The first steps to becoming a successful artist or entrepreneur is realizing that you are a brand. Once you get past this, you have to figure out what you want your brand to say to the world.
Author and branding guru Julian Mitchell penned an article on Forbes.com entitled “How To Crack The Code Of Building Your Personal Brand”. This piece breaks personal branding down to two simple principles: (1) your body of work is your best marketing tool, and (2) the best way to brand yourself is to express yourself.
It’s a brilliant read for anyone that needs to begin constructing their business and/or personal brand.
Though some have no issue being outspoken about who they are and what they do, a surprisingly large group of highly skilled people struggle with building their personal brand. Largely, in part, to not understanding the fundamental differences between marketing and promoting.
Promoting is amplifying your brand to the public to generate popularity. Great promoters have mastered the ability to capture attention and drive everyone to the party. Regardless of how good or terrible the party was, if the world showed up – the promoter proved successful.
Marketing is solidifying your positioning within a marketplace. Instead of focusing on proving value and getting attention from the public, effective marketing earns praise and credibility from your respective industry.
