| If you have to give a talk to a live audience or if you | | | | typical of many. |
| make business pitches to prospective clients or | | | | 6. Search for common interest blogs and then write a |
| stakeholders then it is almost certain that someone will | | | | guest post on their blog to start up reciprocal interest |
| be checking you out beforehand. 2200 years ago | | | | sharing. Make it a value-adding post that will encourage |
| Aristotle understood the importance of reputation. He | | | | them to follow you. Visit Digg and Stumbleupon to see |
| suggested that whilst logic (Logos) and emotional | | | | what is attracting interest in the blogging community. |
| reasoning (Pathos) could eventually win a debate, it is | | | | Join in common discussion groups. |
| Ethos - our character and values that pre-sets the | | | | 7. Join Linkedin and offer testimonials for your |
| level of acceptance that we are given. | | | | ex-colleagues, remembering the "Paying it forward" |
| So with Google and the like making it so easy for | | | | principle. Search for common interest groups and join |
| others to check us out establishing a credible | | | | their discussions. Post your own questions and create |
| reputation is as fundamental these days as having a | | | | your own discussion group. Gather responses to your |
| business card. Here are some essential and useful | | | | questions as source material for articles. Link your blog |
| ways in which you can build your reputation and | | | | to Linkedin. |
| personal brand. | | | | 8. Join Twitter. Set a weekly tweet target so that you |
| 1. Be very clear about yourself! Create a clear | | | | remember. Look for topical news and relevant interest |
| statement of what you do, most importantly describing | | | | links to make your Tweets interesting. Keep them |
| what that actually does for your customers. Clarify | | | | consistent with your personal brand and relevant to |
| what your distinctive skill is that relevantly distinguishes | | | | your blog and articles. Use Twitterfeed to feed your |
| you in your particular market. Write this up into a story | | | | blogs to Twitter. |
| that you can get across as a 1 minute and 5 minute | | | | 9. Scan on-line newspapers and magazine for your |
| pitch and with further case study examples, as a 20 | | | | particular market. Join in on their blogs. Post answers |
| minute talk. | | | | to their reader questions and surveys. Keep answers |
| 2. Add something exceptional about yourself. Olympic | | | | consistent with your brand they can come back and |
| Champion would be fantastic but personal endeavour | | | | bite you! Submit articles to professional journals. |
| through sponsored runs, championing others, changing | | | | 10. Create your own Personal Brand Website. Basic |
| your own life, taking up martial arts all say something | | | | self-build packages with free hosting are available |
| extra about you. | | | | through guys like and Post your blog and articles and |
| 3. Write about what you do. Being an author makes | | | | other free giveaways. Offer a "public service" with |
| you an authority. The hard back book variety is terrific | | | | reviews of products, services or suppliers relevant to |
| but e books provide an easier entry level. Read how | | | | your market. Make it a site that visitors will want to |
| others do it and learn from them. | | | | bookmark and share with others. Post a newsletter |
| 4. Write articles that share your knowledge and post | | | | with recent client case histories, plus their glowing |
| these on your website as free downloads. Learn by | | | | testimonials. Use a web design company if image is a |
| modeling the style of the most read authors. Publish | | | | key attribute of your Brand. |
| your articles with article directories such as | | | | 11. Create a biography that will be used in all your |
| EzineArticles, articlebase and goarticles all of them | | | | on-line locations to give a consistent story. Ensure that |
| offer great editorial support. Regular article submissions | | | | it is consistent both with your business proposition and |
| with links to your website provide the fresh content | | | | distinctive talent and with your brand personality. |
| that search engines like. | | | | 12. And do not forget the off-line world. Attend the |
| 5. Write a blog (weekly is good) that in theme and | | | | Business Networking Groups that are relevant to your |
| content is consistent with your personal brand. | | | | Brand and Market. Give free sampler sessions of |
| Synchronise it with your current articles and also look | | | | what you do. And never stop giving recommendations |
| for current news links to gain maximum topicality and | | | | of people that have worked with you - what goes |
| leverage on search keywords. and wordpress.org | | | | around does come around! And always be asking for |
| offer simple platforms to use. Look for help from | | | | referrals from people you have worked for - word of |
| seasoned bloggers who want to share their | | | | mouth is still the best reputation builder of all! |
| knowledge. Yaro and Gideon at and Leo Babauta are | | | | |