If you don’t brand yourself, someone else will. That’s what Robin Fisher Roffer discovered while working as a television marketing executive. Now a brand strategist for the digital age, she wrote Make a Name for Yourself for businesswomen to gain control over how they are perceived. The eight steps include developing your brand description, creating your mission statement, identifying your target audience, making a contingency plan, finding a mentor, brand packaging, refining your brand’s presentation and strategizing your brand’s success. Don’t let the buzz words scare you – this is one of the easiest-reading business books I’ve come across. Packed with examples, exercises, anecdotes and analyses, Make a Name for Yourself will help you develop a brand that is true to yourself. The philosophy of this guide is based on authenticity. According to Fisher Roffer, “Consistency, clarity and authenticity are the holy trinity of a great brand.” She shows how to incorporate your values, strengths and interests into making a brand. Your brand will not only set you apart from others in your field, but it will also attract your audience and tell them what to expect.
After the first read of this book, you won’t have a brand, tagline and mission statement right away. There’s a lot of work involved. The author even suggests keeping a journal for the care and maintenance of your brand. But if you want to brand yourself before someone else does, then buy a copy of this book.
This review first appeared in EC Promotions.
