Talent matters less than perception does

It is controversial, but in my opinion a great personal brand & average talent BEATS great talent & an average personal brand.
Lets use an easy example. There are thousands of good lawyers and marketing experts in this country some of them offering similar services. Even though the marketplace has shifted from the sale of products to the sale of services in the last ten years (the amount of service sector jobs is still increasing...) the customers purchasing strategy remains the same!! Which means buyers still need to SEE something in order to help them validate their purchasing decisions. SOMETHING must replace the tangible product. That SOMETHING is a PERSONAL BRAND.
Like it or not, most of the success of the lawyers or marketing experts comes down to a little more than a popularity contest. The person with the most likeable personal brand wins. In order for the individual to be comfortable making a commitment, he needs to see something to which he can come emotionally attached. And quality is not nearly as important as the PERCEPTION OF QUALITY. Just look at the famous Pepsi - Coca Cola tast tests in which Pepsi beats Coca Cola on a yearly basis. The message is clear - it doesnt matter who really is the best; what matters is who the people perceive to be the best!!
For more info on how to build your personal brand - go on our website www.globaltrendwatching.com
or check out our social media channels (which are by the way the best way to communicate a personal brand...)

The Honeyed Bear Trap

The Bear hunter does not chase his prey; a bear that knows it is hunted is nearly impossible to catch and is ferocious if cornered. Instead the hunter lays traps baited with honey. He does not exhaust himself and risk his life in pursuit. He baits, then waits.

The point of this is: Do not go hunting and begging for people to use your services. Simply come up with a special interest that can catch your target's attention. Then wait until they can explore, raise their interest and then they will come to you. When forcefully attacking your target, they will turn away and run fast.

When we go shopping we all try to avoid sales personal asking us "can I help you?" "are you looking for something in particular?" The moment those words come out of their mouth you start getting annoyed and simply want to leave. Because they just want to sell you the product. They don't let you walk around and explore on your own a bit and see what can catch your interest. When you are interested in something, you will go looking for THEM all over the store. Same with your business. The moment you push, their interest suddenly disappears. It's more personal when they get to know you first, sniff around, get familiar with you, when they can trust you they will come to you willingly - as the bear trusted the honey's trap, walking straight into it himself because it was familiar.

How to create attention to your business

Here is something you can think about before you would want to start your business.
You are the package people look at and fancy first, before they open to see what's inside. If the package is not appealing people will most likely just leave it with out having the urge to see what is inside it. When using self marketing, you are using attraction marketing to you and your business.
When it comes to people, they are in the world of saturated marketing. Between all the travel advertisements and special fat burners, there is just no more room for a new Business Pitch. The secret IS to Brand yourself first, attract people to yourself as an individual. No one is interested in simply your business pitch, they want to know WHO YOU ARE!!! Show everyone that you know what you are doing and talking about, show that you are a leader, someone who can help others and show the ropes. Everyone is only looking for "what's in it for me" Show them that you can and will accomplish their goals. Only THEN people will take interest in finding out more about your primary business. People will first join YOU! then they will follow your business. That's why Self Branding is the most important check on your "How to start a new business" list or to add to your business improvement plans.