Your personal branding efforts may be paying off, but there is always room for improvement, especially in the ever-changing landscape provided by the Internet.

Facebook differs from many of the other social networking sites out there due to the focus on creating a community of your ‘real’ friends and connections, rather than online characters with obscure usernames and identities.

This focus on authenticity helped Facebook become the success it is today, but one feature was always lacking from the service: Unique and memorable URLs.

Facebook is one of modern personal branding specialist’s most valuable tools, but the generated URLs are neither easy to remember or distribute. On MySpace or Twitter users can choose their own username and URL, many people opted to use these tools as a result.
But now, the social networking giant invites users to create their own URLs, which makes finding your page much easier.

Setting Up Your Facebook Vanity URL

The optional vanity URL feature was made available on June 13, 2009. Now it’s up to you to make your profile or fan page easier to find and more memorable than a string of random characters.
Set up your Facebook username now to make your profile, fan page or group more user-friendly.

Facebook Vanity URL Guidelines:
• Username must be unique.
• Must be a minimum of five characters.
• URLs can only contain alpha-numeric (Romanised) characters and full-stops.
• Can’t be changed once set.

The Facebook Vanity URL is just one of the many ways you can assist your personal branding efforts.

I can’t believe the amount of companies that spend millions on advertising and then leave their customers at the mercy of untrained rookie employees!  Think I’m kidding?  Hardly.  I’ve seen the demise of national institutions that just didn’t get it… they don’t invest in effective training for customer-facing staff such as salespeople (who typically have a LOT of discretion as to how they perform their jobs).

“Can’t afford training” says management.

“Hah! You can’t afford not to!” says the voice of common sense.

This lack of investment in training reflects a “bend over dollars to pick up pennies mentality.”

If you work for such a company, you have three choices:

1. Leave this company immediately and find a better one!

2. Start your own business!

3. Stay with the company and develop your PERSONAL brand so it is congruent with the expectations customers have of your company. Actually, option number three applies no matter which option you choose…

As a professional salesperson, how can you deliver on the promise of your corporate brand?  The answer, while simple, is ignored by most.

A good way is to position yourself as an expert. Begin by narrowing your area of expertise.

How so?

Become an expert in a niche area relevant to your industry. Be the “go to person” when people have questions about your area of expertise.

Some ideas for you:

• Write for trade and online publications, e-mail newsletters and business journals.  Submit articles to online article sites (such as the one you are on right now)

• Register an appropriate domain name and write a blog.  If your company allows, add your blog URL  to your business card.  If not, print a card that profiles your expert status (with a title that uses the word “expert”).  Put your blog URL on this card

• Seek out radio station producers who put on business shows. They are constantly looking for material that is timely, relevant and helpful to their listeners

• Hone your public speaking and presentation skills by joining Toastmasters (locations in most cities).  Once you’re a poised and confident presenter, conduct complementary content-rich seminars at your local Chamber of Commerce and other associations

• On a regular basis, send your prospects and customers copies of your articles. It’s a great way to maintain “top-of-mind” awareness

All this effort will earn you referrals (the ultimate compliment in business). And since people put their reputation on the line when they recommend others, you need to be predictable and professional.

The Bottom Line? People buy from people they like and trust… nothing new.  The revelation is, if you out-prepare your competition by enhancing the power of your personal brand, you will be liked and trusted.

As always, only a few people will take action on this advice.
Why?
Because there’s a big difference between knowing what to do… and actually doing it.  I urge you to take action. And as you’re doing so, always ask yourself, “can I do better…and if so, how?”

In the world of commerce, competition is fierce. You need to be ambitious and hard working in order that you would be able to get yourself on top of the ladder.

You also need to have a strategy that helps you attract followers and clients. This is especially true when you are in business. In order for you to keep growing and going, you need to be experienced and talented, as well as have techniques up your sleeve that you can take out every time you need one.

It is a never-ending quest for challenges and survival. However, if you are able to pull through and generate leads to your business, you will be assured that you can have the best and the most of your market.

The key to getting your business known and be recognized is for you to have your own personal brand. This means having your own identity that your clients and prospects will associate with you even if your marketing campaign such as your print notepads for example has reached its end. In addition, when creating your personal brand, you can abide by these universal truths of branding:

1- You do not sell; you brand.

Consumers in particular are sick and tired of hard sells and sales speeches that they often turn a blind eye and a deaf ear when they see and hear anything to do with marketing. In fact, they have become wary of sales agents. Nevertheless, consumers do buy, even custom note pads, no matter that we are in recession.

The key then for your business to thrive is to help your buyers investigate, educate and purchase your product or service for themselves. It is as if you are guiding them to make the right decision on their own. The magic word here is ‘guide’. You do not bulldoze your way to your target clients. Instead, you help them find you because they will surely show up at your doorstep if they think that they discovered the solution to their problems.

2- Become visible.

It does not matter that you believe that your ability is what gets you your clients; reality states otherwise. It is a fact. Even if you are the best graphic designer in your field or even if you are the expert print notepads designer of the century, unless your target clients see you, they will probably give their requirements to your competition however incompetent he or she may be.

What the movie Field of Dreams has said, about building it and they will come? Well, it is a truth in itself. If you build your business that, you become so visible to your clients and prospects then you will surely have people coming to your door, calling your phone and visiting your website. You are just everywhere.

These are just some of the truths you will find when you create your own personal brand. Applying these truths to your own marketing campaign such as your print notepads can help you become a celebrity in your own field.

While much success can be found in the online business sector, be aware that there is also a ton of competition. No matter how rare or obscure you think your site may be, the odds are high that a rival business already exists. Personal branding is pivotal however in order to separate you from the competition. When done well, it can even establish you as one of the best in your field.

As an online business owner looking to brand your company, the first order of business should revolve around creating a sense of professionalism. Devising strong business plans can help distance your website from the competition while helping to successfully brand your company in the process. Everything from your website’s design, to your logo of choice, to the quality of the goods and services you provide, should project a strong sense of expertise and authority. Work diligently to uphold these facets as a commitment to excellence can help preserve a strong business core. If you wish to set yourself apart from the competition you need to assert yourself as the best in the bunch. Maintaining such a powerful image can put your company at the forefront of the public consciousness, further enabling your personal branding efforts.

If you are looking to establish an outstanding reputation for your online business, make certain you monitor your personal behavior in the process as well. For example, be sure that the type of behavior you may be exhibiting on your personal social networking page is the same kind of image you want linked with your company. Blurred lines between the two divisions can lead to negative branding results.

Sustain an open line of communication between your online business and its customers. Such actions can help consumers feel appreciated and valued. These types of feelings tend to lead to long-term business relationships forged between a company and its, subsequently, loyal customers. Personal branding can be successfully achieved once clients feel as though they have a better sense of what a company stands for and who it stands with. It can be trying and tedious work but the benefits are enormous.

Success for online businesses can be accomplished at various levels. One of the most rewarding forms of success however comes once you realize your business has achieved instant recognition. The knowledge that consumers can identify your company based on nothing more than an image, or rather personal branding, indicates that your business has definitely arrived.

But exactly what purpose does branding serve and why does it point towards success? For starters, personal branding has a lot to do with the power of suggestion. If your business is ingrained into the public’s collective consciousness (achieved through repetitive imagery, or personal branding) it stands to reason that your company is the one consumers will recall when contemplating your industry. As a result, they will equate your business as being a leader in its field. With such a status comes prestige, not to mention a high industry standing and the potential for an increase in profits.

One of the hardest things for new online business owners to understand is the idea that personal branding only comes about after an exorbitant amount of dedication and effort. You have to work hard and be diligent to keep your business highly visible. This is where repetition comes into play. Ensure that your logo of choice can be found in every area relating back to your business. For example, your trademark image should appear throughout each individual page on your website. It should also remain visible on every bit of advertising your business puts forth. Such a tactic aims to guarantee that potential consumers never forget your company exists.

While most businesses go the traditional route and develop a graphic logo as the means for branding their company, some decide instead to rely on the strength of an individual personality. In other words, a personal photo can be used in place of a business logo. This type of personal branding strategy can be highly successful as it tends to humanize most companies in the process. You must remember however to only choose a photo that has been professionally shot. Remember, it’s important that your business project an aura of professionalism at every level.

Not long after you enter the world of online business, you may discover an unsettling fact: there is a ton of competition out there. No matter how obscure you may think your service or product might be, you will most likely have a close competitor. The key is setting yourself apart from the field by mastering the art of personal branding. If you can successfully brand and define your business as a leader in its industry, you are more than likely to come out on top.

One of the most important things you can hope to establish for your online business is a sense of professionalism. Everything from the design of your website, to the services you provide, to the product you produce should project an aura of professionalism. The same holds true for whatever image or photo you decide will represent your business. If you are going to brand your company with one particular image it is important that it be of the highest quality. You should also ensure that it is something you would be proud to have associated with you personally or your business.

Remember that while you are allowed to have a personal life away from your online business, you still need to make sure that such behavior is becoming for a business owner. For instance, you should closely examine your behavior on social networking sites or online message boards. Be certain the image you are projecting in your private realm coincides with the image you would like associated with your business. It may be hard for your clients to differentiate between the two and could lead to a negative branding.

Finally, remember that personal branding is strengthened when you develop an open and honest line of communication between your online business and your clients. It is vital that you make yourself available to your customers. Stay connected via newsletters, blogs or posts on a forum. Address any questions or concerns your clients may have head on. Building long-term relationships with your clients can positively impact your personal branding efforts. Also make certain that you never promise more than you can provide. If your business fails to meet the needs of the consumer, you have just negatively branded your company.

No matter what industry or type of business you indulge in, whether they be multilevel affiliate programs or direct marketing campaigns, the most successful people in the field are always those who manage to develop a strong relationship with its customers and prospects through the promotion of their personal best. This has resulted in them now having a large number of fans who follow their every word and buys not only the products they put out, but the ideas they put out as well.

Personal branding is not a unique concept for artists or sports stars and the massive influx of the internet has only made it easier to get out and accomplish this task. There following paragraphs go through the key points for developing a personal brand using the internet to your advantage.

Register your domain name

Check if your name is still available as a domain name on the internet, and if not try and find ones with your middle name’s initials in there. If not, remember that we are trying to promote your image and not that of a company. Domains can be bought from many ICANN certified seller at extremely cheap prices, one of them being GoDaddy.com.

Create your home online

Now that you have the “Management” (Domain), you start building your online home, i.e. your website. Personally, I feel the ideal way for creating a brand online is by using a blog, where you can express your opinions and make your personality known in addition to being able to interact with your visitors.

Always use your name and real images.

It is imperative that you remember we need to create relationships with people, and you never know when or where you may find your next partner or affiliate star salesman. The best thing to do is to always try to keep any data or specifics you provide about yourselves real as it goes a long way in building trust.

For example on Facebook, would you ever add a friend who went by the name “Great Business Opportunity”? Remember, first impressions are extremely important and it is imperative that you make providing value to the market your primary goal.

Do not stop working on your brand.

It is sometimes thought that if you already have a blog which attracts many visitors every day and you are recognized as an expert in your field, that is all there is to do. However, this is only the beginning.

Personal Branding takes time and effort. Remember you are trying to promote yourself, not a company.

One of the greatest things your online business can ever hope to achieve is instant recognition based on nothing more than an image. When consumers can identify your company by viewing a logo or photo, then you know you have successfully conquered the realm of personal branding.

The status achieved through personal branding can be somewhat complex. Online business owners must understand that much of personal branding is about perception. For instance, personal branding may mean that consumers not only identify your company upon viewing an image, it can also mean that your business is the specific one that comes to mind when thinking of your industry. If that’s the case, that means the general public may begin to perceive your online business as the leader in its field, regardless of whether or not it is true. With such perceived greatness comes a high industry standing, which in turn can breed additional customers and revenue.

Repetition is key when trying to achieve a successful personal branding experience. As a result, you need to ensure that your image of choice can be found on every aspect of your website and on every piece of literature or advertising referring to your company. If consumers continue to see your business associated with a particular image it won’t be long before they link the two together. It is only then that personal branding is successfully achieved. It can be a trying and seemingly tedious job but it is definitely worthwhile. Keep in mind too that such acts of repetition allow your online business the opportunity to stay highly visible, an important factor in the competitive realm of online businesses.

Some online businesses may forfeit the chance to design a logo as the image by which they wish to be associated. Instead they decide on a personal photo as a means for branding. Although unconventional in some circles, it is an unwise move. Photographs featuring the face of an individual can humanize a vast company in ways that logos may never be capable.  Just remember to hire a seasoned professional to photograph your session, the same way you would utilize the services of an experienced graphic designer to compose a logo. As the symbol for your company, you need to ensure that the photo projects an aura of professionalism.

It would be much better if you had a personal brand, and then people would be looking for your name, not the name of a Web site or a product. Personal branding can give you credibility, too, which is important for online success. When you have an online business it can be hard to get that credibility and to get people to trust you, because you don’t meet people in person. They can’t shake your hand or talk to you about what you have to offer, but if you have a personal brand that speaks to integrity and honesty, more people will feel safe dealing with you. That’s a great thing for your online business. If the trust is not there, there is little point in trying to operate an online business, because people won’t come and buy from you.

Personal branding can get you past that and show people that there is a real person – a good person – behind the business and the products and services that are offered. In addition, you can take your personal brand with you as you expand your online business endeavors and start creating other Web sites. You can sell different products, provide new services, and your personal branding will help to ensure that customers know where they can find you and what they can expect when they’re dealing with you, no matter what they’re actually buying.

I mentioned that we live in complex times. We can no longer afford to take things for granted as people are far more aware of what we do than we may know. I ran a Google search on a term a while back and shockingly, it returned a number of results which were not positive for a popular soccer player. Sadly, the search was not even on him at all! The point is; people are talking and we may not be able to influence what they are saying after the discussion starts but then, we can do so before it starts.

One other example which readily comes to mind is the Chris Brown/Rihanna saga. It was unfortunate as the damage was done not just by the continued indiscretion of both parties in leaking damaging pictures to hurt each other but more by the endless commentaries. Again, these commentaries were not run by either party but by third parties. Any search done at the time and even now on either Rihanna or Brown was sure to unearth very damaging materials which have little or nothing to do with their musical careers. I have outlined some of the key challenges which personal brands face today.

Communication. There are so many means of communicating today that it has become even more challenging to influence people. A little incident can lead to a deluge of posts on a site about a person and if it isn’t positive, then the result will likely be horrible. Consistency. The extremely diverse nature of the society today certainly makes consistency difficult but it has to be done. You cannot afford to become a chameleon by changing your fundamental tenets all the time. Character. A strong personal brand has character and must continue to deliver on this across all media as at times of major tests, the issue which determines how you will ride it out is the character.