The Brand Called You: The Ultimate Personal Branding Handbook to Transform Anyone into an Indispensable Brand (Paperback)

~ Peter Montoya; Tim Vandehey (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you have a special message to share with the world the ideas behind Personal Branding are absolutely essential." -- Wyland, environmental artist, Wyland Worldwide

"Nothing cuts through the noise and clutter of today’s advertising like Personal Branding. It’s the supreme way to get noticed." -- Wally Amos, author of The Cookie Never Crumbles, Uncle Wallys Muffins, and Aunt Dellas Cookies

"Peter Montoya is becoming one of the great experts on Personal Branding. The Brand Called You is testimony to that!" -- Stedman Graham, businessman, author, educator

"Peter Montoya’s Personal Branding ideas are going to change how business owners and professionals promote themselves." -- Robert G. Allen and Mark Victor Hansen, co-authors, The One Minute Millionaire --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Peter Montoya is the recognized leader in Personal Branding and The Brand Called You is the definitive work on Personal Branding. Want to make money with less work? Create a Personal Brand that tells customers how you're different from your competition and build your relationships with them daily. The Brand Called You is the ultimate resource for building your Personal Brand, one that sells you, not your product or company. With action plans, insight and case studies, The Brand Called You is your guidebook to getting the best customers, growing your business, and making more money.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 278 pages
• Publisher: Peter Montoya Pub (June 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967450667
• ISBN-13: 978-0967450667
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #525,914 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Outdated and way too basic, April 11, 2005

By	Kim Skildum-Reid "Author, speaker, consultant" (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Brand Called You: The Ultimate Brand-Building and Business Development Handbook to Transform Anyone into an Indispensable Personal Brand (Paperback)

As a professional consultant, I thought I was the target market for this book. I mean, it does call itself "the ultimate", doesn't it?

Well... I was beyond disappointed. If you have ever marketed yourself or your business, if you have ever read a business book in your life, if you have even just managed to stay in business for more than a year, this book is far too basic for you.

According to the authors, the crux of personal marketing seems to be creating "personal postcards" and sending them to people anytime you can figure out an excuse to do it. There are a few other ideas that they beat to death, as well. While these ideas may be a good idea for some, there is just so much more that.

The book looks good, but the reality is that there are too few ideas, the ideas covered are outdated, and I thought the whole tone was pitched really low and patronising. It was a waste of money, but more than that, a total waste of time.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended guide to personal branding, April 13, 2003

By	Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Brand Called You: The Ultimate Brand-Building and Business Development Handbook to Transform Anyone into an Indispensable Personal Brand (Paperback)

"The Brand Called You" has one of the longest subtitles that I have ever seen on a book, but it is an accurate synopsis - "The Ultimate Brand-Building and Business Development Handbook to Transform Anyone into an Indispensable Personal Brand". If you ever wanted to know about personal branding this book will give you a thorough understanding of what it is and what it is not. "Branding" is pretty much a buzz word in the marketing arena but rarely have I encountered anyone who truly understands it as well as Peter Montoya. In this book he examines a specific type of branding - personal branding. The coverage is absolutely the most exhaustive that I have seen anywhere. He starts with the basics of defining personal branding and continues through building an appropriate brand, strategies for personalized branding, power tools for developing a personal brand, and a plan for establishing your personal brand in twelve months. If you want your business to be the next Eddie Bauer, Charles Schwab, or Ben and Jerry's this book is an indispensable guide to get you there. It is a highly recommended purchase for anyone seeking to establish name recognition as a personal brand and the best guide I've seen on the market today.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Consistency Is Key, August 19, 2005

By	Ed Barks "Author of The Truth About Public Sp... (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Brand Called You: The Ultimate Brand-Building and Business Development Handbook to Transform Anyone into an Indispensable Personal Brand (Paperback)

The biggest takeaway from Montoya's book is the need for consistency.

The fact is some experts lose track of the need for a steady hand on the wheel, thereby blurring their "brand" (ugh, that word is far too overused and meaningless; but that's a debate for another day). Whether they are authors, trainers, lecturers, or entrepreneurs (or a combination of each), all signs must point to a consistent image that the expert consciously tries to cultivate.

Some of Montoya's techniques are a bit simplistic and oversold. It is important to remember that readers have the ability to take what works for them and discard the rest. If I get one or two "wow" ideas from a book these days, I consider it a worthwhile read. Montoya's emphasis on consistency was a pertinent "wow" reminder.