Three Reasons to Focus on Building YOUR Brand

1) There is more competition than ever before and we have an incredible amount

of choices.

2) People and companies who stand out will thrive. Those who don’t stand out

will likely not survive.

3) You will be branded anyways (unless you work with dead people, but then you

won’t have a very profitable market).

What is a Brand?

[Hint: It’s NOT a logo]

It’s the COMPLETE and TOTAL experience that a

person will have with you or your company.

• The way you respond to emails or phone calls.

• How your website looks and feels to your online visitors.

• The design of your packaging for physical goods or products.

• How you conduct yourself at conferences or speaking engagements.

• The conversations and views you share by social media.

• How you communicate in print media such as brochures or business cards.

• Even the way you dress will define you.

In a nutshell, the brand experience is defined by every touch point with you or

your company.

This is WHY it’s important to get your brand right, as

much as possible, at every opportunity!

You also need to make a strong emotional connection

to the people you want to reach.

How to Discover Your Brand

It ALWAYS starts with asking the difficult question

first. And you HAVE to be honest...

Who am I really?

I am Jesse James.

I am Jesse James.

I AM A POSER!

• What is my true authentic identity?

• How do others see me or my company?

• What type of brand do I want to be? Is it possible to change it?

• Will I need to make changes in order to make the perception and reality match?

The biggest issue I’ve seen from so many people trying to create andbuild a brand is that they try and tell a story that isn’t accurate.

Don’t Be a Poser.

Personal Brand or Business Brand?

There are Pros and Cons for Each.

Thoughts on Personal Branding.

• Personal branding will always stay with you, wherever you go.

• Personal branding can be easier for a freelancer because you are selling “you.”

• Personal branding can establish stronger emotional connections.

• Personal branding can be easier to build and maintain long-term.

• Personal brands can seem “smaller” than company brands.

The biggest issue you have to consider is whether you will ever want to walk

away from or sell your business. It’s not easy to sell your personal name.

Thoughts on Business Branding.

• Business brands can be built, sold, and transferred.

• Business brands allow you to hide behind them - to a degree.

• Business brands can appear more professional to certain clients

• Business brands can take longer to build but may offer more stability.

• Business brands can be created to be more memorable.

If you want to build a company that goes outside of what you can personally do

or offer, then you should create a business brand name and not use your own.

Whatever you decide on, remember that building a

brand should be viewed as building a legacy

or a lifelong reputation.

Naming Your Business

What makes a great and memorable brand name?

• Can you get the domain name or is already registered?

• Is the business name easy or difficult to remember?

• Will your business or brand name be too long for people to say?

• Does the name have negative connotations or meanings?

• Is the name timeless or will it be outdated in a year?

• Does the name invoke an emotional response?

A great business or brand name can really make a difference between success

and failure. Even so, don’t take forever to decide on one or you will never get

going!

How to Create an Awesome Brand Experience

Think through the ENTIRE process and experience

of how a client might work with you ... then deliver on

that better than every one else in your space.

Seven Ideas for Building Your Brand

• Have the right appearance and message for your audience.

• Be exceptional at communicating with your clients or customers.

• Deliver on your promises ... and then deliver some more!

• Do great work.

• Treat people with respect and always be a person of integrity.

• Don’t be a jack of all trades, master of none.

• Make working with you EASY to do and MEMORABLE!!!

Honestly, one of the best ways you could ever build your brand is to always focus

on the small stuff first. People like attention to details.

(APPLAUSE!)

Questions and Answers