"Branding Your Business, Branding Yourself"
The first thing you notice when you are in an unfamiliar town are the places you have seen a million times: the McDonalds or the neighborhood Wal-mart. These companies have established a brand for their business. A brand that sells their products and the brand helps you distinguish their products or prices from their competition.
If you haven’t figured out where I am going with this article…I’m talking about TRADEMARKS. You are a business, you are a product. Look at artists such as Beyonce, Rihanna, and P. Diddy who have the ability to attach their name or face to any product and sell it. This is why it is important to develop a great name, a unique name, for you, your band, your business or your product. A great name and logo will help identify you, setting you a part from the rest.
A registered Trademark gives you certain benefits like the exclusive ownerships rights of the mark, you also have the right to control the use of your name, you have the right to tell someone to stop using your name or mark, and the right to license the use of your name or mark in the manner that suits you. Federal trademarks give you nationwide priority and a broader geographical area for protection than do state trademarks. If you are only registered in Tennessee, you can only enforce here. If you plan to expand your business or be a national known celebrity think about the benefits of federal trademarks as you expand from one state to several.
Trademarks add value to your business and allow you to make more money. If someone wants to use it on their product, banner, sign etc. you can name a price or even sell it. The ® , registered trademark symbol, puts people on notice that this mark is registered and it deters others from ripping you off. And if it does not deter them from doing so, you can sue them. It also shows some since of pride in your business because you took the necessary steps to build a solid foundation.
Once your trademark is registered you can own it indefinitely, but you must continue to use it as well as satisfy the renewal obligation every ten years. If you fail to do so, another party may request that your mark be deregistered after some time. Since you are the owner of your mark, you can tell other to ‘cease and desist’ from using your mark, name, and./or slogan. Famous handbag brands like Louis Vuitton and Coach have the power to stop all of the many infringers and flea market sellers of their products for this very reason. Not only are the knock-offs profiting based off of their goodwill and image, but also taking the money from the companies who have paid millions to make their names what it is.
Musicians can brand themselves now by having printed business cards, signs, t-shirts, websites that have their logos, and other freebies with your logos and band name. The idea is to keep your name and logo in the spotlight so that it becomes recognizable to everyone.
The New Rules of Networking
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Do's and Don'ts: Branding your Business, Branding Yourself
he Best
"Starbuck Man"
Randy Flaherty
Starbuckman@gmail.com
Contact: powerman297@hotmail.com
Contact: 320-239-4537 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 320-239-4537 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
50+ Tips to Brand Yourself Online
Once you’ve designed your personal brand and have a persona brand name, use this handy list of suggestions to implement your personal branding strategy.
"50+ Tips to Brand Yourself Online"
Once you’ve designed your personal brand and have a persona brand name,use this handy list of suggestions to implement your personal branding strategy.
*General purpose
* Show your expertise as much as possible.
* Publicize your brand-related successes and achievements.
* Make yourself easy to contact for thoughts and questions via email, Twitter, Skype, internet messaging, etc.
* Help other people in your industry such as bloggers, Twitterers, colleagues, advice seekers, etc.
* Give people a reason to talk about you in a positive way that also matches your brand.
* Follow other people in your industry and anyone else who can teach you how to spread your message.
* Create and apply personal design guidelines that will share the values of your brand and are reusable online and offline.
* Keep in mind that where you interact online also conveys messages about you, and then stick to the websites and communities that will help most in reaching your goals.
*Tactics
* Choose an appropriate avatar.
* Consider using a personal logo.
* Join brand-related communities on social media (such as LinkedIn Groups), in discussion forums, newsgroups and mailing lists.
* Be helpful by sharing links and resources that you know people will enjoy.
*Kinds of websites you could create
* An ‘ask an expert’ website to answer questions about your profession or area of expertise.
* Discussion forum about your industry that you would moderate and participate in.
* Wiki about your industry
* A social media resume
* A personally-branded version of a free online tool that your audience will find useful.
* Personal blog.
*Blogging
* Register your own name as a domain name. If not available, use your personal brand name or some variation that won’t confuse people and will still reinforce your brand.
* Syndicate your blog in brand-related sites and networks.
* List your blog in pertinent website, blog and RSS directories.
* Exchange blogroll placements with industry bloggers.
*Places to put your personal brand information
* Email signature
* Forum signature
* Website personal profiles (like Ning's) that allow you to fill in a short bio and list your website or blog.
* Software-based personal profiles, like skype's.
* The name field in blog comments forms should mention your personal brand name.
* The website field in blog comments forms should point at the website that best brands you, whether your blog, social media resume,Linkedin profile, or anything else.
*Social media
* Considering the time investment involved, be selective in choosing the right social media for you, and then complete your personal profiles with your branding messages.
* Use Twitter or other micro-blogging services to network, ask and answer questions, share and learn.
* Create a social bookmarking account (e.g. on del.icio.us) specifically for articles related to your profession or interest, and then encourage people to help you find related arti cles.
* Arrange to have bios posted about yourself on Wikipedia, Knol, Squidoo and other user-generated media.
* Launch a Facebook page about your industry niche.
* Tie together everything in a dedicated FriendFeed profile that allows people to follow your online activities from one source.
Please Remember This My Friends: Feel it, Believe it, Live it. The Magic Words, "Just Do It"
How to Work from Home
To: Oprah.com Readers, Subject: E-mail Etiquette
Suze Orman's 10 Tips for a Fresh Financial Start
Giving Your Finances a Reality Check
The Best
"Starbuck Man"
Randy Flaherty
Starbuckman@gmail.com
Contact: powerman297@hotmail.com
Contact: 320-239-4537
"50+ Tips to Brand Yourself Online"
Once you’ve designed your personal brand and have a persona brand name,use this handy list of suggestions to implement your personal branding strategy.
*General purpose
* Show your expertise as much as possible.
* Publicize your brand-related successes and achievements.
* Make yourself easy to contact for thoughts and questions via email, Twitter, Skype, internet messaging, etc.
* Help other people in your industry such as bloggers, Twitterers, colleagues, advice seekers, etc.
* Give people a reason to talk about you in a positive way that also matches your brand.
* Follow other people in your industry and anyone else who can teach you how to spread your message.
* Create and apply personal design guidelines that will share the values of your brand and are reusable online and offline.
* Keep in mind that where you interact online also conveys messages about you, and then stick to the websites and communities that will help most in reaching your goals.
*Tactics
* Choose an appropriate avatar.
* Consider using a personal logo.
* Join brand-related communities on social media (such as LinkedIn Groups), in discussion forums, newsgroups and mailing lists.
* Be helpful by sharing links and resources that you know people will enjoy.
*Kinds of websites you could create
* An ‘ask an expert’ website to answer questions about your profession or area of expertise.
* Discussion forum about your industry that you would moderate and participate in.
* Wiki about your industry
* A social media resume
* A personally-branded version of a free online tool that your audience will find useful.
* Personal blog.
*Blogging
* Register your own name as a domain name. If not available, use your personal brand name or some variation that won’t confuse people and will still reinforce your brand.
* Syndicate your blog in brand-related sites and networks.
* List your blog in pertinent website, blog and RSS directories.
* Exchange blogroll placements with industry bloggers.
*Places to put your personal brand information
* Email signature
* Forum signature
* Website personal profiles (like Ning's) that allow you to fill in a short bio and list your website or blog.
* Software-based personal profiles, like skype's.
* The name field in blog comments forms should mention your personal brand name.
* The website field in blog comments forms should point at the website that best brands you, whether your blog, social media resume,Linkedin profile, or anything else.
*Social media
* Considering the time investment involved, be selective in choosing the right social media for you, and then complete your personal profiles with your branding messages.
* Use Twitter or other micro-blogging services to network, ask and answer questions, share and learn.
* Create a social bookmarking account (e.g. on del.icio.us) specifically for articles related to your profession or interest, and then encourage people to help you find related arti cles.
* Arrange to have bios posted about yourself on Wikipedia, Knol, Squidoo and other user-generated media.
* Launch a Facebook page about your industry niche.
* Tie together everything in a dedicated FriendFeed profile that allows people to follow your online activities from one source.
Please Remember This My Friends: Feel it, Believe it, Live it. The Magic Words, "Just Do It"
How to Work from Home
To: Oprah.com Readers, Subject: E-mail Etiquette
Suze Orman's 10 Tips for a Fresh Financial Start
Giving Your Finances a Reality Check
The Best
"Starbuck Man"
Randy Flaherty
Starbuckman@gmail.com
Contact: powerman297@hotmail.com
Contact: 320-239-4537
Don’t Be Afraid To Say What You Think
Please don't be afraid to say what you think…
When you want to brand yourself in any category or niche, You have to say what you think with out thinking so much about what people will think about you.
If you really want to brand yourself you need to be unique, interesting, it will attract more visitors to your site.
If you always afraid from what people will think about you than it will be a problem because 90% you will bored your readers.
To be unique and say what you think will always attract more visitors to your site.
FRIDAY'S SHOW: Intervention: The Man Eating Himself to Death
More from Oprah.com
When you want to brand yourself in any category or niche, You have to say what you think with out thinking so much about what people will think about you.
If you really want to brand yourself you need to be unique, interesting, it will attract more visitors to your site.
If you always afraid from what people will think about you than it will be a problem because 90% you will bored your readers.
To be unique and say what you think will always attract more visitors to your site.
FRIDAY'S SHOW: Intervention: The Man Eating Himself to Death
More from Oprah.com
- From bananas to exercise— 10 tips for a clear head
- Plan your ultimate beautiful day
- From bananas to exercise— 10 tips for a clear head
- Plan your ultimate beautiful day
- Take Dr. Oz's revealing beauty quiz
Please Remember This My Friends: Feel it, Believe it, Live it. The Magic Words, "Just Do It"
The Best
"Starbuck Man"
Randy FlahertyStarbuckman@gmail.com
Contact: powerman297@hotmail.comContact: 320-239-4537 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 320-239-4537 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
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