If you are a small business owner, you ARE your company. So if you're considering developing your company's brand, you should really think about branding yourself.
A brand is an emotion that people feel when they are around you based on everything about you… your clothes, your attitude, your marketing materials, your products… everything. Hollywood celebrities and sports celebrities already have this idea mastered.
Peter Montoya's book The Brand Called You looks at the idea of building a brand out of YOURSELF in order to build your business. It can work for everyone from the smallest operator to someone like Bill Gates.
What I really like about this book is that it is so practical, and is filled with success stories and advice that can guide you through the process. The book is highly comprehensive, starting at the very beginning by identifying what is a brand and how a good brand can benefit you and taking you right through the concepts to talk about developing websites and marketing material, public relations, networking. There's also a section on defending your brand should you fall under excessive scrutiny.
What's too bad about this book is that the title may not immediately win you over so that you might pass right by it on the bookshelf on your way to another book that looks like it has more to do with branding your business.
This book is highly recommended.
