The Universe must be trying to tell me something today. Not only did I feel compelled to start reading a book by David Tyreman called World Famous: How to Give Your Business a Kick-Ass Brand Identity, but I also happened to read the feature article of an e-newsletter that I regularly receive but hardly ever take the time to read (for no other  reason than that there just aren’t enough hours in the day…). The subject of both the book and the e-newsletter? Letting your brand differentiate yourself in the mind of your target market.

The e-newsletter feature article can be found on the author’s site under the blog title, Does your brand differentiate your organization? In this intriguing piece, author Marcia Hoeck talks about a neurological study that tested the impact of brands on the human brain. Apparently, strong brands evoke positive emotions and have a bigger impact on consumers than lesser-known alternatives. Makes sense, but how in the world do you create a strong brand?

I’m still on the learning curve myself, but according to David Tyreman, the first step is all about daring to stand out from the crowd, daring to discover (and then communicate) what makes your business unique, and overall daring to be yourself. Such a simple concept, yet it goes against everything we were ever taught…which is typically how to go with the flow of society and do the “normal” stuff that everyone else is doing. I personally think it’s time to give the status quo a nice shove out of the way…and make room for bigger, better things in my business. (World fame, perhaps?)

Stay tuned…the full book review of World Famous will be posted on the Virtual Assistant Forums within the coming weeks. I can’t wait to learn more about how I can make my business world famous…how about you?

Update: I don’t know if it’s just because I’m more aware of it or what, but now I’m seeing branding advice all over the place! Check out another related article: How Successful Brands Live Their Difference. And here’s the link to a FREE tele-seminar called, “The Top 7 Secrets Behind Today’s Top-Earning Brands:” http://www.brandu.com/rd.cfm?id=811&af=239. I’ll be there, pen in hand and ready to learn!

I’m pumped to start creating a stronger brand that will make clients sit up and take notice! If you have more resources, advice, or questions on the subject, please share in the comment section below. I want to hear from you!