Poor Richard's Branding Yourself Online (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Bob Baker presents the tools that can turn individual entrepreneurs into savvy marketers and online business success stories. -- Jeff Zbar, 2001 SBA Small Business Journalist of the Year

I can’t think of any two or three books combined that give you as much detailed information on the subject. -- Nick Usborne, columnist, speaker, and e-commerce consultant

Like every other Top Floor Poor Richard’s book I’ve seen (speaking of building a brand)-—is thorough yet accessible, and filled with commonsense advice. -- Shel Horowitz, author of Grassroots Marketing

You expect a book published through Top Floor to be informative, thoroughly researched, and well written. You are not disappointed. -- Gary Clark, Content Writer, Web Presence Provider

Product Description

When promoting on the Internet, a personal approach is ideal. Although glitzy advertising may still work in the offline world, when people go online, they don’t connect with logos, theme songs, or mission statements. They connect with people. And when lots of people know who you are and what you stand for, you are in an incredible position to better your life and profit from your notoriety. That’s the essence of the brand called YOU.

This book gives you the essential tips and tools to effectively create a brand name for yourself and use the Internet to tell the world about it. You’ll discover: *What personal branding is, why you need it, and how to use it to further your goals *The best ways to determine the perfect brand image and the methods for hammering home that image so it makes the most impact in the least amount of time *Effective online and offline strategies for branding your image and identity onto the computer screens and into the consciousness of the masses

You may be asking, “Why do I need to brand myself online? How does it benefit me?” The answer is that branding allows you to take control of your online identity and influence the impression that people have of you, which helps you accomplish the following objectives: *Establish yourself as an expert in your field *Connect with like-minded people on a large scale *Focus your energies on feeding your life’s purpose *Build a solid reputation within your industry *Become self-employed doing something you enjoy (or gain credibility and be in a better position to land the job you really want) *Increase your notoriety and improve your perceived value in the marketplace *Develop your circle of influence within a business niche *Earn praise and recognition from a growing number of people who embrace your message *Become a celebrity in your chosen field

If you’re an artist, branding helps you connect your name with your technique and attract more (and more paying) fans. If you’re a Web designer, branding allows you to mix your attitude and distinct perspective with your technical skills so more people hire you. If you’re a writer, branding paves the way to reaching a loyal readership without having to kiss the, err…feet of a major publisher.

Poor Richard’s Branding Yourself Online not only explains why you will benefit from establishing a personal brand; it also explains how you determine your brand identity. Here are a few questions to ask yourself: What are your personal strengths and weaknesses? What are you passionate about? What are you knowledgeable about? What solutions do you provide?

Once you have learned how to effectively position yourself, define your focus, and develop a “fan-club mentality,” the author delves into ways of promoting the brand you. You’ll find out how to: *Maximize e-mail for brand delivery—there’s more to it than just creating a signature file *Design your Web site for brand impact, includes tips on content, design, and interactivity *Exploit the e-zines and Web sites of others *Publish e-books and e-mail newsletters to distribute your message *Brand by networking in mailing lists, discussion forums, message boards, and other online avenues

Throughout the book are examples of people who have successfully branded themselves. Appendix A, “Online Success Stories,” offers a Q&A with some of the most well-known personalities on the Internet. These examples provide insight and inspiration, and illustrate the following: *They build trust by conducting themselves honestly and with integrity. *They are clear about who they are and what they offer; they have a consistent theme. *They use repetition to maintain visibility and create familiarity. *They are available—it is easy to contact them and they respond within a reasonable amount of time. *They touch people by inspiring them, revealing personal experiences, taking a stand on an issue, etc. *They teach people with free articles, resources, and information on their Web site. *They exploit third-party endorsements and awards.

In advertising terms, branding is the image created in the minds of people when they see or hear a name, product, or logo. With all of the competition on the Internet, companies realize the critical importance of corporate branding. They understand that people are more likely to buy from a company they know or recognize. The same holds true for individuals.

The Internet provides an excellent, cost-effective tool to gain recognition, whether you want to become a celebrity or expert in your field, or simply hope to promote a business, idea, or cause.

If you’re looking for a book on corporate branding, look elsewhere. If you seek low-cost, high-impact tactics to establish a rock-solid identity for yourself online, this is the resource you need.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Independent Publishers Group; illustrated edition edition (June 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930082142
• ISBN-13: 978-1930082144
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,438,514 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vital reading for success online, August 15, 2003

By	Aisling D'Art "artist and author" (Portsmouth, NH USA) - See all my reviews

The Internet offers a lot of "get rich quick" schemes, and advice based on 20th-century advertising techniques. However, what worked in the past century and before the Internet, is not working now. From "Cluetrain" to "Gonzo Marketing," there's ample proof of that.

But, if you're self-employed and/or building your online identity... how do you start? And, if you've been online for awhile but you're somehow missing the boat--or at least your audience--what do you do without a corporate advertising budget and webmaster/advisors to help you?

The answer is simple: You get this book. And read it. I've read Chapter Two at least ten times, and I'm still making notes about what I'm changing on my own website (online since 1995, and boy-oh-boy have I made mistakes! *sigh*).

Baker's books are not for wimps. And, they're not the sitcom version of business, where you spend a few days creating a by-the-numbers clone of others' websites, and then sit back expecting income to flood in like clockwork.

Instead of being a book that you read, say, "Oh, that made some good points," and then put on a shelf to collect dust, this is a book that you'll read, re-read, and keep close to hand. Baker's book is information-packed. There is no way that you'll learn it all in one reading, or even two.

This is easily in the top five books that everyone who is (or wants to be) in business online MUST own. Sure, you can read the sample chapters at Baker's website, or take this book out of the library, but it contains too much important advice for that. And, you'll refer to it often, as well.

Buy this book. Roll up your sleeves and do what he says. It's how to succeed on- and offline, in the 21st century. It's not your parents' business era anymore. Learn the new rules in this book, and give yourself a genuine chance for success.

Baker's information would be cheap at ten times the price; it's already helped me to increase the daily hits at one of my websites from 500/day to over 800/day. And, I'm still on Chapter Three!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, August 18, 2001

By	"susan1962" - See all my reviews

This is a great book for those of you who want to make a name for yourself on-line. Bob has an abundance of ideas to get you started and to keep you going as you explore the ways to market yourself online. Bob has a very witty and humorous way to keep you interested in what he has to say. I think Mr. Baker is on the cutting edge of where the future of online marketing is headed. I highly recommend this book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on branding online, January 17, 2002

By A Customer

I haven't made it past chapter 3 and I have already read a wealth of helpful information on branding your business name and branding tools. The author provides a detailed, step-by-step guide to branding and marketing techniques one can use both online and offline. This book is a must read for first-time start-ups and entreprenuers.