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Soci@l Ebook Addresses "Your Brand" Create It & Protect It

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Education & Training with Glasswork Media Arts

Soci@l Ebook Addresses "Your Brand" Create It & Protect It

My favorite chapter in the Ebook Soci@l: written by Ben Kinney with Jay Papasan is definitely the chapter on Branding. As many of my fellow Activerainer know, I have been focusing on my brand. In the beginning of this project I wasn't sure where to start, it took quite a bit of reading and trying to understand what it was I was trying to accomplish. I got myself a good start, and along came Soci@l and it gave me everything I needed to hyper focus and come with a plan. It has had a very positive effect on my business.

The chapter begins with a great quote from Bob Kinney's dad which gets right to the heart of the Branding matter. "Son, when everything is stripped away, you really only have one thing left - your good name". This quote should be the corner stone of your Branding plan, use as the foundation from which to build a successful Brand - YOU. Alot of the work that is necessary to create an effective Brand takes place in the inception phase. the image you create needs to be unique not only to you but to your geographical location. For example the Realtor in NYC is going for whole different image than the one in laid back Maui, Hi. Gary Vaynerchuk author of Crush It tells us that when we are creating our Brand we need to be true to ourselves, "when you are creating your Brand, be authentic, your authenticity will help you to differentiate yourself".

Great advice considering that your Brand will be way out in front of you as far as the public is concerned. All contact with you by prospective clients will be through your branding, images, websites, videos, texts, blogs, everything you put out there speaks directly to your Brand. Regardless of the of all the Internet exposure these days, the majority of clients still choose to business with you because they like or can relate to you. Keeping that in mind will help putting some perspective into your branding plan.

There is quite a bit of Internet help on how to get started. LogoTournament is a great place to get help with creating your Brand logo. $250 will get you 50 to over 200 design entries by artists from all the country. It is a great way to get your logo design off to a great start.

Keep in mind that potential clients will be searching for you through the Internet, what comes up onto their computer screen will say a lot about who you are, and whether they want to do business with you. The objective is have your professional real estate sites coming up in the first places on the page. Keep track of what comes up, take the time to Google your name and see what your prospective clients are seeing. Know it and protect it...

As Ben Kinney states in the chapter the two most important concepts that you need to understand are "first, what is created and shared online affect your image and your Brand. Secondly, if you don't monitor your Brand online, it may be negativly affected".

This chapter will be a reference for me as it has so much more information and insight then shared in this writting. The important thing is that you GET STARTED !!

Soci@l the E book

This blog post is a review of Soci@l: Attract Friends, Followers and Connections to Your Business. Soci@l is a free download written by Ben Kinney in conjunction with ActiveRain and Jay Papasan. In exchange for downloading the free copy of Soci@l and writing this review, I have a chance to win a free iPad and I'm getting 2000 ActiveRain points.

Download a free copy of Social here and find out how you can have a chance to win an iPad and be guaranteed 2000 ActiveRain points.

Patrick White
Home Driven Realty, Inc - Baldwin, NY
Driven to bring New Yorkers home

Good Mornin Gerry,

Thanks for the post. I am currently reading the book. A lot of great material. Have a great day.

Jun 21, 2010 01:44 AM
Pat O'Reilly
RE/MAX..214-289-6176 Irving and all of Dallas Fort Worth - Irving, TX

Gerry...thanks for sharing..I am in the process of reading this book also...

Jun 21, 2010 01:50 AM
Kathryn Maguire
GreatNorfolkHomes.com (757) 560-0881 - Chesapeake, VA
Serving Chesapeake, Norfolk, VA Beach

Hey there Gerry, I had not heard of LogoTournament. I am definitely going to check that one out!

Jun 21, 2010 01:58 AM
"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.
President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

Gerry...

Great entry. This is one of my favorite topics. Branding is everything and name recognition is everything. One doesn't work without the other. This proves my point that branding is not just for cows :)

As you probably know I'm one to pick and choose my battles. Many of them don't need me and will resolve themselves. However, when someone zones in on my branding or my good name, they're screwed :)

TLW...ROAR!

Jun 21, 2010 02:04 AM
Gerry Michaels
Glasswork Media Arts - Gettysburg, PA
GettysburgGerry Social Meida

Patrick, Pat...great read, tons of information

Kathryn...you will find logotournement a really cool site, fun to check it out

TLW...never get between a mother and her brand...

Jun 21, 2010 02:28 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

Gerry, like Raincamp, there's a lot in the book, and the branding requirements are right on, especially when we consider we are who we are and project and it's impossible to fool everybody. Well written.

Jun 21, 2010 03:31 AM
Glenn Roberts
Retired - Seattle, WA

Gerry, I thought that Soci@l had enough good information that it will take weeks to absorb and put to use. I read it last week and will reread it again to help with implementation.

Jun 21, 2010 03:55 AM
Marilyn Boudreaux
Marilyn Boudreaux, Century 21 Bono Realty - Lake Charles, LA
Lake Charles LA Century 21 Realtor

Gerry good stuff!  I recently sat in a webinar Kendra Todd held and it was all about Branding.  The thing I have learned from social media is we can't see those buyers in person, so we must come across as transparent in our writing, and on our websites so when they do meet us we are the same person!  Be true to yourself, your photo and your personality should match too, I thought that was some pretty good branding tips.  I will check out Ben's book something else to read yeah!

Jun 21, 2010 04:11 AM
Gerry Michaels
Glasswork Media Arts - Gettysburg, PA
GettysburgGerry Social Meida

Ed, great point, the goal of the exercise should not be to FOOL anybody, thanks

Glenn, I know what you mean...it is going to be a reference book for me, good thing there are no pages to wear out

Marilyn, I attended that webinar as well and I love what Kendra had to say...you will love Soci@l

Jun 21, 2010 04:23 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Gerry I'm still in the process of reading it.  Read a lot of it last week during my downtown at the office on Saturday waiting for AT&T to show up.

Jun 21, 2010 05:13 AM
Marilyn Boudreaux
Marilyn Boudreaux, Century 21 Bono Realty - Lake Charles, LA
Lake Charles LA Century 21 Realtor

Gerry, I am a bit late with my Soci@l review been kinda busy!  The thing I liked most was the effective blogging chapter, simply because I struggled with it so.  You were right I loved the whole book, lots of good branding stuff :)

Jun 27, 2010 05:20 PM