Technology & Personal Branding

For those of you out there who own a business or are just looking to creating a name for yourself, you probably know by now there are very few more effective ways to do it these days than via the INTERNET. The web is no doubt a presence that has changed the way people communicate and do business forever. But what does this mean for YOU?

It could mean A LOT - if you use it properly. There are millions of dollars being made every single month over the internet. These people are not necessarily any more intelligent, educated, motivated, etc. than YOU are, they are just more resourceful and have a stronger personal brand.

One great way to brand yourself is via social networking websites such as Facebook or Twitter. When you've got a strong image, people will know what to expect when they visit your page, get a certain "vibe" from it, and you will better be able to attract the proper friends or customers towards you or your business. The right pictures, quotes, status updates, links, etc., can make a world of difference in driving traffic to YOU.

This is very important and there are multiple facets to it. Firstly, what are you trying to portray to the world? I'm not talking about who you are, where you came from, what your education is, how much money you have...I'm talking about what do you WANT people to see you as? The internet can literally make or break you. People have been made famous overnight thanks to YouTube - memorable, unique people with strong personal brands. If you want to attract potential business partners, don't have a profile picture taken with a disposable camera of you chugging a beer...duh. Grab a digital camera (or borrow from a friend...if you can't do that, borrow some new friends...), and put a nice collared shirt on or a suit, and get some creative pics on your profile. Your facebook page is your first impression to the world, you WILL be judged and perceived according to what you put on it. Sorry to be blunt, but it's just the way it is. And STOP with the negative statuses! If you are looking to attract positive, successful people to your life, they don't want to be bothered by people who are constantly complaining about menial things that happen in their life...everyone has problems, never let'em see you sweat.

Positive, inspiring quotes, being entertaining (hell, copy/paste from your favorite comedian if you're not funny) will keep people coming back to your page to see what you've got to say next. If you're negative and complain, well...they won't.

Another awesome way to brand yourself is via a small (or big) personal web page that defines YOU. This can be had for cheap, if not FREE. My personal favorite site to use is HostGator.com (where I host LimitlessLifestyle.com, you can register for hosting here: http://secure.hostgator.com/~affiliat/cgi-bin/affiliates/clickthru.cgi?id=Hollywood1985) Hosting your page costs nearly nothing (hosting starts at $4.95 per month to keep it live online), they are professional & efficient, and it gives you a BIG web presence with SMALL effort and cost. Remember, you can be anyone you want on the internet, and your personal brand is going to be the end result of what you put out there on the web. The choice is yours.