Unlock Your Powerful, Instantly Recognizable Personal Brand

What's your brand excellence?

What is my personal brand anyway?

I speak a lot on branding and this question comes up almost every time...and for good reason.

Branding can be defined in many ways and the term 'brand' is often confusing for people because there are many elements that make up a brand and it can be difficult to pinpoint what a 'brand' really is.

A 'brand' is essentially how something is known; it is a unique promise of value.

Example:

When we think about Apple Computers, what words and qualities pop up in our minds? How do we know Apple? Perhaps words come up like 'innovation,' 'creativity,' and 'high-quality?' Over time, Apple has built a reputation through the corporation's marketing and through people's experiences with their products—so, this is how they are branded.

So for Apple, they set themselves apart from others in their industry by expressing their unique promise of continually creating the latest, cutting-edge technology to meet the needs of their creative worldly audience.

So, how are YOU known? What makes up your personal brand?

Personal branding for entrepreneurs is really about developing the whole core of the personality of your business in ways that honor your unique style of making a difference—because branding is of course more than just graphics and words.

And to really take your business to the next level, you need to get really clear about who you are as a brand, the powerful results you provide and be able to successfully communicate that with those people who you help through your work.

So, to begin unlocking your powerful, instantly recognizable presence within you that's part of what makes you known and part of what makes up your personal brand, starts with connecting with the core of who you are and one of the methods I use to do that is by helping people tap into your brand archetypes.

Brand Archetypes

Your brand archetypes are what capture the spirit, personality and passion of you and what you do, giving you the freedom and permission to integrate your authentic personality into your marketing, which helps to develop your personal brand.

Knowing what your brand archetypes are is going to help you to fully step into your true role as the leader of your business and the tremendous value that you provide for your clients.

Here's a story to help you see how you can make major shifts when you're clear on your brand archetypes and using what makes you incredible to get better results in your business.

Jan, Explorer/Alchemist

Sample Success Story - Jan

(See Jan's story and other success stories at http://www.brandbreakthroughsecrets.com)

Jan is an exceptional coach and experienced entrepreneur of multiple, successful businesses throughout the years.

Yet, when I first met her, she had not yet fully tapped into the value, experience and expertise she provides to her clients and this undervaluing showed up in many ways—from not charging the full worth of the transformations she helps people to achieve to telling herself, “who am I to offer this or charge that?”

Here's where Jan was at before. 

“I honestly didn't believe that what I had was of value. Clients had raved about my work, my entire 6-figure income business was built on referrals, yet somehow I missed the piece that I was offering something of incredible value. Kind of like not seeing the white elephant in the middle of the room.”

So, for Jan, her primary archetype is the Explorer and the archetype that influences how she does her work is an Alchemist. And for each one of the brand archetypes—there are 12—they each have their own meaning, personality, values, likes and dislikes, strengths, sense of purpose, and calling.

So for Jan, what knowing this meant for her is the ability to not just create good copy writing by using many of the words that are on the archetype cards, but it really captured the essence of who she is.

How Jan expresses the shift that happened for her...

“I realize now that I'm a pioneer, carving new paths for entrepreneurs and I am not conforming in any way, shape or form. Knowing my archetype somehow gave me full permission to be who I am AND to be able to market that without hesitation.”

I now understand that what I offer to my clients is completely life-changing and I will save them thousands, if not tens of thousands in dollars, because I know way more than I realized I did. It feels so amazing and that confidence is now oozing out to my clients.”

I just love how that shift happens for people when they realize how incredible they are and bring that excellence into their work and are able to more clearly express who they are as a brand to get results.

So, here's one action you can take today to begin unlocking your powerful, instantly recognizable personal brand: Ask yourself and write down answers to the following question: “What are the characteristics, qualities, and values that I bring to my work that attract and inspire people to hire me and refer me to their friends and colleagues?”

I'd love to hear your answers! Be sure you share them below in the comment area.

Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved

To learn more about discovering your brand archetypes and start getting better results through your marketing, visit: http://www.brandbreakthroughsecrets.com

If you would like to use this article on your blog or website, feel free as long as you include the following author information:

Known for her creativity, gentle disposition, enthusiasm, and passion, Lisa Hromada is a leading Personal Branding Strategist and Authentic Marketing Coach who specializes in empowering women entrepreneurs to manage their time and find the clarity and focus they need to create a thriving business while still having the time and energy to enjoy their other priorities. Find Lisa's FREE gifts and more at: http://www.lisahromada.com/bizsuccess

YOU - In Business! Free Tele-Seminar Starting May 4, 2011

Women Experts Share Their 'Secrets'

5 Powerful Experts! 5 Weeks! 

5 simple strategies that you can use TODAY to get known by your money generating community

This no-cost teleseminar is about helping YOU—the heart-centered solopreneur with a vision for her business—be successful in all areas of your branding and marketing!

Check out the details, the topics and the presenters at http://tinyurl.com/YOU-InBusinessTeleseminar

About “YOU—in Business”

My friend and colleague Lisa Arms, the Just Say It Coach, invited me to be part of a dream team of experts to guide you!

Each one of us wants to help you have amazing results! We want your clients and customers to know who you are, what you do, and how you can help them!

We are solopreneurs JUST LIKE YOU. We have experience, results, success and proven systems that we want to share with you.

Our goal is to make this easy for you!

Register today for

YOU - In Business!

Revealing 5 simple strategies that you can use TODAY to get

known by your money generating community!

http://tinyurl.com/YOU-InBusinessTeleseminar

This free 5 week action-oriented course starts Wednesday, May 4^th 

• We will share the secrets you need to have the breakthrough you need to connect with your money generating community.
• In addition to the content rich calls - there are free tools, templates and checklists available to get you started.
• This is about you, your success and giving you the tools you need to take that huge leap your business needs.

In order to grow, thrive and succeed - your business needs two things - clients and income. How can you get both things at the same time…with paying clients!

That is our goal – to show you how you can fill your schedule with paying clients!

To register for this no-cost tele-seminar and to learn more about each presenter, visit http://tinyurl.com/YOU-InBusinessTeleseminar

You will also have access to a bonus gift from each presenter and these gifts are incredible! I've seen the content packed gifts and I'm excited to start using them in my business too.

I'll be kicking off the teleseminar on May 4, 9 a.m. (Pacific), 12 p.m. (EST)

Check out what I'll be sharing!

http://www.justsayitcoach.com/Just_Say_It_Coaching/Week_1.html

See you on the call!

*Excellence,

Lisa  


Lisa Hromada
Personal Branding Strategist
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/

What Makes Up YOUR Brand?

Your Two-Minute Brand Tip:
What Makes Up YOUR Brand?

Building a strong brand takes time. Even the most successful brands take years to develop…then refine…develop some more…and refine. So, what makes up a brand?

Here is your two-minute tip to building your brand.

• Explore and determine your core values and mission. What do you stand for in your business? Successful brands take a stand.
• Have a compelling story to tell. Why did you start your business? Some people start their business because they were seeking a better quality of life and health, so they found a business where they can enjoy optimum health and quality of life. Sharing your story helps make a connection with your ideal audience.
• Logo mark or word-mark. A logo is a graphic representation or symbol for a company name or product, often uniquely designed for immediate recognition. A word-mark is a logo created from type, such as FEDEX and Oprah.
• Clear, compelling tagline. Does every brand need a tagline? A tagline is useful to conveying what your brand is all about in a few words. The intention is to immediately connect and attract your ideal audience. A tagline is highly recommended, even if you are just personal branding yourself to apply to jobs.
• Build credibility and trust through consistent use of your visual and verbal brand messaging. This includes your colors, typography, images, logo, tagline, etc. Keeping these elements consistent through all of your brand communications is what helps build credibility, recognition, and makes your brand memorable.
• Communication style and reputation with your internal and external clients and vendors. Every interaction that you have online and offline contribute to your brand development. When building your brand, you always want to ensure that you are communicating in the way that you want your brand to be known.
• Build your professional biography and resume. An updated biography and resume is not just used for landing a job, it’s also utilized to attract clients and quality partners.

How does your brand compare?

_____
Article featured in the Hromada Brand Newsletter. Subscribe with Lisa Hromada at www.lisahromada.com and get a free e-book gift*

_____
Is your brand not up to par? We are about the change all that!
Rev-up for brand distinction beginning in 2010!

The Unearth Your Brand Excellence program is expected to arrive by the New Year. The Unearth Your Brand Excellence is a powerful preparatory course to building a brand foundation for your business to set you apart from competitors 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?

Check out www.lisahromada.com for details coming soon

Business Traits for Women

What traits should women develop to excel in business? You need a lot if ever you would want to get into this world mostly dominated by men. It takes a lot of courage and generosity for any woman to compete. And if you are that kind of woman, the following traits can help you stay afloat especially in these trying times.

Perseverance Perseverance first before anything else, says one woman entrepreneur whose business is into custom printed booklets. In fact, her booklet printing company took 5 years before it was able to get many customers to come regularly to her shop.

It takes many years before one can bear fruit as a business. There is really no instant formula for success. So be sure to be ready for the long haul because in order for you to survive, you need to persevere to see the fruits of your labor later on.

Passion Women are associated with this particular trait. As passion goes, you need to have excitement and zeal in every business venture you undertake. Nothing can be achieved without passion. You should be excited to wake up every morning because you know you are going to attend to business matters for the rest of the day.

Patience Results are not made overnight. It takes patience to find out if you are in or out of the competition. Especially for the custom printed booklets entrepreneur, she says that with the advent of digital technology, there are so many booklet printing companies that have surfaced in just a few years. According to her, there are many websites where one can go to have their custom printed booklets reproduced that it is hurting many booklet printing companies' offline. You just need to be patient so people will see the difference in the kind of service you provide.

Again, there is no such thing as instant success. Even Fortune 500 companies that have been in the list for so long have started from scratch at one time or another. It takes a lot of patience and perseverance to continue moving on even when the times are getting harder and harder.

Creative Do not be afraid to think of new ideas and update your business knowledge. Be more creative when providing solutions to problems. And be sure to look at things in different ways. Profits are made from different angles - be it financial, social or environmental. People in general can make changes even when the times are hard. No matter the climate or how small your business, you have to put on different shades to your business to survive the economic crunch.

Partnership To be successful, you have to pull in many skilled and knowledgeable people to help you with your business. Do not be afraid to ask for advice from those who already know the ins and outs of the industry. Be sure to get help from those who have the skills and specializations that you do not have. Hence, you should determine your strengths and weaknesses so you can provide balance in your business venture.

Balance Women in particular are very good at creating balance in their lives. It is especially demonstrated in how they have been able to have both a career and a family life. In fact, women are known to have been successful because of their capacity to balance both their feminine and masculine side. Thus, women have the natural capacity to go deep into relationships with clear thinking and strategy.

These are just some of the traits women entrepreneurs should have in order to excel in business. If you think you have what it takes to be a business owner, then go ahead and show what you can do. Women can succeed, and they do mean business.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit: Printed Booklets

Janice Jenkins is a writer for a marketing company in Chicago, IL. Mostly into marketing research, Janice started writing articles early 2007 to impart her knowledge to individuals new to the marketing industry.

Launching a New Product Or Service - Things Two Types of Women Business Owners Should Consider

Launching a product is an important step in growing a business. If you're already in the business of selling products, it's an opportunity to expand into a new market. If your primary business is in services, offering a product is an opportunity to get beyond the "dollars for hours" trap and begin creating residual income. In either case, launching a product, or even a new service, takes time, forethought and a great deal of investment. And, while it's exciting, it can be stressful, too.

A new study from Jane Out of the Box, an authority on women entrepreneurs, recently revealed there are five distinct types of women in business. Each of these five types has a unique approach to running a business-and as a consequence, each of them has a unique combination of characteristics and factors. This article profiles two important Jane "types" and the things they should keep in mind as they plan for (and launch) new products.

Jane Dough is an entrepreneur who enjoys running her business and makes good money. She is comfortable and determined in buying and selling, which may be why she's five times more likely than the average female business owner to hit the million dollar mark. Jane Dough is clear in her priorities and may be intentionally and actively growing an asset-based or legacy business. It is estimated that 18% of women fall in the category of Jane Dough.

If you're the Jane Dough type, chances are good you feel totally confident about this launch. You're a big picture gal, and you probably believe this launch will benefit your business. But before you go ahead with it, here are some things to think about:

• Staying focused on the big picture means you may fail to truly analyze all the potential risks and benefits of your new product or service. Although you make good business decisions and are able to separate your business from your emotion, sometimes you move so fast you forget to consider all the angles.

• Have you adequately assessed your market? Do the parameters and features of price points associated with the product need to be tweaked? Are you reaching your target market with the right message? You've got plenty of business coming in and plenty of other plans in the works. That doesn't mean you don't need to yield to those caution signs. Slow down and analyze all the intricacies, colors and patterns that make up the big picture you love so much.

• What about the system around your launch? Have you taken the time to explain to your team what they need to do to make the launch a success? Having a system in place can prevent problems before they happen-and just thinking about that system can make you slow down enough to consider all the angles.

By taking the time to understand exactly how this new launch fits in-rather than staying focused on the big picture vision, and forging blindly ahead-you'll be able to learn from possible mistakes before they happen.

Tenacity Jane is an entrepreneur with an undeniable passion for her business, and also one who tends to be struggling with cash flow. As a result, she's working long hours, and making less money than she'd like. Nevertheless, Tenacity Jane is bound and determined to make her business a success. At 31% of women in business, Tenacity Janes are the largest single Jane type.

If you're the Tenacity Jane type, you're no stranger to challenge. But that doesn't mean you should create another one for yourself. Before launching a new product or service, ask yourself some questions:

• Is adding a product or service a smart business decision, or is it just something you just really want to do? Tenacity Janes tend to love what they're doing so much, and want it so badly, that emotions sometimes get in the way. The deep and abiding faith you have in your business and in yourself as an entrepreneur is what keeps you going-but it won't launch a new product and keep it off the ground.

• Is the timing good for adding another output for your business? For Tenacity Jane, finances are an issue. If this product launch fails, will it put you out of business? Is this a risk you can afford to take right now, or should you put it off until your business more stable? A product launch can boost your business-but it also can suck your resources dry.

• Have you done enough research and planning? For some Tenacity Janes, their business results from a great concept but a poor plan. For others, they have a great idea but no clue how to run a business. Make sure all your ducks are in a row before you launch a product. What if your product takes off? Are you equipped to handle a huge increase in business? Remember, if things go well, you're going to be swamped with more work. And if they don't, you're going to be out a lot of money. Either way, you need to be prepared.

• Are you looking at this possible product launch as just another challenge? Well, it's not! Launching a new product is a big deal. Make sure you're giving it enough thought, time and attention. We know you're familiar with struggles, but launching a product has the potential to take up even more of your time, use up even more of your money and cause even more desperation. Make sure you're ready!

Each Jane presented here-Jane Dough and Tenacity Jane-has several things to consider before launching a new product or service. Each entrepreneur must decide whether this is the right thing to do for her business-and for herself. Because in the end, isn't that what this is all about? Asking herself the right questions and thinking about the right issues will allow every Jane, when the time comes, to move boldly forward in the future.

Interested in learning more about the five Jane types and which Jane you are? Check out http://www.janeoutofthebox.com Michele DeKinder-Smith is the founder of Jane Out of The Box, an online resource dedicated to the women entrepreneur community. Discover more incredibly useful information for running a small business by joining Jane Out Of the Box. Jane offers networking and marketing opportunities, key resources and mentorship from successful women in business, and is now available as a FREE, 7-day trial membership. Claim yours today at http://www.janeoutofthebox.com

Confident Business Women - 7 Confidence Building Ideas For Women in Business and Leadership

Women in business need confidence in order to succeed. Having a strong level of confidence means living a healthier, better leadership and business life. Here are 7 confidence building ideas for women in business and leadership.

1. Recognize Your Unique Talents. Having unique talents can mean being and feeling different from other people. For instance, you might have an unusually strong sense of intuition. You might be able to see a problem before others by putting loose ends together in your mind. Instead of seeing this as a detriment because no one else seems to be able to do the same thing, learn to recognize where you are different as a unique talent. Embrace your unique talents and use them to move your business to new heights and to be a stronger leader.

2. Use Personal Potential. Recognize that you have unusual personal potential. In reality, almost every person has the potential for brilliance in life. But few people really move outside of their small box that they grow accustomed too. Being a confident woman means trying new tings. Take risks, go to new places, and make a new contact. Exercise your personal potential to build your levels of confidence.

3. Try New Things. This leads to the next point for building a stronger sense of confidence which is to try new things. One reason people don't have a lot of confidence is because of the lack of trying something that takes them out of their comfort zone. Try something new and unusual everyday. Once you give something a try it breaks the feelings of anxiety or fear from that thing. The power of that situation, thing, place, or person to control or limit you in some way evaporates once you give it a try.

4. Create Your Wealth. Everyday someone tells you to create your wealth. While that's a statement with truth attached, you also need to know what that really means. You can only create your wealth when you know how. Knowing how requires knowing your real strengths. Women can function for years without ever really knowing their real strengths. Your confidence will soar when you know that you are working from your strengths. That is how you can confidently go about the activities necessary to create your wealth.

5. Embrace Your Power. Power is a good thing to have when you're in business. Power gives you the ability to get things done. A confident woman in business must understand and embrace her power. Understanding power means knowing how to influence others to get things done. It also means knowing what to say, when to say it, and whom to say it too. There are obvious and not so obvious ways to deal with power and a confident business woman learns how these nuances work to increase her effectiveness.

6. Answer the Urge to Create. Confident business women have creative minds and a creative mind is always finding ways to create new things. Creativity means being able to take things that might seem common place in everyday life and combine them in new ways. You come up with solutions by looking at situations from a different angle. It takes confidence to speak out when you have a new idea that runs contrary to normal thinking of the group you're involved with on a daily basis.

7. Learn to Unblock. It takes confidence to face obstacles and go through them anyway. Every business professional will face obstacles; this is a normal part of business operations. But not everyone can look at those obstacles and decide to do what it takes to move through them to reach their intended goals. The confidence to do this comes in knowing that the best possible solution can be found. Seeking solutions in spite of the obstacles unblocks the barriers to success. Doing so is a true sign of confidence in business and leadership.

Being a confident woman in business and leadership is possible when you take the steps to maximize your confidence in business and leadership. You can practice being a powerful problem solver who excels with confidence in your profession. When needed, you can find the mentoring and assistance that will support your business and leadership efforts.

Consuelo Meux, Ph.D. coaches professional and executive women to build the confidence and communication skills to start and grow a small business that generates elegance and financial freedom. Get a free business plan template, resources and other support at her website. Enjoy monthly teleclasses on Communication Skills for Successful Business Women for only $9.95 a month. Private fast track coaching is available for the woman who is ready to move into her success - fast. http://www.consuelomeux.com

Women Enjoying Success BlogTalk Radio Interview

Please join me May 17, 2009 at 4 p.m. (Arizona Time) for my BlogTalk Radio Interview! Sharon Michaels, host of Women Enjoying Success, will be interviewing me. We will be talking about personal branding and how personal branding can help you in your business and get you the results that you desire!

Speaking of RESULTS, here are just a few results that you can get from personally branding your business:

• understand your strengths and recognize opportunities
• establish yourself as a leader in your field
• gain greater focus for your work
• stand out from others who do similar things as you
• maintain your brand and make it stronger throughout the years
• and much more!

To hear more, join us!

You can also call in LIVE! Sharon and I will be taking LIVE calls during our session together. If you have questions about branding and marketing your business, listen LIVE and call in!

EVENT:

May 17, 2009

4 p.m. (Arizona Time)

1-646-716-5141 (to call in)

Listen LIVE: Women Enjoying Success with Sharon Michaels 

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Sharon-Michaels

Hope to 'see' you there!

Many Blessings,

Lisa Hromada

Personal Brand Designer

"Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Explore and Understand the Greatness of Their Brand, So They Can Move Forward With Confidence, Stand Out From the Crowd, And Attract More Of Their Ideal Clients."

Join my *FREE Brand Excellence e-club and receive monthly tips, articles, and updates on branding and marketing your business. http://www.lhcreativeidstudio.com