Brand Against the Machine: How to Build Your Brand, Cut Through the Marketing Noise, and Stand Out from the Competition

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Why Branding?

I'M NOT GOING TO LECTURE you on all of the reasons why you should focus on branding. After all, you've already bought the book, so you must know there's some benefit to be had. That is, unless you're reading this in the bookstore, in which case you should immediately run to the register and buy it. Owning this book will instantly make you 27 percent more awesome. You want to be more awesome, don't you?

The terms personal branding and branding have become buzzwords. A lot of people are missing the key benefits of building a strong brand. The number one asset in your business is your brand. It's not your database or your price. It's not your product or your location. It's you.

You are your biggest advantage.

What you do may not be unique, but you are. This is why putting your personality into your brand is so important. You're not in a niche or industry that is without competition. The only difference between you and your competition is your brand. Sure, your price may be lower, but how long will that last? Your product may have a benefit that your competition doesn't offer. How long will that last? At some point your competition will match you. The one element they cannot match is your brand. There are a lot of businesses that make shoes. There is only one Nike.

It's important you realize that you, not your product, create the value.

When my accountant does a good job I say, “Karl did an awesome job.” I don't say, “CPA Services (or whatever his business name is) ...