I am still amazed at the number of online business startups that fail to place a priority on building a brand, as if this will somehow magically happen. Ask any number of people what they are doing to build their brands and the answers range from “what do you mean” to “I write post every day to bring in traffic”.
Unfortunately, this is a flawed approach to building an online business. It’s the if-I-build-it-they-will-come method of thinking and this, quite frankly, will practically guarantee failure.
The problem is this, everyone’s building it so what makes you stand out from the others?
As a blogger, you need to work on your personal brand by answering the question, what are you about? When new visitors arrive on your blog for the first time, you have about 15 – 20 seconds to deliver that message before they click away.
You must stop treating your business like a chunk of gold, hoping to someday be discovered. Get it out there and in front of the eyes of the internet citizenry. Your business must be seen, not in an overbearing way, but by adopting a strategic plan that makes it visible in many places.
There are so many free tools available for your use that it just makes good sense to take advantage of them. Check the newsfeeds of Twitter, Facebook and other sites to see what people are talking about and where they are hanging out. Be there, get involved and expand your network of friends and associates. It is a social environment, be sociable.
Blogging is much, much more than writing posts daily. Who cares how great the content, if no one sees it the effort is totally wasted. There are posts everywhere, how will they happen to see yours?
The rise of the personal brand
Today’s internet has leveled the playing field so that John and Jane citizen can use the exact same platforms as the large corporations for branding a business. You have the ability to conduct meetings online with people from around the globe. You can build your business from the comfort of your home or the local coffee shop.
There are no barriers to the flow of information anymore; they have all been removed by the technologies of today. Your story can gain as much traction as one from a large city newspaper. Those once towering corporations are now scrambling to position themselves on the very mediums that you have available to you.
Recognize the power of what you have before you, right at your fingertips. You can realize your dreams by building your personal brand.
Will it be easy?
Absolutely not.
Can you do it?
Without a doubt.
Conclusion
Do not make the same mistake that many others are making. You cannot blog your way to riches by simply posting articles, that’s unlikely to happen. A blog is one of the tools in the arsenal, and a very critical one at that. But it is not the be-all, end-all of internet success.
Yes, writing great articles that solves problems and provides answers is a large part of the equation, but you must do more.
If all you are doing is writing articles everyday and entertaining a handful of regular readers, success may elude you. You must expand your reach by engaging in forums and social networking sites. You must build your brand by establishing other profiles besides your blog.
I realize that some newer bloggers are shy and somewhat reserved, but that is something that you will have to overcome. Failing to build your brand is just not an option.
You will have to build your brand or you’ll be folding your tent.
Keep blogging!
21 Responses to Build Your Brand or Fold Your Tent
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" @Chris_Frailey No problem, Chris. Great weekend to you as well. :-) " — JimiJones
Build Your Brand or Fold Your Tent | Jimi Jones Dot Com…
I am still amazed at the number of online business startups that fail to place a priority on building a brand, as if this will somehow magically happen….
You’re right, I am going to have to polish the old cojones and get out there and be more aggressive in getting my blog known. I think I have the content and the style reasonably okay, but I need to market it more.
I use Blogengage and Blogger Den as well as Pimp my Blog, plus Twitter of course. Stuck on a train for eight hours tomorrow. Thinking time.
Be safe on the long train ride, friend.
I think your site is doing really well, Kevin.
.-= Jimi Jones´s last blog ..Build Your Brand or Fold Your Tent =-.
You’re right, I am going to have to polish the old cojones and get out there and be more aggressive in getting my blog known. I think I have the content and the style reasonably okay, but I need to market it more.
I use Blogengage and Blogger Den as well as Pimp my Blog, plus Twitter of course. Stuck on a train for eight hours tomorrow. Thinking time.
Be safe on the long train ride, friend.
I think your site is doing really well, Kevin.
.-= Jimi Jones´s last blog ..Build Your Brand or Fold Your Tent =-.
Thanks Jimi, I agree we need to “get out there” and I think that is an easier strategy once we truly know more about who we are, and who we want to be “out there”.
Phil
.-= Phil Richards´s last blog ..Why a clear product strategy makes these decorative fires glow warm and friendly =-.
Hey Phil.
I could not agree more. Knowing the mission exactly, makes for an easier go at it.
.-= Jimi Jones´s last blog ..Build Your Brand or Fold Your Tent =-.
Thanks Jimi, I agree we need to “get out there” and I think that is an easier strategy once we truly know more about who we are, and who we want to be “out there”.
Phil
.-= Phil Richards´s last blog ..Why a clear product strategy makes these decorative fires glow warm and friendly =-.
Hey Phil.
I could not agree more. Knowing the mission exactly, makes for an easier go at it.
.-= Jimi Jones´s last blog ..Build Your Brand or Fold Your Tent =-.
But, what exactly constitutes a Brand..is it the appearance, logo or subject matter?
.-= Ms. Freeman´s last blog ..How to Battle Spring Fever =-.
Hello Ms. Freeman.
A brand is many things, many elements that come together to make you or your product instantly recognizable. The deal is to make sure that the perceptions and opinions of your brand are very positive. It can be a name, service or product that send a message as soon as it is seen.
Take Mercedes-Benz for instance, an instantly recognizable logo that spells high quality automobile with just a glance. You don’t need to see the car to know what the logo stands for. The name Sony is another. The best in electronics comes to mind.
Company or personal brands need to say something positive about the entity.
.-= Jimi Jones´s last blog ..Build Your Brand or Fold Your Tent =-.
But, what exactly constitutes a Brand..is it the appearance, logo or subject matter?
.-= Ms. Freeman´s last blog ..How to Battle Spring Fever =-.
Hello Ms. Freeman.
A brand is many things, many elements that come together to make you or your product instantly recognizable. The deal is to make sure that the perceptions and opinions of your brand are very positive. It can be a name, service or product that send a message as soon as it is seen.
Take Mercedes-Benz for instance, an instantly recognizable logo that spells high quality automobile with just a glance. You don’t need to see the car to know what the logo stands for. The name Sony is another. The best in electronics comes to mind.
Company or personal brands need to say something positive about the entity.
.-= Jimi Jones´s last blog ..Build Your Brand or Fold Your Tent =-.
Hi Jimi,
Seems to be a lot of talk about brands lately. (I stuck my nose into a heated debate on another blog today.) Your thoughts have me wondering now if I’m headed in the right direction.
As you know, I’m very new to blogging. My focus the last 2 weeks has been to crank out content. You make a good point about how the content is only as good as the number of people who actually see it. Sounds like it’s time to expand my reach.
As always, thanks for the great insight!
.-= Tim Zager´s last blog ..Do Your Customers Believe You? =-.
Hi Tim.
I think you are heading in the right direction, you are already on Facebook and Twitter, plus I see you on a good number of other sites so keep doing what you are doing.
It will take a time to build your brand and you don’t want to spread out too broadly too fast, it may become a burden of sorts.
.-= Jimi Jones´s last blog ..Build Your Brand or Fold Your Tent =-.
Hi Jimi,
Seems to be a lot of talk about brands lately. (I stuck my nose into a heated debate on another blog today.) Your thoughts have me wondering now if I’m headed in the right direction.
As you know, I’m very new to blogging. My focus the last 2 weeks has been to crank out content. You make a good point about how the content is only as good as the number of people who actually see it. Sounds like it’s time to expand my reach.
As always, thanks for the great insight!
.-= Tim Zager´s last blog ..Do Your Customers Believe You? =-.
Hi Tim.
I think you are heading in the right direction, you are already on Facebook and Twitter, plus I see you on a good number of other sites so keep doing what you are doing.
It will take a time to build your brand and you don’t want to spread out too broadly too fast, it may become a burden of sorts.
.-= Jimi Jones´s last blog ..Build Your Brand or Fold Your Tent =-.
I am sure that there was a time when writing a post every day was sufficient to build a brand – just like small shops would open in a village and get trade because they were the only one and people were not as mobile.
Times have change, and they are still changing. Bloggers have an awful lot to learn to be successful, and I am sure that this is going to get even more complex over the coming years.
Building a brand from day 1 is one element – but a very important one!
.-= Graham´s last blog ..School uniform comes to Germany =-.
Hi Graham.
I’m sure you are right about writing post as being sufficient for branding during times past, but the internet has changed big time and is a very competitive place now.
As you have pointed out, things are always changing and starting the branding process from the very beginning is the thing to do. There really is not anything difficult about it, but it cannot be ignored.
.-= Jimi Jones´s last blog ..Build Your Brand or Fold Your Tent =-.
I am sure that there was a time when writing a post every day was sufficient to build a brand – just like small shops would open in a village and get trade because they were the only one and people were not as mobile.
Times have change, and they are still changing. Bloggers have an awful lot to learn to be successful, and I am sure that this is going to get even more complex over the coming years.
Building a brand from day 1 is one element – but a very important one!
.-= Graham´s last blog ..School uniform comes to Germany =-.
Hi Graham.
I’m sure you are right about writing post as being sufficient for branding during times past, but the internet has changed big time and is a very competitive place now.
As you have pointed out, things are always changing and starting the branding process from the very beginning is the thing to do. There really is not anything difficult about it, but it cannot be ignored.
.-= Jimi Jones´s last blog ..Build Your Brand or Fold Your Tent =-.