You may wonder what this “personal branding” talk is all about and how it affects you. It actually affects everyone who is running their own business because it is an integral part of the overall marketing effort. What every marketer aims for is mindshare on the part of their targeted market, and mindshare is created with repetition and with presenting oneself in a unique fashion. The ultimate goal is to become well-known and trusted among your customers and potential customers so that it creates viral marketing momentum.
Consumer products companies have known this for more than 100 years, and the best of them are still around today – Ford, General Electric, RCA, Coca-Cola, John Deere, Johnson & Johnson, 3M, to name just a few. There is great brand loyalty, especially among the lower socio-economic classes, and marketers know how valuable their brands are to their bottom line.
Just like everything else in marketing that is connected with building trust, it’s a long-term process. You must prove over and over again that you deserve your customers’ trust. Personal honesty is the best way to build a brand. When you decide on a business that resonates with your inner needs – a business that you feel truly passionate about – building your personal brand will be much easier. Consumers are swamped with hype these days, and they are sick and tired of it. Above everything else, your brand must be believable in order to convince. So make sure that your messages come from the heart, show your passion, and truly connect with your market.
Think carefully about what type of business you start. If you have professional expertise that you gained as an employee, and you are considering marketing your expertise as a consultant, make sure that it is something that you have always enjoyed doing. If not, look for something else that resonates with who you are as a person and will give you plenty of personal satisfaction. You will be working very hard as an entrepreneur – probably harder and longer than you ever did – make it something enjoyable!
David E Florence is a business coach and mentor that assists serious entrepreneurs in building a profitable online business with multiple incomes streams. David and his team have assisted hundreds of people in generating an executive level income or more in their first year. For more information and to contact David, visit: http://www.helpinguachievegoals.com
