketing their... Read More

The Use of Bar Code SMS in Mobile Marketing, Advertising, CRM

Anybody that frequents shopping malls are familiar with the bar... Read More

Networking the Media

The media is a business's absolute best friend. It is... Read More

7 Tips for Successful Postcard Marketing

Simple low-cost postcards have become a valuable business tool for... Read More

The 3 Unknown Steps of Marketing Success

To be your own marketing expert you first need to... Read More

Why Doubling Your Fees Can Increase Business: How Pricing Affects Buyers Decision Making Process

Want to know the simple way to get all the... Read More

Tackle a Newsletter and Come Out On Top

Unlike any other marketing vehicle, newsletters give you the opportunity... Read More

Direct Mail Response Rate Boosters (12 tips and ideas)

1. Mail to a different list Your list is the... Read More

Increase Repeat Business and Referrals with Direct Mail

So you have been writing mortgages like crazy now for... Read More

Network Marketing Is Definitely A Relationship Business

Heavily branded websites like amazon.com are household names and carry... Read More

Blowing Your Own Horn

Opportunity Assistance Business Resource Center At first you must think... Read More

Time for Marketers to Clean Up Their Act!

Some years ago, a prominent Australian hi-tech company... Read More

The Top Ten Ways to Get Beyond Networking And Generate Cash-Building Exposure

Gain the exposure you need to succeed with these ten... Read More

Marketing Messages: Your 10 Most Important Business Principles

As a self-employed professional, you have two basic strategies for... Read More

Becoming The Obvious Choice In A Sea Of Competition

Differentiation, niche marketing, and positioning. These and other related business... Read More

How To Get New Business

Market, Market and then market some more. So many small... Read More

Four Super-Deadly Marketing Sins - And How To Fix Them

It seems nowadays every marketing guru and their brother-in-law has... Read More

Creating Customer Value

The purpose of business is to create and retain a... Read More

How to Really Get Your Customers

What Really Makes Your Postcard Mailing Successful? The biggest single... Read More

Build your Trade Show - Virtually

Virtual trade shows are gaining momentum as a way to... Read More

Did You Know Your Mind-Set IS Your Problem?

How To Save Yourself From The Pits of Marketing Cyber... Read More

Business Cards and Business Etiquette

One of the very basic conditions of being a successful... Read More

Slogans: Creating and Using Them In Life, Career and Business

Information is coming at us from all directions nowadays. This... Read More

Marketing Hat for Graphic Designers or Wannabe?s

Many people think that the quality of any graphic design... Read More

The A-Z of Exhibiting Overseas

Exhibiting overseas is one of the fastest and most cost... Read More

Advertising Your Private Practice: 6 Tips for Maximizing Your Results-Part 2

As discussed in part 1 of this article, "Your Private... Read More

Are Your Marketing Efforts Working...Or Could They Use A Little Help?

Marketing is a broad business subject that encompasses a range... Read More

Niche Marketing: The Affiliate Angle

If you're just dipping your toes into the waters of... Read More

Client Attraction Technique #3: Study the Competition!

One very powerful and cost-effective marketing strategy is to study... Read More

Create A Business Card That Sells and is Effective

Why does your business need a business card?Business card is... Read More

Promotional Freebies

What's a promotional freebie? A promotional freebie is something you... Read More