Personal Branding - Do You Know How to Be Successful At Network Marketing?

Do you use a particular brand? Of course you do! An example may be if you order a soda at a restaurant, if they don't have a fer, particular brand you prefer, you may say no thank you, I'll have a water!. You are probably wearing a brand as clothing or driving a brand as a car.. I know plenty of people who will only buy Fords!

We live in a world of brands.. And guess what? You two are brand. It's called "Brand you".. Your brand is what you are personally.. what people say about you when you're not around -negative or positive. You create your brand every day through your actions. You're the head of your own company, CEO, of your very own personal brand, that is completely separate from the company you work for the organization you represent! Your brand is not your company or your product!

A customer, may buy from you because of your company's brands, but they will continue to come back to you because they are loyal to the brand you project. So with all the brands out there and all the competition how do you differentiate your brand? How can you define yourself and be number one in your prospects eyes so they see you as number one? How can you get the brand loyalty of Coke, Pepsi, Microsoft?

Define brand you! What do you want your brand to be? What are your core values and beliefs? What do you stand for? If you can't others- will find it for you! Think about you. If you don't understand you're a brand you will never be able to position yourself for your company as a leader and create your own brand.

So, I want you to forget about where you work, your title or position. What is it about you that makes you unique? Not better than other people, just unique- as you. What do you want to be remembered by? Is there a gap between what you want your brand to be and where it is right now?

Next, create the brand you statement. This acts as a promise to yourself and to your customers. Write a sentence about you that summarizes your core values and beliefs that make you stand out from the competition. Example: I create my own success by learning what I need to learn, then paracticing it until I become prficient at it, then give it back to others! My worth is not defined by the money I make, my joy comes from growing myself and giving to others so they in turn can grow. Your statement has to be authentic and true to you and who you are so you will be able to live it and have others believe it.

-Your statement may clued words like- giving - focused- strong-willed, it doesn't matter what you write as long as you're honest with yourself. Your brand will evolve over time as it takes root and matures. Make it simple, easy to remember and for others to communicate well. Make it relevant and believable to what you do. Your credibility depends on it. Your brand is going to make you different.

Lastly, Build Brand You! How do you build your brand? It starts with your repetition. Do you know what your reputation is, or do you think you know? Does it reflect your personal brand statement? What are people saying about you? You build your repetition by becoming known in your world. This is in addition to your work. Do you interact with people on a daily basis that know your brand? People are always watching. It is our nature to observe others. While we observe others we decide if we like them and if we want to get to know them better based on our perception of their brand.

When you're aware of your brand, you can take action and get yourself noticed. Work different hours to meet different people. Write an Internet blog in your field. Build your network of friends and people who believe in you. People that like you. Find people you like to be around, and when you create this network of supporters they will tell others about you. Word of mouth advertising is powerful!

Pay special attention to people of credibility that could help spread your brand. If you position yourself with credible people you will find your brand growing beyond your reach. You are always brand you. Anything and everything you do associated with brand you is relevant- how you respond to an e-mail, how you treat a server at a restaurant,all this will impact your reputation and your brand.

Everything you choose to do or choose not to do well impact your brand. Stay true to your personal brand based on who you want to be. Not on how much financial gain or power you think will make you happy. Now it is time to start creating the brand-new brand you!

To Our Success,
Julianna Brower

You have read in this article that a marketing system is vital for your success in profitable business. Click on the link now http://www.themlmmarketingmastermind.com to get some insider information people are using to explode their businesses and receive marketing training for free.

Maintaining a Positive Work-Life Balance When You're in Business For Yourself

Whether you have made a conscious decision to start your own business or you have fallen into it by realizing that a hidden talent or casual pastime can afford a nice living, the process of building and maintaining a business can quickly become overwhelming. Take proactive steps to cultivate your growing business while also keeping your sanity.

Recognize where your time is best spent. You are the expert of the heart of your business. Maybe you are home inspector that has parted ways from an established company to embark on your own. Perhaps you are a stay at home mom that happens to make fabulous cakes that people in the community want to order for their special events and parties. Whatever the case, chances are you have a primary area of expertise, and likely that particular area does not encompass most aspects of running a business. For these areas you'll likely want to contract out assistance. For example:

• Help with finances -You may want to find a trusted accountant or CPA firm to help manage your books and help you file the right paperwork to pay your taxes. You can also look into purchasing software that can help you manage accounts payable and accounts receivable.
• Technology assistance -You should consider getting in touch with an online marketing specialist to help you develop a web presence or at least get a website up that can help you manage and market your business. If you do a bit of research, you can find a free website builder tool on your own and many of these are very user-friendly. The free/low cost online website builder tools help you get started quickly and without dipping into your budget.
• Network for other services - Establish relationships with other vendors, such as a local printer or driving service. Knowing that you have quality relationships in place for these services can relieve a huge burden and also save time.

Designate boundaries as much as possible. Anyone who has gone into business for themselves will attest that there are very long days in the beginning. To succeed, you have to put in enormous amounts of work and manage the learning curve as effectively as possible, especially in the first five years. But, it is important to set some kind of boundary between life and work to maintain some level of balance. This can be especially difficult if you operate your business out of your home. Some things you can do to set some boundaries:

• Set an answering machine or get an answering service for some parts of the day or after hours.
• Pick one evening, or more, that you close the doors on work at a reasonable hour. Or choose one weekend day that is off-limits for work.
• Employ effective tools for time management, such as responding to emails or voicemails only at certain times or using an Outlook calendar to structure your day. Other advanced software can help you manage your time as well-do a little research to see if one will work for you.

Once you establish your boundaries and secure some assistance, implement balance. You're letting your website work for you, using a website builder tool to get a site up that lists your office hours and offers a form for customers to complete to send you questions or requests. Once you have this and other tools and tactics in place, you have to remember what is important and what you enjoy in your life. By taking steps, such as contracting out certain services, managing your time, and using technology to work for you, you can use the time for recreation, self-improvement, or relaxation. Doing so will allow you to renew your energy for your business, maintain a positive attitude and ultimately find success.

Network Solutions offers a full range of Web-related services including Web hosting (packages include free website builder tools), Web design, ecommerce software, search engine marketing, SSL certificates, e-mail services, and domain name registration. A one-stop solutions provider, Network Solutions draws on 30 years of experience to make it simple and affordable for small business owners to build and manage an online presence. ______________ Note from Lisa Hromada: There are only a few days left to take advantage of the discounted price on Unearth Your Brand Excellence E-Course! This program helps you extract your unique brand traits, strengths, and values and transform that into compelling brand expression and a strong brand foundation to achieve your business goals. Included in this 4-session intensive is something that you will not find with anyone else. The program includes a unique brand assessment that works to get anonymous external feedback about you as a professional in your business and it helps you to dramatically improve the expression of your brand. Learn more about the program by visiting Lisa Hromada's website. Isn't it time that you Unearth Your Brand Excellence?

7 Steps Any Solopreneur Can Use to Build a Winning Brand

What does your brand say to your customers? What, you don't have a brand because you're a solopreneur; a one-woman shop? Ah, but you do. If you have business, you have a brand, whether you realize it or not.

Think of some of the world-wide brands we experience every day – Target, Dell, and BMW. Just mentioning these names conjures up a feeling, doesn't it? For example, when you thought of Target you may have felt a bit light and happy because of their upbeat commercials. When you thought of Dell you might have thought "They're a friendly computer company. I could see myself buying a computer from them." Or, when BMW crossed your mind, perhaps the image came to your mind of your hands intensely gripping the sterling wheel of the "Ultimate Driving Machine" while your foot is seriously on the accelerator as you swerve around tight-in corners. Oh, the feeling of power under your feet!

When someone says your company's name, people get some kind of immediate gut feeling, too. Something goes through their mind - That's your brand.

The question is, "Is it working for you?"

Your brand is the experience your target customers have while interacting with you. If their experience evokes a strong, positive emotional response, then you've got a great brand. Why? Because customers buy from emotion and back it up with their head. If your customers have trouble remembering your name when you're not actually in the room then you need to work on your brand.

Creating a brand isn't just for the big companies; it's for companies of all sizes because we're all fighting for attention from our target customers. Here are seven steps any solopreneur can use to building a winning brand:

Step 1: Rekindle Your Passion – Why did you start your business? What really brings you satisfaction when you're working with your customers? Tap into your passion about your business and let it resurface. Therein lies the essential emotion of your brand.

Step 2: Describe Your Target Customer – We don't sell to everyone, we sell to some ONE. Think of your best existing customer and write a paragraph describing him or her – what he/she looks like, his/her age, marital status, any kids, how much money he makes, his/her occupation, needs, interests, etc. Compare this composite to your brand. Would your target customer find your brand emotionally attractive?

Step 3: Identify Your Brand Personality – Even with all the technology tools today, people still buy from people, even if it's your photo on a website. Your personality plays a huge part in creating your brand experience. And you can't fake who you are so be clear who what you're working with. Identify 3 to 5 adjectives that define who you are. These are the cornerstone of your brand as a solopreneur.

Step 4: Name It And Claim It – The name of your company is often how others first interact with your business. Whether your company name is "Virginia Plumbing and Heating" or "Back in Action", it sends a strong message that either supports or distracts from the experience you're trying to create. Is it the message you want to send? If not, time for a change.

Step 5: Be Consistent – Every way you interact with your customers needs to reflect your brand personality: Your business name, logo, tag line, corporate colors, stationery, brochures, product packaging, even how your phone is answered and how you respond to "what do you do?" Write down all the ways a person can interact with your company? Is each interaction supporting or derailing your emotional brand experience?

Step 6: Create Experiences, Get Feedback – You have to start somewhere. So, you launch your company and brand and see what works. What ultimately matters is what the customer thinks and feels. Ask current customers what they like about doing business with you, and what they wish was a bit different. Ask potential customers for comments on what caught their attention to check out your business. Listen for specifics.

Step 7: Keep Tweaking – Your brand is a living thing so expect it to change and don't get up tight if you didn't get it quite right the first time. No one does, not even the big guys. The key is being deliberate about what your brand stands for, translating that into specific experiences with your customer, proactively getting feedback, and having the courage to make changes.

Working to perfect your brand takes time and deliberate action, but it will pay dividends beyond your wildest dreams. Creating a great brand – one that sparks a positive emotional response in your customers – will have you perceived as an expert in your field, have raving fans (your customers) singing your praises plus bring big profits to your business.

Copyright (c) 2007 Mary Foley

Mary Foley and Cheryl Thompson, the bodacious branding and marketing experts, are dedicated to helping women with small businesses achieve big dreams. Their mission is to show women how to get the customers they want who will pay them the money they deserve. Get their “52 Ways to Make Branding & Marketing Easy!” absolutely free at [http://www.businesssuccessforher.com]. ___________________ Unearth Your Brand Excellence Building a powerful brand foundation for your business Set yourself apart from other businesses who seemingly offer the same products and services Get the tools to effectively communicate your unique brand promise **Additional BONUS when you sign up for this personally coached E-Course! Find out today!

Overcoming The Stress Of Owning Your Own Business

Running your business can be exciting, liberating and profitable. However, many business owners also experience a level of stress that non business owners experience. There are trade offs that come from being in charge.

Long hours, missed vacations and deadlines may take a toll on your physical and emotional health, affecting relations with your employees, family and friends in the process. There strategies for keeping the stress from overwhelming you. Here are some questions to ask yourself in getting a handle on managing the stress.

What is causing the stress?

Is it some aspect of the business like marketing, customer relations, bookkeeping, sales calls or difficult customers causing you to stay up at night? When you identify what is draining you of energy and causing the anxiety, you can begin to brainstorm solutions. Until you are clear about that, you won't know where to begin. Ask yourself is this something I can control? If it is not something you can do anything about, then you need to find ways to make peace with the reality of that part of your business.

When was the last time I took time for myself?

When we own our own business, we must step outside ourselves and almost look at our self as a business asset. Just as you wouldn't let your car go without regular maintenance, neither should you let yourself get tired and overworked. Taking time for recreation, and connecting with family and friends will keep you refreshed and ready for the rigors of your business. Without this, you will become isolated and stale.

What health routines do I need to implement or get back to?

Do you have a regular exercise routine? When was the last time you saw the dentist, optometrist, if you are a woman, had your annual routine exams? Are you eating a variety of healthful foods? All of these things contribute to your overall health and safeguard against the inevitable stress. Your body must be in top condition.

Can someone else do this?

Entrepreneurs are by nature, talented, "Can Do" types of individuals. Often we can do everything better than anyone else. You need to ask yourself, "Is this the best, most efficient use of my time? "Can I take a leadership role and have someone else in my business do some of the work that has been causing stress?" If you are just starting out, this may be the time to hire or outsource the thing that is causing stress.

Am I just bored?

Sometimes, we just get bored with our business, just as people do with any job. Try looking for new ways to bring the old excitement into your business. Perhaps it is a new way of delivering services or by adding or dropping a product. New is exciting, old and stale drains us.

What experts can I bring in to help?

There are many resources these days for entrepreneurs. Some people make it their business to keep the small business owner IN business and stress free. Consultants, coaches, counselors, health professionals, and alternative medicine practitioners are there to support you. You don't have to do it all yourself. You can hire people long or short term to get you over the stress and keep you and your business prospering and joyful.

Louise Abbott is a business coach and owner of Creative Resources Coaching. Louise teaches entrepreneurs and self employed professionals to increase revenues with proven marketing and innovative business practices. Louise consults one on one and has groups and workshops. Her Platinum Inner Circle Mastermind/Coaching group teaches advance marketing and business techniques. Her Gold Level Coaching and VIP Intensive Days are geared for the Entrepreneur who wants personal attention. Louise is the past president of the Tucson Coaches Alliance and on the board of the Leading Edge Chapter of Business Network International. You can access more articles and information at her website http://www.crcoaching.com _________ Effectively brand your business in 2010. Unearth Your Brand Excellence is a powerful preparatory course to building a brand foundation for your business to set yourself apart from other businesses who seemingly offer the same products and services. In addition, the program is specifically designed to give you the tools to effectively communicate your unique brand promise. **Additional BONUS when you sign up for the E-Course! Are you ready for brand excellence? More information, visit www.lisahromada.com/

Resources to Find Small Business Loans For Women

Women are a huge part of today's small business. Universities are seeing a huge increase in enrollment by women in finance and business administration programs. So, it should be no surprise that 28 percent of all small businesses are owned by women, and fully 55 percent of all new startup businesses are owned by women.

Just like any other business, being properly capitalized is critical for women-owned businesses. Luckily, many banks specifically offer small business loans for women. Thanks to government programs, in many cases, a business that is majority-owned by a woman can qualify for a loan that a comparable business owned by a man would not have a chance to get.

The effects of this are obvious: according to SCORE, between 1997 and 2002, women-owned firms grew by 19.8 percent while all U.S. firms grew by seven percent. During the same time, the number of jobs created by women-owned businesses grew by 150% of the national average!

Of course, one common characteristic shared by all businesses is the high risk of failure. One of the most common causes for new businesses to fail is not having enough capital. Raising funds can be tough, especially for a new, not-yet-proven, business venture. However, given the obvious demographic shift, and support of many government programs, lenders are typically very willing to accommodate female business owners.

The number one thing that any female entrepreneur can do when looking for capital, is go to her bank and ask her lender if the bank offers any specially designed small business loans for women. Many times, these programs will have special characteristics that cater to the special needs of a woman-owned business.

Some resources that might be useful:

• The Women's Funding Network - womensfundingnetwork.org - Women's Funding Network is more than 150 organizations that fund women's solutions across the globe, making us one of the largest collaborative philanthropic networks in the world. Our members are women's foundations that span public charities, private foundations and funds within community foundations.
• Small Business Administration, Office of Women's Business Ownership - sba.gov/womeninbusiness - Helps women with startup loans and loans for expansion of existing businesses.
• Financial Women International - fwi.org - This is a clearinghouse for information related to female entrepreneurs.

There are plenty of opportunities out there for female entrepreneurs to secure funding for their startup business. Just beware of scams! There are many sites out there that are specifically designed to take advantage of people looking for help. The number one thing to keep in mind is, if they initiate contact with you, you probably shouldn't give them any information until you've checked them out. And remember, if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is!

Steve Hansen is a serial entrepreneur who has had businesses succeed because of solid planning, and business fail because of inadequate capitalization. He would like to see other businesses started with a solid foundation to help make the world a better place. Find out about startup loans for small businesses. You can still get business startup loans in today's economy. ________ Brand your business in 2010! The Brand Unearthing Phase for Networkers, Coaches, Trainers, Solopreneurs, Consultants, Representatives, and other women entrepreneurs and small business owners is available through the Unearth Your Brand Excellence Workbook & E-Course Program. Unearth Your Brand Excellence is a powerful preparatory course to building a brand foundation for your business to set yourself apart from other businesses who seemingly offer the same products and services. In addition, the program is specifically designed to give you the tools to effectively communicate your unique brand promise. Are you ready for brand excellence? More information and updated website coming soon at www.lisahromada.com/