Advice for those who are struggling with marketing themselves.

One of my customers recently asked me a great question – “How do I market myself effectively on the internet?” My company, Cazarin Interactive, had recently finished a website for Muhamed, a highly educated realtor. His question was a great segue into what would come next.

I believe every professional should know the basics of marketing themselves before working with a marketing agency like ours. We all have a lot of knowledge about our professions and we all come from different backgrounds and opportunities. This blog will provide you with solid background information to improve your personal brand on the internet.

Who Am I?

I am a business professional and entrepreneur who has worked hard to beat the odds. I would like to think that I know a lot, but the truth is that I continue to learn all the time. Just when I think I know something, it changes or evolves.

My experience includes college education in Computer Science and Management Information Systems and a Masters degree from Carlson School of Business with a concentration in marketing. I am also a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 program and have read countless books about sales, marketing, and business development. I use these facts to market myself and have developed my brand based on the experiences and knowledge that I am proud to share.

I can tell you with confidence that this information is extremely valuable. I have gained this information from books, networking with business professionals, personal experience, personal interviews, high-level education, and spiritual principles.

These are the fundamentals that any professional needs to market themself:

We as humans are complex, multidimensional individuals who seek connection with other human beings.
We connect with other people in different ways.
- Physical attributes
- Personal experiences
- Sharing time
- Speaking the same language
- Doing the same or similar sport
- Affinity for activities like chess

At the center of the connection is an ability to create an emotional bond. The bonds that last the longest are based on:
- Trust
- Integrity
- Mutual Respect

If you find the ability to CONNECT with others by helping them without expecting anything in return, you will create a great emotional bond and if done right, personal gratification as well.

It is not until this key fundamental is understood that a professional can truly market his or herself. Now, to answer Muhamed’s question, here are the specific tips for how to do that.

How to Market Yourself Online:

Define for yourself – what knowledge do you have that can help others?
- How to do x
- Tips for x
- Story of how you became a doctor when you tried to be a plumber
Establish a helping mindset. Define what you will share with others. You don’t have to share everything, but what you share should be helpful to another person even if you don’t receive something in return.
Publish – Share the information and hope it can benefit others. Try to post an article at least monthly. Weekly is ideal. You can publish this information on your website, a blog, your newsletters, or share it through webinars. You should also publish the information on social media.
- LinkedIn is the best social media platform to share professional information.
- Twitter is a helpful tool for building one’s individual brand.
- Share to Facebook if it is relevant to your friends and family.
Brand yourself: Establish a tagline. Mine is “Vision Architect” – I want to help people and companies to achieve their vision.
Focus – The right people will gravitate towards you and you can offer your services if you are focused on a specific topic or series of related topics.
Create an awesome email signature. This should include the following:

- Name
- Title
- Email address
- Phone Number
- Social Media Links
- Links to something you offer
- A quote that communicates your character
- EXAMPLE: