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Personal branding rules this year's presidential elections.

If you’ve been following the 2008 presidential elections, I’m sure you’ve seen and heard quite a bit of repetition from candidates Obama & McCain. During the primaries, we heard Obama’s slogan “Change we can believe in” so much it made our heads spin. With McCain we’ve sat through war story after war story emphasizing his “experience” in leadership and military roles and his loyalty to the country. We can’t go anywhere these days without seeing a smattering of political propaganda, and it all serves one main purpose – to brand the images and beliefs of each candidate in our minds through repetition. The perfect example of personal branding.

It’s been like this since the old days, where the first radio stations played commercials over and over encouraging Americans to support war efforts, join the military, voluteer services and donate money. Posters littered store-front windows, walls and posts asking for our loyalty and assistance. Our government learned early on that repetition works just as well with adults as it does with children, and thus the propaganda fed on our inherent ability to retain what we see repeatedly placed in front of us. It’s no different with the presidential candidates today. The slogan rules presidential and other political campaigns, being repeated at the end of every commericial and on every piece of print marketing that comes our way. Logos and headshots serve to make us ultra familiar with the candidates and their families. Some even put on a show to make sure we remember where they’re from, as we saw during George Bush’s campaigns (how could we forget the 10-gallon hats, cowboy boots and big Texas attitude?). They work around the clock, pushing their own personal brands to ensure that some part of their message sticks in our brains – and to their credit it usually does.

A lot can be learned from this old-school view of branding. Expose someone to something enough times, and it’s bound to affect them in some way. We learn to associate candidates with words that inspire and empower us, with values that we hold dear and with colors and images that bring about certain emotions – so much so that even our younger generations are inspired enough to express their ideas and interpretations of the presidential candidates. It’s really not so old-school when you think about how much the human psyche plays a part in a consumer’s decision-making process. Word Association is something that is deeply rooted within us. It’s how we learn vocabulary from a young age. And with today’s technology, the presidential campaigns are being covered from every angle – through print media, television, radio and even newer forms of mass advertisement like online video and social networking. Obama and McCain are simply showing us personal branding at its best, reaching deep into what’s already ingrained in us, and using every possible avenue to reach us, in order to win over our hearts and minds.

The trick to personal branding in political elections is transparency. I’m sure you’ve heard it before. When you hold nothing back and let everything in, you’re able to build a deeper connection with those you’re trying to reach. Stars that they are, Obama and McCain are in front of microscope 24/7. Everything they say and do is being watched, filmed, recorded and analyzed. Every ideal and belief is scrutinized. No stone is left unturned. And though it’s probably the most nerve-racking few years of their lives, it usually pays off. The more we learn about a candidate’s wife (or husband) and kids, places they grew up, issues that are important to them or injustices that are done to them, the more we connect and find a reason to either hate ‘em or love ‘em. While it helps that they’ve got paparazzi following them wherever they go, ordinary folks like you and me can use the same tactic to achieve the same kind of fame and build an army of loyal followers (or in your case, team members). But it’s a method that takes a bit of skill and a LOT of tact. If you’re going to make yourself transparent like the candidates, you’ve got to be sure you’re ok with whatever skeletons may be lurking in the closet. Transparency can be a great asset in the brand-building process, but like any WMD it must be handled with care. Taking the time to learn about reputation management as you move forward in your business can help you to use this awesome tactic more effectively!

So as you go forward with your marketing and branding efforts this year, imagine yourself as a presidential candidate running in the 2008 election. It’s a do or die year, and your message has to be heard. How will YOU grab the hearts and minds of your target audience? Take some advice from the 2008 candidates and from history itself. Work to put your face, your slogan and your beliefs in front of your target audience at every possible opportunity, using every available tool and resource. Open yourself up to your target audience with a bit of transparency, then drive your message home with repetition. If you can pull it off, you’ll have a chance at gaining all the fame and status of candidates like Barack Obama and John McCain. At iBuild™, we’re working to teach home business entrepreneurs, MLM & Network Marketing distributors and affiliates just like you how utilize these super-effective techniques, even on a tight budget. Learn all about perfecting the technique of transparency, protecting yourself and your business with reputation management and more so that you can achieve a brand worthy of a presidential nomination (ok, we can’t make you president but we can help you become just as famous as one)! Join us as we count down to pre-launch! Watch our progress and stay tuned for updates, special offers and more by following us on Twitter!

From the personal journal of Ina Stanley, MLM Branding Specialist

At some point or other we’ve all been involved in a pre-launch, whether just getting into the newest MLM or direct sales opportunity, launching our own venture or expanding a franchise. I’ve personally seen and been involved in dozens of pre-launches for “the biggest thing to hit the Internet since email.” But what I’ve noticed from all of those processes is that people are so bent on getting the word out about the new opportunity, signing up affiliates and building up hype, rarely do they ever stop to factor personal branding into the mix. From most every pre-launch I’ve seen, the corporate branding is the star of the show, but the curtain gets dropped on personal branding.

I wonder why that is? It would seem like, with a new mlm, home business opportunity or affiliate program in its infantile, pre-launch phase, the personal branding process would be the easiest you’d ever see in this industry. The point of the pre-launch is to generate buzz and get people involved before the product or opportunity hits the market. That means that there would be much less competition than joining a more well-known opportunity that’s been around for decades. It would be a prime time for those few who jump in at “ground level” to really focus on putting their face out there, developing a great benefits package for their downline-to-be, letting their unique skills and experience show. But in reality, I just don’t see that happening. So the question becomes this – when a new venture is launching and neither brand (personal or corporate) has made its big splash, which is more important to focus on? Do you spend all of your time on building a brand for the company (after all, that’s what newcomers will be joining)? Or do you use the calm before the storm to really help people get to to YOU, your business practices and what you have to offer personally?

To me, it’s a simple answer. As a distributor or affiliate, it is partly your job to spread the word about the new product or service. But in reality, that’s what the company itself is focused on. It’s just not efficient to have both you and the company focused on the same aspect of the business. If this was the corporate world, you’d lose major productivity points! So let the company focus on building that corporate brand while you work on building your own. After all, when it comes right down to it the opportunity-seekers will be joining YOU and YOUR downline, not just the company.

Starting Before I Start: My New Approach to Branding

I’m facing the same dilemma with iBuild™, but it’s even harder with just a few people. We’re the company and the distributor in this case. I have to be sure we’re dividing our time equally between corporate and personal branding, or else we’ll fall short by the end of pre-launch. So I’m taking a new approach to pre-launch branding that I hope will spur some ideas in you guys.

Originally, I wanted to have all of our ducks in a row before moving into the branding & marketing sectors. I wanted our websites up and fully functional, I wanted our blog up with plenty of content, and I wanted the network all finished for our behind-the-scenes peeks. I also wanted to wait to get our social networking profiles and social media presence going until I had a valid website to send folks to (in case they have questions, want the benefits, need a few weeks to mull the decision of joining over). Not a horrible game plan, but not very time-efficient either (not to mention I’m super impatient, but it actually helps rather than hinders this time around). For iBuild™ to be as successful as I’m imagining, that plan just wouldn’t work. It would take a few weeks to get those duckies lined up, and another few weeks once done to get the word out. Not exactly hitting the ground running, if you ask me.

So being the Twitter fanatic that I am, I decided to start posting updates to the iBuild™ pre-launch process for the world to see – the ultimate in “professional transparency.” That way, I could keep folks updated in a less-intrusive, less-annoying and more time-efficient way than building a mailing list. I’m not saying mailing lists don’t have a use, but in this case trying to build a responsive opt-in list on top of building a training community, a website a solid social media presence to time-consuming. With that aspect of the pre-launch out of the way, I turn to social networking. It’s my favorite method for personal branding. Rather than waiting until I have the official site to send people to, I’ve decided just to suggest that they follow iBuild™ updates on Twitter. That way, I can begin to build my personal brand while making my pre-launch more interactive – a HUGE time-saver.

I already have somewhat of a brand out there, but what better time to reinforce that brand than now, before we officially launch. I can generate buzz, answer questions, take suggestions, offer a soft launch to close partners and more, and those who do want more information can follow at their own leisure instead of being flooded with emails that they’ll eventually consider spam (like every other pre-launch out there). I don’t have to worry about email deliverability, spam complaints or my corporate email addresses being blacklisted, which we all know is a huge issue in the mlm & home business industries. With the day and age we live in, it just makes sense to put it all out at the same time. I’m just casting my line while I’m testing out baits. I’ll be more than happy with the fish that bite while I’m testing, and it’ll put me steps ahead when the bait’s all set.

When it comes to an mlm or home business pre-launch, the concept is no different. We live in a world of instant gratification, it’s what we’ve all come to expect. Utilize the tools that will give you and potential prospects that instant gratification, the biggest reach, the least expensive service, the best result – in other words, the farthest cast. And don’t be afraid to put some YOU in the mix. The company will always handle its own corporate branding. It’ll do that whether it has 10 distributors or 10,000. But what it won’t do is promote YOU. So be sure you’re not encouraging a nose-dive in your own productivity. Use the pre-launch to educate others and build relationships. Trust me, it’ll make your job MUCH easier when the official launch actually arrives!

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As a side note I’ve seen a lot of marketers, even some of the well-known guys, write Twitter off as unimportant, inconsistent and ineffective. I beg to differ, and I’m willing to bet it’s because most folks don’t really understand how to use Twitter effectively. Sure, if you use it to only post your most random thoughts or your hum-drum, day to day routine, it’s not likely to yield many results. But if you use it strategically (to give updates, to track a certain event, as an alternative to traditional email marketing and list-building), it can have a greater effect than anything you’ve ever seen!

I don’t think many consider Twitter much when it comes to viral marketing, but it’s definitely a major player in that field. My “seed list” has grown simply because of my association with others on Twitter (as in, those I follow). My secondary list is now growing because of those who’ve chosen to follow me! And don’t think I’m not checking to see how “qualified” these followers are. Most all of them are completely targeted, without me having to do anything more than follow the right people. My #1 rule of thumb – if it’s got anything to do with social media or social networking, don’t rule it out!

Speaking of which, if you want to stay up-to-date on iBuild™ Branding pre-launch progress, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

WRONG! The truth is that if these systems were so successful, every mlm or network marketing distributor out there, and every affiliate, would be living the life of their dreams and experiencing exactly the kinds of promises made by all of these home business programs. So lets think for a minute – what’s the one thing keeping you from reaching your target market and increasing your network marketing sales? I’ll give you a hint…it’s not the products (though those are very important) or even the program itself. It’s not the opposition from naysayers and skeptics. It’s not even the costs of advertising that are holding you back. Think you know where I’m going with this? It’s the one thing that you can’t control, no matter what you do – the hundreds or maybe even thousands of others who are out to promote the same products or opportunity. Most MLM or home business companies have distributors ranging in the tens of thousands, all selling the same thing and being taught the same system. No wonder it seems so hard to succeed in home business!

So like I said, your biggest challenge is something you have absolutely no control over. In fact, the more people who decide to join, the more people that can potentially be funneled into YOUR downline. That’s a good thing, right? Well, not quite. While more folks in the business could possibly mean more in your downline, it also means the more direct competition you have. And if you’re not as good or as fast at plugging into that system as others, you’ll be lost in the sauce. Well, that’s what makes iBuild™ a completely different kind of system. We pick up where your company leaves off. We provide those missing puzzle pieces to help you gain a more competitive edge in your marketing. We teach you that single most important practice that MLM companies and affiliate programs stray away from – personal branding.

Personal branding is what sets you apart from the thousands of other folks all doing and selling the same thing. Think, without a defined personal brand, how would a potential customer or opportunity-seeker be encouraged to choose you over someone else? Simply put, they wouldn’t. They’d simply click on the first website they see, and without a personal brand you’d better hope it’s YOUR site. Otherwise, you’ll never be able to win at this game we call multi-level marketing.  At iBuild™, we focus on helping you develop your own unique “brand” that others will recognize far and wide. A simple combination of little-known techniques, custom design and relationship-building practices will help you stick out like a sore thumb (which in this case is a good thing). With just a few weeks of guidance from MLM branding coach Ina Stanley, and some dedicated action on your part, you’ll be well on your way to cornering any market in any industry! Sound like a loftly promise? While it may seem too good to be true, consider this…what’s the one thing that drives all of your buying decisions? Whether it’s a soda pop or the latest in MP3 players, the brand is always what influences you to buy (or not). Most folks will only buy Coca-Cola or Pepsi. Well, with home business, it’s no different. Most opportunity-seekers will only go with the person who bothers to stand out, like the top-earner. Most folks will join with the “stars” of the program because their names are well known, and they associate this fame with success.

So if MLM, network marketing, home business or even Real Estate are up your alley and you’re looking to gain the competitive edge, stay tuned for our next post! We’ll be talking more about the TRUTH behind all these “proven” and “duplicable” systems. And don’t forget, iBuild™ is now in pre-launch! Stay connected with to-the-minute updates by following us on Twitter!

So just what is iBuild™ anyway? Well, to help you understand a bit better, first I’ll tell you what we’re not. iBuild™ is not another home business, MLM or network marketing opportunity. It’s not any kind of affiliate program. We’re not affiliated with any of these opportunities, and we’re not here to sell you on any of them. What we are is a new, social media-based training community & learning system designed to help you achieve better results in your own business. We teach the key elements to success that most MLM companies don’t teach. In fact, throughout our years in the industry, we’ve come to find that most MLM companies outwardly discourage the very elements that bring success. So it’s our mission to inform and empower YOU – the network marketer, the affiliate, the home business distributor. We’re providing the exclusive learning system, the personalized training & support, and the most effective tools available to help you succeed, regardless of your opportunity and regardless of your experience or skill level.

If you’re here, I’m sure you came to learn a bit more about iBuild™ and just what it can do for you. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be giving you an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look inside new system and training network right up until our big launch, coming October 10th! And stay tuned, because the first 10 to sign up as new students will be in store for a special treat (hint: professional services that would otherwise cost you hundreds, all for FREE)!

Up next, we’ll take a look at exactly what iBuild™ Branding provides and how it’s different from all the other “proven” systems and programs out there. Stay informed and get up to the minute pre-launch updates! Follow us on Twitter!