I just don’t have the time….

Did you know that the “perceived” lack of time is the number one reason I hear from my clients as the reason they can’t seem to write their book, put up a blog, post on an existing blog, or write articles that could assist them in building their brand?

Lack of time is the enemy. This perceived lack of time affects both entrepreneurs and employees who work in large companies.

For our purposes here, since I focus my work on authors and entrepreneurs, we’ll focus on remedies for the solo person.

I have no interest in branding large companies…

As a matter of fact, I believe part of the reason I lost my corporate job last year occurred when I began branding myself so strongly as an author, that my boss realized he was no longer my target market!

What a hoot!

I branded myself right out of my job! Well, that’s another story….

I believe “lack of time” is an excuse. Part of what I do for my clients is to work with them to organize and utilize their time so the important brand building activities are re-prioritized and given the attention they deserve.

I know from working with my coach, that it sometimes takes someone else to keep you in check, someone who you can be accountable to.

Working with a coach made all the difference in the world for me.

I was very guilty of starting things and not finishing them. Jumping from project to project, idea to idea, just like a butterfly on a warm spring day!

But let’s face it…some people get the job done. Books are published, successful brands are created, people succeed, and they get noticed!

You may see people like this around you.

There is no mysterious secret to this, they are just better at managing their time, and they are more committed to their outcomes.

And…they may have someone helping them.

That’s really all it is.

The most important thing to consider when creating a brand for yourself is that “you” are the most important product. The way you position yourself in the marketplace will determine how hard you have to work in the future to get the results you desire.  You want to work smart, not hard. You want to attract the right customers and clients that want what you have.

If you’re an entrepreneur, you want to be able to have the freedom to work when you want, and have the freedom to choose the clients you want to work with. If you’re a business owner, you need to realize that your brand and your business are connected. Neither one can truly succeed without the other. So, the success of your brand will depend on how true it comes to the real you and, how well you manage and communicate that image to the marketplace. Either way, you’ll need to know who you are, what you stand for, and what qualities make you unique.

A personal brand is exciting because it tells the world about you, your values, and your beliefs. When properly crafted, your brand will allow your customers to know, like, and trust you. This feeling will build into a relationship between you and your customer, giving them the confidence to expect the same quality experience with you every time.

Once you’re clear on your brand, you’ll have so many choices about the ways you can communicate that out to the world. The middlemen are gone. By embracing social media as the incredible tool that it is, you’ll be able to maintain and expand your brand and reach millions of people with a few keystrokes a day!