Branding yourself as an entrepreneur, what’s your brand?

people as brands calls to mind film stars and cricketing heroes.

But for any newbie entrepreneur too, it is very important to think of themselves as a brand and communicate that brand well. You have to be your own Shahrukh Khan or Dhoni. So how does one do that:-

1. Be very clear about your USP, are you about quality, are you about quality and price. What is your value proposition? With very young firms, clients look for people to engage with; people who can inspire their confidence and make them step out of their comfort zone and buy your services or product.

2. Join industry associations or special interest groups and attend seminars, often entrepreneurs have no time at the start up stage to take time out for interacting with their peers. But this is the fastest and cheapest way to get noticed and make new contacts as well as keep you updated with what is happening in the industry.

3. Use Social media and micro media, Naturally, initially one cannot afford a large advertising budget so social networking sites as well as business networking sites like Linkedin and www.xing.com as well as face book offer great platforms to create your brand awareness, especially if you cannot afford a full fledged web site yet. Micro-media offers great interactivity and flexibility to raise your profile. It is also a great way to set the foundation for being noticed by the mainstream media. A strong social media presence can become your calling card for the world.

4. Use mainstream media as well, even if one cannot afford a public relations agency, doing a limited media round will not take much time and money. Write ups in the media does wonders for your credibility and also helps to identify your brand profile.

5. Take a communications course, learning how to write and speak with a mass audience can really help to brand you. You are only as good as your presentation when you have just a few minutes to make your mark. These are skills that can be learnt.

The entrepreneurial bug has bitten Indians like never before and the good news is that women are also taking the entrepreneurial plunge. So with a bit of intelligent brand value creation can happen for you and your community as well.

Next week: Using social and micro media to help your business

- Paarul Chand   

The guest columnist is a communications entrepreneur, specializing in social advocacy and research, writing and life skills training.