Light A Flame Under Your Leader Brand!

As the head of your company are you exhibiting the traits of a leader? You will command more respect if you position yourself as a definitive decision maker. Wishy washy gets you no points in the decision arena. Your employees are looking for you to lead. Even when your decisions are tough ones, stake holders appreciate the difficulty in your choices.


A company leader who actively builds their brand based on a powerful strategy will inevitably attract valuable talent to their firm. If you wonder at times why the competition consistently attracts top talent it is because their brand attracts them like mosquitos to a flame. It is within your grasp to extinguish their flame while sparking renewed life in your own. What will it take to become an inspiration to your stakeholders and admired by those who would wish to be a part of your team?

A strong brand leader can accomplish all this and MORE.

Opt-in Email - The Perfect Crop!

Now that you have your lure in place, ie: an eBook, or video, white paper - something of value to your audience, you are ready to make it available for FREE. If you are using an email service such as iContact or Constant Contact, you can get the sign-up code to paste into your html page. Now on your landing page, you would promote this lure or (email harvester). You would have a text link or button leading to the sign-up page. Once submit is selected, their email goes into your database and they are delivered the FREE document. As time goes on and your list grows; you will see your private marketplace expand. It is your job to go out onto the web and spread the word of the availability of your free information. Not only do you benefit from a growing list, but it compliments your expert profile.

The fact that audiences are a diverse group, it would be recommended that you have multiple email harvesters all emptying into the same database. You could segment them to track which product interested them.

Share Your Expertise And Build Leads.

The hardest realization for any small business person is to come to grips with the fact that they are experts in a given area. It's not that they don' t think that they are knowledgeable in the category; it is just that they are modest about their achievements. They have been instructed since they were very young, not to brag. Now here is the Branding Expert telling them to do the opposite. If it is of any consolation, I am asking you to deliver your knowledge in a digital format that provides expertise your target audience can use to make their lives better. Determine what information would be very valuable to your audience and deliver it as a PDF file.

When you design the look of your eBook, make the cover very interesting. It is no different from a book on the shelves of a brick and mortar bookstore. Your cover has to be compelling to the reader. On the inside be sure to use your brand logo on every page. Reinforce your brand image consistently through out the entire eBook. Make any web links in your eBook live. You want it to be very easy for the reader to connect with you once they've had a chance to read it.

Once your eBook is written and turned into an interactive PDF file, its time to leverage its value as an enticement to register with you. Readers who sign-up at your website to get your free eBook, are providing you with an opt-in point of connection. Think of this growing list as your own personal marketplace. Use it with respect, but to be sure - use it!

Next ... How does an Email harvester work?

Are The Two Faces Of Your Brand Teasing You?

During the course of a consulting call this week, we discussed whether the face of the brand should be the individual or the company? It depends on what your overall goals are. If you are looking to build your expert profile and then develop that profile into a product, then it would be wise that you be the face of your brand.

There was some concern that the company could not grow past the personality. I didn't think that would be a problem, so long as the ongoing plan was to one day melt the personality brand with the corporate brand. At some point the name BECOMES the company, it no longer represents you as a personality. Toyota, Mrs. Smith and Betty Crocker are good examples of this. If you become a product or the brand icon then it is easier to remove you someday.

Take my own situation: A few years ago I left a business partnership of 25 years to re-invent myself as The Branding Experts. Now years later, I wish I had branded myself Ed Roach-The Branding Expert. I promote myself as a product. It is my intension to move in this direction over the next several years as I build my brand further. What is great about branding is that you can evolve. In my case it is taking place as a natural extension from my existing brand. Through my expert profile - The Branding Experts IS Ed Roach and vice-versa.

My consulting client chose to also promote herself as a product ultimately morphing into the brand icon as her expert profile builds and strengthens. Keeping this goal in mind will influence every marketing and brand decision as we move forward.

Branding Relevance to Recuiters and Graduates

I had a terrific article sent to me from a Colleague entitled: "Recession Can Be A Gift Horse To Recruiters/Graduates" by Prof. Daniel Muzyka. The article outlines why companies should be showing more respect towards students because of their value to you further down the road.

I was struck by it because I actively engage students as a part of my marketing efforts. I see them as potential future customers. I want my brand top of mind with them. They get the opportunity to pick my brain today and benefit from my experience.