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Gevril and Haurex Italia dinner during Baselworld in March 2011 with Larry Brauner standing in the background.
Baselworld 2012 is right around the corner!
Jul
8
My Personal Branding Strategy
Filed Under Best of 2008, Blogging, Career Choices, Networking and Marketing Strategy
I cannot be everything to everybody.
I know I can’t.
I realized that a long time ago. I’ve learned to choose who I want to be to the people who matter most to me.
Business Analysis Example
I’m a business analyst. There are lots of business analysts in the world, but how many of them specialize in marketing and customer analysis like I do? Very few indeed.
And how many rely as heavily on intuition and instinct as I do? Even fewer.
Looking for somebody to do your P&L analyses? Not me. Go talk to a finance type. There are tons of them with MBA degrees waiting to hear from you.
Want to assess a takeover target? Again, not me. Go find somebody who’s into merger and acquisitions to help.
Need to track your marketing or determine how much your customers are worth? Now that is me. Give me a call, and I’ll talk your head off for hours about customer acquisition and customer retention, because that’s definitely my thing.
Network Marketing Example
I admit it. I’m also a network marketer.
I have lots of expertise in online social networking at social networking sites, blog marketing and search engine optimization. I was networking online way before it was cool, and I’m continuously sharpening my blogging and SEO skills.
Do I know the three foot rule? Of course I do, but so does everybody else in the network marketing business.
Can I make a list of family, friends and acquaintances? You bet I can — I’ve done it more than once — but is there one successful networker who can’t?
On the other hand, how many network marketers are Internet savvy? How many of them prospect and network online and enjoy it as I do?
Breaking Away from the Pack
I like to learn from teachers such as Diane Hochman and Mike Dillard, because they too have broken away from the pack. As Diane often says, “When people are zigging, you have to zag.” She’s a lady I want to get to know much better. That’s a big reason why I joined My Private Classroom.
By the way, if you would like to develop strong social networking, social marketing and personal branding skills, read My Private Classroom Opens to Public.
Blogging Example
A reader recently complained that my articles were neither timely nor did they provide information she couldn’t have found elsewhere online.
I basically told her that intelligent and thought-provoking were more important to me than timely. Here too I’ve chosen a focus that works for me.
My Personal Brand Management Approach
The point of this post is that I’ve narrowed my focus, so that I could escape the crowds and stand out more readily. I’ve defined my market, so that I can dominate it.
I prefer to be a leader in my carefully selected fields rather than an also-ran in larger more broadly defined competitive categories.
Avis might have been #2 in the car rental industry, but when they said, “we try harder”, they re-positioned themselves as #1 in car rental customer service.
Redefine Your Market
Do you sell mortgages? Travel? Nutritional products?
Here’s some food for thought. How can you position yourself so that people will see you and think of you as a leader in your market and remember you when they are ready to buy?
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my RSS feed or by e-mail. Also, visit my About, Services, Media Buzz and Connect pages to learn about me and my social media and web marketing services.
Tags: Blogging, branding, Business Networking, focus, Marketing, My Private Classroom, online social networking, prospecting, SEO
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I would welcome your comments on my blog. I’ve RSS fed a lot of my other content here and it automatically updates when anyone posts. Please give me some feedback and let me know if there’s anything I should do to change it or make it better for readers.
Thanks,
Rebecca Beasley
http://becky-beasley.com
Awesome post…as usual…
And great new look! I love it. It fits your business personality, too - streamlined, well organized, and traditional…but with a big smile to break the monotony
Congratulations on the success of this highly relevant and informative blog.
Hi Larry!
Narrowing focus is always best, and I like the fact that you changed your blog [theme].
Much nicer!
It’s not only narrowing focus. It’s choosing a focus where you can stand out.
As far as my blog’s theme is concerned, I’m not totally satisfied with this one, but it will do for now.
I am thoroughly enjoying getting to know you Sir.
I have such a relief since I defined my ideal Business Partner. And ya know what’s a hoot people are showing up who are other than what I defined, or at least thought. But those people are holding the essence of what I am looking for.
It’s a delightful journey, taking my business to what I thought was a much more grown-up level, grown up - read restricted - and discovering along the way that I get to make up exactly what I want it to be. And how do I do that?
Not fantasize.
Focus.
Focus on Who You Are. And why you are doing this. And how can you serve.
I am looking forward to getting to know you Sir.
Be well and remember…
Who You Are Makes A Difference!
Maran
Thank you Maran for sharing your thoughts and for your very kind words.
Good post Larry..
I agree that you can’t be everything to everybody..
But you “can” be everything to “somebody”.
In an industry that is over-run with hype, manipulation, systems, and poor leadership..
I applaud your efforts to stand out and “to be a leader in my (your) carefully selected fields rather than an also-ran”.
Rock On
John
Thank you John. I appreciate your visit.
Larry
Hi Larry,
I want to thank you for your wisdom and for introducing me to MPC as it has given me hope that I can succeed in social networking with building my network marketing business.
It fits me - I dearly want to give up chasing people who don’t want to be in my team. Equally, I want people to come to me and join willingly. I want to be wanted.
I also want these special people to discover the awesome friends, products, business that I have found.
Thanks for the wisdom you share,
Greg
Thank you Greg.
My Private Classroom is a pretty awesome place. We’re glad to have you there.
Larry
You said it well. I’m no pro in marketing or social networking. I do know my company and its products and my aim is to listen to what people are truly looking for.
My ace is that I can offer them free training on the Internet through My Private Classroom and also training on my company and its products. So I guess my “free line” is My Private Classroom.
Hi Larry!
Thanks for a great post. I always look forward to what you have to say. As you said, it’s always intellegnet and thought provoking. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Deb
Larry,
Another great post. I appreciate your decision to be thought provoking.
Greetings Larry,
Once again you have brought light into a dark space.
Internet marketing is so impersonal; I love the way you and your friends teach being honest and human, that means a great deal, also where I teach about relaxation and calm, the human emotions seemed a bit out of place on the Internet.
I have found learning from you, I can use the social tools available to reach so many more people.
Thank you for your interest in us newbies
Thank you Ellen for your kind words.