I’ve been reading a lot lately about personal branding, and have become quite enamored with it, as the Internet has made it much easier to create a positive brand that can help you grow your business. What’s your brand say about you and your business? Or, are you even aware of it? If you’ve been under a rock for the past couple of years you might not be aware of the importance of your brand to your business success.
How do you create and grow your brand online?
When most people think of brand, they think of the BIG ones like Coco Cola, Nike, even Trump (did I just say that?). I’m not talking about big brands, I’m talking about how you can create your own personal brand (voice) online, and garner all the business your heart desires.
In creating your brand, what can you do for your market? What value do you provide? How can you give some of it away? What’s your voice in the marketplace? Be as transparent about yourself as you can, without becoming irrelevant (and too personal).
Once you figure that out, how can you let it be known to the world?
Start A Blog
One of the quickest and most economical ways to be heard in the marketplace is with your personally branded blog. This is your hub or center of your online branding universe. These branded blogs are popping up all over the internet, so you must be unique. You must have your own voice. What is your passion? What do you truly believe in? That is your brand! That is what you will write about on your blog.
Learn From Gary Vaynerchuk
A great example of this is Gary Vaynerchuk. And his Wine Library TV video podcast that has created a massive following and grew his wine business to $50 million plus in just a few short years.
Head over to Gary’s blogs and study them. You will learn quickly how to create your own voice (and brand) online. He is the master at it, and his social presence on the Internet is near the top.
Shoot Videos
Just like Gary does with Wine Library TV, you can shoot very short videos, and post them on your blog and on youtube. These videos really need to show your personality. Don’t be stale or boring. Gary is passionate. He talks about his New York Jets, wine and many other things. Be thinking about what you can talk about in these videos.
Become Part Of A Community
Find a thriving community in your niche. Dive in and become an authority. You do this by giving value. Helping people with their problems. When you do, your online visibility will skyrocket (and so will your business). Type in your niche (market) and then the word community (or even forum) and see what you come up with. I guarantee you’ll find one.
Once you become an authority in your community, people will come to you for help (but the paid kind), as they know you are credible and knowledgeable. This will not happen overnight, but being consistent is the key. The more they see you participating, the more comfortable they’ll feel to use your services.
And as always, I’d love to hear from you! Give me a shout out down below and some FB or Twitter love! Thanks so much!
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