Get Branded

Michelle Casto 

Part 2

Branding is a way of marketing yourself so that people know who you are and what you do. If you brand yourself well, it will send a message that is instantly understood by your buyers and customers.

The best three ways to build your name brand are:

1. Know yourself,
2. Choose work that allows you to do your personal best,
3. Market, market, market yourself.

Know Yourself

Know your strengths

What are you good at? Why do other people like your work? What areas can you improve upon? If you are not sure what you are good at, how can you expect other people to take you seriously?

Know your niche

What makes you unique? How can you position yourself in your niche market? What value do you provide that makes you stand out? Become focused, do what you do well.

Register your name

Register your trademark or servicemark at www.uspto.gov. Get a business license. Register your website and domain registration at www.networksolutions.com. Having all of your "names" officially registered is very important to protect yourself against copyright infringement, and plagiarism---in short; the stealing of your identity.

Gain credibility

What can you do to make yourself an authority in your chosen field? Write a book? Give a speech? Join an association? Putting yourself out there in front of the public is essential.

Develop and maintain your network

Who do you need to stay in contact with? Who can you connect with in the future? What relationships can you nurture that can be mutually beneficial? Word-of-mouth advertising is the most powerful and influential advertising there is.

Choose Work That Reflects You

The second way to build your brand is by the projects that you take on. When you work for yourself, you have the freedom to choose the work you do, so it is very important that you take on projects that reflect the kind of brand you are building. Make your work the difference between ordinary and extraordinary. Do the little "extras" that make you stand out.

By choosing work that is important to you and making your projects extraordinary, you make (and leave) your mark. Keep your eyes and ears open. Always be on the lookout for projects, companies, and people that you can bring your special qualities or brand to. Great work does not magically appear. In fact, some projects may, at first, seem dull and boring, but when you perform your magic, those projects become exciting. And soon, by word of mouth (and because of your reputation), people will come looking for you.

Market Yourself

The third way to build your brand is to actively promote yourself through print and Web-based marketing materials. You can develop professional marketing materials within an economical budget. Make sure your materials are up-to-date, of high quality, contain excellent content, and are readily available to potential clients. It is also important to keep a current read on the marketplace. Is your brand making the impact you want? Do you need to make some adjustments? Do you need to reinvent yourself?

Being the CEO of You, Inc. is a tough job, but the rewards certainly outweigh the drawbacks.

• Attractive business cards, letterhead, etc.
• Your own website.
• A personal biography.
• Brochures and flyers.
• Create and send out press releases.
• Video or audio clip, if relevant.
• Use testimonials or case studies of those who have benefited from you or your work.
• Develop interesting story ideas that can be picked up from the media.
• Become well known in your career field by writing or presenting your work to professional associations.
• Have an effective communication program, so that people can find out about you (word of mouth, voicemail/information line, email, etc.)
• Use similar colors, logos, and messages in your marketing materials, so people can easily make a connection between you and your work.
• Develop a logo and tag line (For example: Get Smart!'s logo is the knowledge tree with a man and woman reading under it, and has the tag line: "Educate and Empower Yourself").

Building a brand is about building recognition, and above all, trust. Make sure your clients and customers can trust you to do the job and do it well.