One of the best ways to increase your chances of success, whether you work for someone else or have your own small business, is to find an effective way to tell people what you have to offer.



You can do this by creating your own brand, according to author, consultant, movie producer and director, Tom Marcoux, who is known as America's Communication Coach. "In order to make your dreams come true you need to effectively tell the world what you offer.

And, the essence of telling the world is to clearly and concisely express what you're best known for. This is your personal brand," Marcoux says. Corporations spend millions of dollars to keep their brands in people's minds and wallets.

What is a brand? You see them every day -- Apple, McDonald's, Starbucks, Calvin Klein, Toyota. Brands are effective because they quickly tell consumers what they will be getting for their hard earned dollars. Perhaps more importantly, people often decide to choose one product over another one that may be equally good and better priced because of the brand name attached to it. Brands create customer loyalty. "You can use this principle to your advantage with a personal brand," Marcoux says. A personal brand can bring clients to your small business. A personal brand gets you noticed. A personal brand can get you a promotion. A personal brand makes people remember your small business.

So how do you create your own brand? "The center of personal branding is asking this question: What am I best known for?" Marcoux says. You might be best known as a problem solver. Or you may be a skilled craftsman. Your small business may be known for it's fast, courteous service. Once you've determined what you're best known for, Marcoux says to think of an incident or two in your life that exemplifies that trait and tell it in a story to the people you meet. Tell them how you solved a particular problem. "The best stories are ones that move people's emotions," Marcoux says. Next, create a memorable phrase about your best-known skill or trait. "You might tell people, ?I'm good at coming up with positive solutions to tricky problems,'" Marcoux says. The fourth element in your personal brand is a label. You might tell people, "I'm a creative problem solver."

The final element in your personal brand is a sound bite. Advertisers and politicians use them all the time because they are easy to remember. If you are known as a creative problem solver, you might say, "When you have a problem, I get creative," Marcoux suggests. Once you have your personal brand you can use it in many ways. During a job interview, one of Marcoux's clients used the phrase, "At XY company, I was the go-to person for computers." "When you use your personal brand in a job interview, it makes you more memorable," Marcoux says. If you're a small business owner, you can help prospective clients remember you when you tell them what you're best known for. You can even put it on your business card to reinforce the message.

When you create your personal brand, make sure that it is true. "You must be able to back up what you tell people," Marcoux says. "If you can, your personal brand will help propel you to ever higher levels of success." Winner's Edge reader resource: To learn more about branding, visit www.tomsupercoach.com.