by Lou Belcher

Created on: February 15, 2009

Is branding yourself worth the effort?

If branding yourself is not worth the effort, it's probably time to re-think whether you want to start a business. Branding your business and branding yourself are essential. You are not selling a product or a service. Instead, you are selling yourself in all instances. If you are the creator of the business, then every bit of the business is a reflection of you. Therefore, when you brand the business, you are branding yourself.

Businesses with strong brands are not known only for the product. Instead, they are know for the tenets of the business. Your business is strong because it means customer service. Your business is strong because it means integrity. Your business is strong because it means quality. And why is your business branded with all these positive qualities? It is branded with all these positive qualities because you are the architect of how the business is set up and how the business is run as well as the quality of the product. Therefore, branding the business and branding yourself are inseparable.

To ensure you brand yourself and the business with the best outcome think in terms of quality rather than cleverness. The brand of your business must be based on your core values and how you want your business to make its mark in the business world as much as how you want to make your mark in the world. To do so:

1. Determine your dedication to your business and your product. Is it something you believe in? Is it something you can get behind without having to qualifying your statements about it? If so, you have something that will brand easily and will make you proud to be identified with it.

2. Determine how the presentation of the business will best reflect your core values. If you stand for trust, truth, and service on a personal level; people will look for this in your company and expect it from a company you start. Therefore, it's important for your brand to reflect this. Bring the ideas for branding the company up to the level of your core values instead of lowering your core values to accommodate a clever branding idea.

3. Maintain consistency in your brand and in your business. Switching mottoes, logos, and ways of operating frequently causes your brand to become diluted. Grab onto a firm idea that reflects your basic interests and values and stick with it and enjoy having your brand reflect your leadership in the business.

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