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

Get Better Results by Starting from Where You Are

Do you want...more?
The women who come to me are at a place in their life and business where they want more. They want more time with their family; they want more time for themselves (imagine that!); they want their business to bring in more income; they want to feel more fulfilled doing what they love, helping to transform the lives of their clients and make the difference they are meant to make.

They have tried marketing their business; they've tried going out and meeting people; they've tried social media; they've created a website and now want people to actually visit it and contact them... sound familiar?

It's overwhelming to think about all those things that you need to do in your business to get it to...well... FLOW.

So, where do you start?

The simplest answer is to... start where you are.

If you're like my clients...

• You've been in business for a number of years and you're exceptional at what you do, but no one knows it (meaning, an inconsistent flow of clients)
• You like doing things your way and on your own, but you're not getting the results you know are possible
• You want to increase your income and you know it's possible, but you're already working as hard as you possibly can and you're not willing to giving up the other things that you enjoy

So then, how do you close the gap between where you are now and where you want to be? 


Here is 1 essential tip as well as some key action steps to help you get better results by 'starting where you are'...

ESSENTIAL TIP: Know where you are! Yes, this sounds like a no-brainer, however, I know from my own experiences and from my highly creative coaches and colleagues that our natural tendency is to want to be three steps ahead.

Even for my clients who have been in business for 20+ years, they need to re-evaluate where their business is at. Knowing where you are has nothing to do with how much you know or how many years you've been in business; it has to do with what stage your business is at.

Even for women who have been in business for a number of years, they need to review what they are a stand for in their business, who their clients are, and what uniquely sets them apart, which are all parts of the core phase of branding their business, so they can get better results, faster from their marketing.

'Take Action Today' Step: Write a short list of the primary challenges you're currently having in your business. Be completely honest as you write this list. This is going to help you know where you are right now and help you with the next action step, which is determining what you need, to overcome these challenges and take your business to where you want it to be.

For example, if you write, “my primary challenge is telling potential clients clearly what I do and how I help them,” then your next step is to write down what resources you'll need, what steps you'll need to take, and/or who you'll need to contact to help you learn how to clearly express what you do, so you can start getting more clients and making the difference you're meant to make.

Bonus tip: Be specific. Don't write “my primary challenge is money;” Almost everyone I talk to has a challenge with money in one form or another; whether it relates to how to charge and price their services; whether they're currently making money or not; whether they fear investing in their business because of the 'what if' beliefs that surface... “what if I fail?” “what if I don't get clients?”...

Bonus, bonus tip: Once you have your list of your primary challenges and the resources or people you'll need to move you and your business forward, take action... research those resources and contact those people... explore what's possible for you, so you can take your business to where you want it to be.

When you know where you are and what steps and actions you need to take (and of course take those steps), you'll find you'll quickly get better results.

A big part of what I do is I empower entrepreneurs to unearth their excellence as the leader of their business and take courageous action toward their goals. Because when you know deep within yourself that there's more you're meant to do and more you're meant to help your clients to achieve, you know the only option is to take action.

Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved

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 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 life. Find Lisa's FREE gifts and more at: http://www.lisahromada.com

Private Programs & VIP Intensive Days>>

Top 3 Things that Stop Women Entrepreneurs From Having Thriving Businesses

“I don't have enough time to accomplish everything.” “I'm often tired, yet I feel like there are things that I should be doing in my business.” “I want more clients, but I don't know how to go about getting them.” “I'm really just stuck and unsure what I need to focus on in my business to start getting results.” “I'm ready to do what it takes to take my business to the next level, but I'm afraid that I won't have time to enjoy the other things in life.”

Have you ever had these thoughts? Do you wonder how you can manage your time better, focus in and get clear on what you need to do to start seeing the results you want for your business?

I've certainly been there and sometimes still have these thoughts as I push myself farther with mentors and the women entrepreneurs who I mastermind with. As you push to new and exciting levels in your business, you will undoubtedly have times when you feel stuck, overwhelmed, and even doubt your ability to have the success that you desire. Yet, it does not have to be this way.

There are three primary desires that I hear all of the time from my clients and women entrepreneurs and solopreneurs who I meet:

1. They want to learn how to effectively market their business in a clear, focused, and results-oriented way
2. They want easy-to-implement methods to creating the next level of their business success, without getting overwhelmed
3. They want to learn how to manage their time so that they still have the time and energy to truly enjoy their life—family/friends, self-care, traveling, and so on

If you want a thriving practice that doesn't take all of your energy and time, you need to learn how to focus in on what's going to be most effective for your business success.

I've created systems to help my clients gain clarity and focus, so that they can effectively market their business, enjoy the ease of enrolling more clients, and make the kind of money that allows them to live their ideal lifestyle and have plenty of 'down time' to spend how ever they choose.

To help get you started, I have some special free gifts for you.

If you go to lisahromada.com you can download your FREE set of gifts from my Trailblazer Entrepreneur Success Kit; the set is actually 3 great gifts in one.

1. Free Report: “7 Must-Know Secrets to Getting More Done, Attaining Faster Results, and Having a Thriving Business.” In it, you'll learn proven strategies that you can implement right away.
   
2. 3-Part Video Series: “3 Simple Steps to Immediately Attract the Attention of Eager New Clients” where I coach you step-by-step through one of the exercises that I take my clients through, to peek the interest of clients and enroll them into their programs and services.
   
3. Free Subscription: “Brand Excellence” E-zine. Filled with tips, information, ideas, and helpful resources, to help you continue to grow your business.

That's $150 in GIFTS, PLUS extra bonuses when you sign up!

So, get ready for results because by understanding these secrets and implementing them, there's no way that you won't start seeing positive results in your business.

*Excellence,

Lisa Hromada

Personal Branding Strategist

"Learn How To Easily Get More Clients, Market Yourself Without The Overwhelm, Create a Thriving & Profitable Business... and Still Have the Time & Energy to Enjoy Your Life”

http://www.lisahromada.com

What's Your Time Worth? Make the Shift

Ok ladies, it's time to change up the way that we use our time in the New Year.

We all know that the most precious gift we have is time. Time gives us the ability to do what we want and need in our business (so we can make more money), have time to care for our health and wellness, spend more time with our friends, family and kids, and have more time to renew and reenergize ourselves.

What I learned this year is just how important time management is...in my life and my business. It's easy for entrepreneurs, especially women entrepreneurs, to lose focus because we're often doing so many things at once, right? We are constantly multi-tasking and trying to find ways to manage our time, so that we can accomplish everything on our list of things to do.

I want share a new way of looking at your time, so that not only you can focus better to get more done in a shorter amount of time, but also step into a new perspective of what your time is really worth because we often give our time away, don't we? 

I have found through my clients as well as from my own experiences that there are two primary reasons why: 1) our natural inclination is usually to take care of others first (especially for those who are also moms/guardians or even overly-generous entrepreneurs) 2) we easily under-value what our time is worth because we are so used to doing everything ourselves that it is hard to truly see the value of our time.

...so what does this mean? Well, it means that we get more easily overwhelmed and distracted and when this happens, we're not able to use our time in the best ways possible because we are thinking about all the other things that we feel that we need to be doing. Pretty confusing, trust me, I know.

So, here's what I want you to do right now and carry with you into the New Year:

1. Calculate what your time is worth. This is going to help you shift your thinking, help you set boundaries and understand how you (and others) use your time. Here's how to do it.
   
   1) Determine how much you want to make this year...it's a New Year and a new start for you, so think about what you WANT to make...think bigger...not just what you made last year. I'm going to give you an example: Let's say that you want to make $100k this year and have 2 weeks vacation per year (at least). This leaves 50 working weeks per year. So, divide 100k by 50 and you get $2,000 per week. Since you work 5 days a week, that is $400 a day. Let's say that you work 5 hours a day (now this is completely focused work...no distractions, so that you're actually getting things done); that's $80/hour that your focused time is worth. Now, this is a modest amount, but you see the point.
   
   2) Now think about how you're using your time. Is what you're doing worth using up your focused time? For example, after attending a networking event, are you typing in all of the contacts yourself of those who you met? Is that time worth $80/hour?
   
   
2. Set some boundaries and create a new plan for the new year. For each task on your to-do list, determine if you can automate the process, delegate the tasks, or if you should just delete the tasks or parts of the tasks all together. Set boundaries for yourself and determine those things that are really worth your time to do.

It will take some 'work' at first to shift the way you think about your time, set your boundaries (and stick to them), and determine how to free up more of the time you have, but doing so will help you to eliminate the overwhelm that you're feeling and empower you to step into and stay in your power as an entrepreneur, coach, mom, wife, friend, and the heart-centered passionate spirit  you are.

Author: Lisa Hromada is a Personal Branding Strategist and Graphic Designer who works with highly motivated women entrepreneurs/solo-preneurs who want to attract & enroll more clients, generate more revenue, and effectively market their business without overwhelm. Get your 3 free gifts at http://lisahromada.com/gifts.html

Want to use this article? Feel free to share it, but please be sure to include the "Author" box.

Are YOU a Trailblazer Entrepreneur?

There is an exciting development emerging in business – a new class of women, whose thought-leadership and creativity are guiding others to work with a fresh perspective – one that comes from a deeper part of who they are. These dynamic women entrepreneurs and solo-preneurs desire not only to understand what will enlighten and energize what they do, but will guide them to how to do it and bring their vision for their business to life.

Are YOU a Trailblazer Entrepreneur?

A Trailblazer Entrepreneur™ is one who blazes a trail for others by transforming their thinking and their business in ways that guide and inspire others to do the same.

Being a Trailblazer Entrepreneur™ is more than knowing business, having the right talents and skills, and being able to define what makes you exceptional; being a Trailblazer Entrepreneur™ is about unearthing the truest part of yourselfand bringing it into your business with the creative inspiration that shines through. It is about unearthing the deeper connection with the purpose of your work in ways that are more fulfilling and meaningful.

With the new mind shift that happens in the process of unearthing the Trailblazer Entrepreneur™ within, you begin to feel and experience a new kind of work—the work of excellence.

Excellence to me is working in authenticity, with a deeper understanding of yourself, others, and the purpose of the work that you do in your business. Heart-centered entrepreneurs often feel a pull when it comes to being successful and making the money that they want, while satisfying their true selves as spiritual beings.

The purpose for the work in the Trailblazer Entrepreneur™ Series is to consider a perspective on branding and creating an ideal business, however that business looks to you, and start seeing and feeling better results.

If you're ready to step it up a notch in your business, create an authentic brand that brings the ideal clients who you love working with, and learn how to write irresistible marketing messages, join me, Lisa Hromada, for the

Unearth Your Brand Excellence 

Business Transformation Program Starting Oct. 25

This program completes just a few weeks before the New Year; that means you can be prepared to make 2011 your best year yet.

Details and enrollment at:
http://tiny.cc/unearthmybrand

About Lisa: Lisa Hromada is Personal Branding and Online Brand Strategist who works with highly motivated women entrepreneurs and solo-preneurs who want to maximize what makes them exceptional and accelerate their business to gain more exposure, credibility, and visibility AND enjoy more free time. She uses both online and offline strategies to help you to take your resources, contacts and expertise farther. 

Start Blazing the Trail of Success TODAY by Marketing Your Brand Excellence!

P.S. Want to get some KEY tips ahead of time? Join me for my FREE Tele-class, 
"3 Simple Steps to Create High-Results Marketing Messages!"


Register at:

http://tiny.cc/trailblazerteleclass

4 Elements to Make the Most of Your Personal Brand

When I begin to work with organizations on developing or re-defining their corporate brand, I go through many of the same exercises as I do when I am working with entrepreneurs or solo-preneurs. The reason is because the process of branding, whether with organizations of individuals or just one individual, contains many of the same goals. What we want to achieve is essentially to define your unique story and share it with others. The similarities also come from the goals of understanding, defining, and expressing qualities, values, and distinctions that set them apart from others.

As an entrepreneur or solo-preneur, you need to have a strong core for your brand. Why? There are many reasons why a strong core is important, but most importantly, you need a clear way to define who you are and what the purpose is for your business in order to have others understand the benefits of working with or buying from you. If you are not clear on who you are as a business and the specific audience that you are trying to reach, it is nearly impossible for others—especially your ideal clients and professional network—to be clear about it.

Instead of a corporation consisting of a large group of people representing one or multiple product/service brands, your personal brand is about you as the prominent element of your business. You are the selling point of your business. You become the focal point of your professional brand and through that people begin to associate you, not a company logo or product, with quality. When you begin to create your personal brand, you must first define the unique characteristics and principal strengths that make you who you are.

Your personal brand comprises partly of:

1. Your previous experiences. This is all part of your story that sets you apart from others in your expertise. 
2. Brand description – how people describe you and how you describe yourself – personality and characteristics.
3. Main attributes that frame your personal and professional work. Consider making a list of attributes—characteristics, talents, qualities, or services—that you incorporate into your work. 
4. The way that you package yourself – dress, accessories, and environment. Your environment tells a lot about your brand. Think about the way that you dress, the business tools that you use, and how your office is decorated and ask yourself what these elements are expressing about you.

Taking the time to list out and analyze how you are expressing yourself, as a business owner—as a brand—is one of the best ways to see the inconsistencies that may exist in your brand. Once you realize these inconsistencies, you are able to make tweaks to your brand expression that will help you express your brand more clearly to potential clients as well as to your professional network (those who support you in your business success).

What do you think are the best ways to express your brand? Post your comments below.

About the Author: Lisa Hromada is Personal Branding and Online Brand Strategist who works with highly motivated women entrepreneurs and solo-preneurs who want to maximize what makes them exceptional and accelerate their business to gain more exposure, credibility, and visibility AND enjoy more free time. She uses both online and offline strategies to help you to take your resources, contacts and expertise farther. 

Start Blazing the Trail of Success TODAY by Marketing Your Brand Excellence!

Join me for my *FREE Teleclass, October 19th 


"3 Simple Steps to Create High-Results Marketing Messages" 


Register at: http://tiny.cc/trailblazerteleclass