| Most people are familiar with the idea of building brand | | | | communication routes so that the public feels that it is |
| recognition and a brand reputation, but many people | | | | in communication with them. To build up a personal |
| don't equate that type of brand building with building a | | | | branding, your communications must also be personal, |
| brand around a person. When Paris Hilton said, "I'm a | | | | cordial and useful. |
| brand," she was talking about all the personal branding | | | | Personal Branding Strategy |
| efforts that made her name and products famous. | | | | While all personal brands have most of these |
| Personal branding is important to any small business | | | | components in place, the exact strategy that you |
| owner who is selling himself and his expertise. | | | | choose must be given consideration based on the |
| Components of a Personal Brand | | | | customers that you want to attract. |
| A personal brand is more than just a logo, though that | | | | There are some exceptions to the main rules that |
| is an important visual part of building a brand. It is also a | | | | may pertain to your business. Donald Trump has built |
| reputation and a relationship with the public. Everything | | | | his personal brand on his own lifestyle and his lack of |
| that you do online is a part of that personal brand. If | | | | communication with the general public. Other |
| you keep a blog, write an article or leave a comment, | | | | successful business owners build accessibility and |
| all of those things contribute to the way that others | | | | likability into their brands to attract their ideal |
| think about you. That is a big component of personal | | | | demographic. |
| branding. | | | | To analyze what your ideal personal strategy should |
| Building Business Relationships | | | | consist of, think about what people in your field have |
| Part of the reputation of any business is the way that | | | | done to become well known. Think about how they |
| business treats the public. This is as true for a | | | | could become better known and what type of |
| hardware store as it is for individuals who are selling | | | | branding it would require from you. |
| their own expertise. Having a good and helpful | | | | Once you have your strategy decided, make a |
| relationship with customers online is an extremely | | | | detailed plan to make it happen. Some of it may |
| important part of building an online reputation. | | | | require outsourcing a few of the tasks to professionals |
| Online customers expect to have some | | | | who can better handle them. Some of it may require a |
| communication with the people and sites that they do | | | | daily schedule of tasks related to your personal |
| business with. Even large, multi-national companies | | | | branding. |
| have set up Twitter accounts and other | | | | |