A personal brand is simply a process used to mark or identify people, their businesses or careers as a brand. It’s what they represent in the eyes of others. I don’t know that it needs to be any more complicated than that.
As a business operator, you will make yourself synonymous with your company and the services or products it provides. You’ve staked your claim on a niche so take charge, lead the way and get your message out there.
To assist with creating your personal brand you will need tools. Let’s have a brief look at some of the tools of the trade, common to any person looking to build a personal brand.
1) Business Card – No matter the line of work or size of the company, a business card is a must. To not have one leaves you open to being perceived as less serious than you should be. The card should have all of your contact information, your photo and a brief explanation of what the business is all about. Some see business cards as old school, but they simply miss the boat.
2) A Professional eMail – An email address that represents the company or business you are affiliated with looks much more business-like than Skippy@jivehost.net. You get the idea. Create a professional looking email address that brands you and the business you represent.
3) A Blog or website – Having an internet presence is essential and the best option, in my opinion, is a blog where you can interact with potential customers and build relationships. Choose a domain name that aligns with your business and has a .com or .net extension if possible. A frequently updated blog will outperform and outrank any static web page, resulting in better search engine traffic.
4) A Well Crafted “About” Page – Whether using a blog or static web site, a well crafted “About” page is a must. Here you will explain in great detail what the objectives are for you and your business. Be certain to include a photo of yourself to personalize this page. People like to see and have an idea of who is behind the business. Avoid leaving the impression of a faceless corporation.
5) Expand Your Internet Presence – Establish professional profiles on sites like Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook. These are the big three sites that can potentially provide access to more than 200 million people collectively. Linkedin will serve as your online resume with references. Twitter serves as your social networking hub and should closely resemble your main blog or website in name and appearance. Include a similar, if not the same photo (passport style) on this profile and install a customized background. Facebook should have a fan or like page that is specifically created for your business. Keep this separate and apart from any personal Facebook page you may have. Carefully go through and set the privacy settings on this company page to avoid being tagged in photos or videos from more personal and potentially embarrassing moments.
6) Go Multimedia – Create videos and podcast so that people can see and hear you, establishing a more life-like image of who you really are. This is a great way to connect with your potential customer base and provide a personal touch to your brand.
7) Use Your Creativity – Always think of ways to creatively brand yourself and your business. Simple items like ink pens, note pads, coffee mugs and a host of other items can be bulk manufactured and given away as promotional items. These serve as reminders and continue the branding process for the life of the object.
Results
Utilizing some or all of the tools above will increase your presence and build your personal brand, making it instantly recognizable. The level of recognition is totally up to you and will be the result of the amount of work you put into the effort.
There is no specific one-size-fits-all formula that crosses all business boundaries, so you will have to formulate what best works for your situation. Once identified, simply repeat the process and continue to expand your presence and spread your influence.
Like most things in life, through hard work and perseverance, success will be yours to claim.
Let’s hear from you, are you currently practicing any techniques to expand your presence and build your brand?
Is there something you can add to this list?
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13 Responses to 7 Personal Branding Tips – Tools of the Trade
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" @sbc111 That's quite a thrill ride. Great that you have that skill. " — JimiJones
Hi Jimi, My favorites from this list are the ones I need the most work on. #4. My “About” page needs some work because it's all over the place.
#5. In terms of Facebook, I have a question. Is there a difference between a fan page and a like page? I'm sort of lost over there.
Thanks!
Hi Ileane.
Those “About” pages tend to evolve over time as we change our focus a bit and we forget to update them, I've been guilty of that myself.
There is no difference between the “fan” and “Like” pages, they are one in the same. FB decided to change the name from “Fan”, which I never liked to “Like”, which is worse in my opinion. I never felt like some rock star where I should have fans, a little to lofty sounding for me. Switching to a like page seems not well thought out either, but anyhow… they are what they are. maybe they will come up with something decent someday.
Thanks for visiting, good to see you, as always!
I think the About page is very important because it makes a lasting first impression. People want to get to know you as a person because thats who they want to do business with.
Hi Patty,
great point on the first impression aspect of the About page, so true. Business is about relationship building these days and you're right, people want to know who's behind the product or service.
It's amazing how some people don't even begin to do any online branding for their business. I think it scares some of them.
You listed some very good pointers there – I'd add social marketing as the next step.
Hello Anne, good to see you.
I think branding is an afterthought for many, they just don't even think about it or how really important this is. Strategically marketing through the use of social media provides access to large numbers of people, so yes, as you've pointed out, this is important as well.
I absolutely am practicing and experimenting all the time. One thing I've noticed is how more and more bloggers use a plug-in or something to have their newsletter pop-out at you when you first enter their site. I find this rather annoying over all but it seems to be working or more people WOULDN'T be doing it.
I also have been working on creating better content and commenting more.
A lot of work goes into being more successful but not as much work as goes into being unsuccessful.
What do you think?
Hi Eric.
I know what you mean about the pop-overs, sometime called lightboxes. I resisted them myself for quite some time because I don't care for them. But I came to realize two things, 1, it's not about what I like, it's about what people respond to, and 2, those popovers convert. I have no idea why they convert because most people you talk to would rather not encounter them.
I installed one some months ago on this site and within a couple of days several people had opted into my mailing list. Internet marketers swear by these things and I too am now convinced.
Good content is a must, as you've pointed out. But also commenting on other blogs is very important as it drives traffic back to your own site. I've not commented as much as I once did over the past couple of months, but only because I shifted my time to a couple of products. Now that the end is coming into view on those, I will get back into the networking aspect at the level I once participated. I miss that part of blogging, but in order to move your entire business model forward you may have to shift your focus temporarily.
You are absolutely right, tons of work is required to be successful, but that is what separates the contenders from the pretenders. Not everyone is totally committed to doing what has to be done.
I've always had the impression that you were in it for the long haul and it will be great to share some war stories after we reach higher levels of success.
Keep blogging, brother!
Hey Jimi,
Wow, thanks for all the thought put into your reply!
I'm looking more into the lightboxes as their called but not quite sure at this point. I am building a business so I do need to do what works if it does work.
I am forcing myself to make sure and comment at least five days a week on certain blogs and then check back. So far the system is working well and I'm spending far less time on my site which is also good.
I'm building plenty of content of course but I'm also spreading myself around the blogosphere and building up my presence.
I'm definitely in this for the long hall and it looks as though you are too. Can't wait to see what you have in store for your readers.
Thanks again!
Hi Jimi
I wondered how I had missed this post till I saw the date…had only just started blogging and wasn’t on Twitter or in any sort of blogging community then lol
Cos you tweeted this post, figured it’s still okay to give my 2 cents
I have business cards that are a similar background to my blog logo so if anyone does click on my site they will instantly know they are at the right place.
Also when I sell my products offline, I include my biz card so another reminder of where they bought them and how to contact me.
I am about to do a simple brochure with short description of uses of each product. Cos I am leaving some of the products in the local hairdressers and she won’t have time to explain but want to sell them for me….yay.
Having an About Page is a must. If I land on a new blog, I like to know who I am talking with. It’s like being introduced when you meet a new person, so can’t understand why everyone doesn’t have one who is serious about blogging and their business!
“Separating the Contenders from the Pretenders” I like it Jimi
Already I have seen bloggers drop out and I’ve only been seriously blogging for 6 months! No silver bullet and lots of hard work but for those of us contenders, will take that any day as move forward towards growing a blog and a business the right way.
Patricia Perth Australia
Patricia@lavenderuses´s last [type] ..Are Your Goals Attainable In 2011
Patricia, your two-cents or a dime is always welcome.
You’ve caught onto one from the archives. Rather than allow them to just gather dust, I send them back out there occasionally. There are a couple hundred post on this blog so you’ll see some oldies from time to time.
You would think the “About” page would be a no-brainer but I sometimes see them with the standard WordPress installation verbiage still in place. If you are not going to update it at least hide it from view. This is understandable with a new blogger who may not know better, but on blogs with months and months of post, just seems quite the oversight.
When you create your brochure, you’ll have created another blog post. Take a photo of the brochure and biz card then write a tools-of-the-trade post maybe.
Having those tools match your overall theme will be real pro stuff.
You go, Patricia.
Jimi Jones´s last [type] ..Are You Just a Big Dreamer
Hi Jimi. I came across your blog via Lisa Irby’s twitter page. Man, that was profound, when you mentioned, …”a person’s career” in defining a brand. At my former job, I actually had that in back of my mind, as I worked, leading to an eventual promotion. I wanted to be known for “getting the job” done, lol. Anyhow, smart post, thanks.
Hi Mace and welcome!
You were certainly in good company with Lisa, she’s great.
Getting it done is what it’s all about in all walks of life. Funny how the action takers always get the breaks and advancements in life, yet so many others remain on the sidelines.
Thanks for visiting, good to connect.
Jimi Jones´s last [type] ..Answering the Challenge – Live a Healthier Life in 21 Days