How To Market When The Product Is You.

anonymousadguy · 10-28-2008, 01:54 PM

A huge percentage of entrepreneurial ventures out there are one-man operations. From consultants to caterers, from freelance designers to personal trainers. Up to 25 million, according to the Census Bureau. And the one question that I hear time and again from these folks is, how do I create a brand around me?

I've got an article up on this right now at Anonymous Ad Guy, including guidelines for turning yourself into a viable, marketable brand. But I'd love to hear from this community. What do think it takes to make a person into a great brand?

smsmamster · 10-28-2008, 07:14 PM

To me I think it's all Name recognition. The service or products you supply and their quality will be associated with your name. If you are an amazing web design guy, then you should have tons of testimonials. If you don't then do a bunch of work for free or really cheap. Offer amazing offers to get people to try you out. Once they see how good you are then they will be back for more. Ask them for testimonials and put them on your website. weave them through out your copy. The more quality work you do the more name recognition you will get and that is essentially branding yourself.

Cheers!
Robert

anonymousadguy · 10-28-2008, 08:47 PM

Good stuff, Robert. And I got to thinking earlier about some of the great examples out there-- people who are their own brands. In the article, we talk about Donald Trump. Love him or hate him, the Trump brand has done him well.

But there are plenty of others. Martha Stewart. Wolfgang Puck. Richard Simmons (I know, I know). These folks all started out just like you and I. Anyone who is trying to create a marketable brand of themselves might do well to look out how they did it. Are there other great examples for us to look at?

Anonymous Ad Guy

discountedclothing · 10-29-2008, 04:23 AM

Testimonials and portfolio is the best to market your product (yourself). Or better create a personal website that describes your services you are offering.

DennisChang · 10-29-2008, 08:27 AM

Its the same as trying to brand a product. You need to think of its "positioning". How do you position yourself (the product)? What are the selling points that you want people to associate with you? How do you differentiate yourself from other people? These are the basic questions you need to think about. The actual methods of promoting yourself are secondary.

Remember, brand building is a long term investment that takes a lot of time and effort. It's not just creating awareness, it's creating an identity.

AOCenteno · 10-30-2008, 10:01 AM

I would be careful about creating a brand about you. You really corner yourself into being the go to guy, and if successful you may find yourself working 100 hours a week for customers who want to deal with only you.

Joes Plumber Service - if I call these guys, I want to speak with Joe. I want Joe to fix my pipes. Everything is about Joe. What happens when Joe gets a DUI and all the sudden he has a black eye on the internet?

AAA Plumbing Service - no special association with an individual. As far as I know, you have 5 to 500 employees. Also, a business like this is easier to sell as that their is no key man or goodwill associated with the owner.

Just one opinion!

anonymousadguy · 10-30-2008, 11:41 AM

Antonio makes a smart argument. There are certainly times when both you and your customers might derive more value out of not self-branding. At the same time, you'll be wise to choose something that's unique and ownable, and not create false expectations that could ultimately disappoint your customers. The solution might well be your name, or any other identity you create. Just make sure there's something real and tangible standing behind it.

Good discussion!

Anonymous Ad Guy