Build an Exceptional Personal Brand As an Expert

Having a strong personal brand that you can cash in on as an expert is not just for people like Oprah, Madonna or Martha Stewart. It's for everyone. It's for you. Just like these three powerful women, you too can build a strong personal brand and cash in on it. Branding yourself is an internal journey that leads you to toward taking specific and intentional action to become the biggest and brightest "you" that you want to be. And as an expert in your field, your personal brand is what will attract the kind of clients, partners and opportunities that fire you up.

To help you on this journey, here is a list of 24 things you can do take control of your personal brand and increase your profile as an expert:

1. What do you do best? Build your life around that.

2. Don't just say you are an expert. Instead, prove it by speaking, writing, creating an information product and adding value in social media.

3. Branding success is about consistency. Be the same offline as you are online.

4. Spend your time with people that motivate and challenge you to be your biggest you.

5. Make a niche for yourself. Those who try to be everything to everyone end up being nothing to anyone.

6. Believe in the value of your own voice. Right now, someone needs your expertise and insight.

7. Experts have self discipline. They carve out time to market themselves.

8. Branding yourself as an expert doesn't mean you know it all. It means you dedicate a good portion of your life to knowing more and more.

9. Update your bio at least twice a year. Really - you have probably changed enough to warrant a refresh.

10. Make it easy for a reporter to do a story on you by providing story ideas, industry statistics and references.

11. Buy any domain names that you think you will use. At the very least, buy YourName.com, YourNameBlog.com, and YourBusinessName.com. Protect your space online!

12. If you find an article that a client, potential client or partner would be interested in, email it to them.

13. Testimonials are success stories about your products and services. Collect them regularly and add them to your web site.

14. Be willing to connect others even if it has nothing to do with your business. What goes around, comes around.

15. Do something unexpected. Take a potential client out for pedicures instead of for coffee.

16. What three words do you want people to use when describing you? Are you giving them reason to think that of you?

17. Surround yourself with people who inspire you and challenge you to grow.

18. Make clients feel special & appreciated. Ask yourself, "How do I want my clients to perceive me? Am I living up to that?"

19. Put some personality into your business. Don't stand behind a corporate wall. Show us who you are!

20. Use colors you love and that appeal to your target market. It's part of your messaging.

21. Use your outgoing voicemail message to brand yourself. Say something interesting.

22. Hire a professional graphic artist to design business cards, logo, letterhead, ezine, web site... It's a wise investment to look your best.

23. Know Thyself: Know the top 3 achievements your clients can expect from working with you.

24. If you're the "best kept secret" then you're not serving yourself OR your ideal clients. Share yourself with others.

The Parameters To Check While Opting For Business Printing

There are different types of printing requirements and thus there is no dearth of printing companies. All business firms would require some types of printing services at different point of time. The right thing to do is to explore the different types of services and printing quality and related details before you make a final decision as to which company should be entrusted the job. When it comes to business printing, you have to be extremely specific about the type of print quality that you would get. We will explore the different details of printing documents for business purpose and thus familiarize you with the right way of approach. If you are aware of the right parameters that you have to take care of while getting prints for business purpose, you are likely to settle with the best company.
The term business printing actually refers to the fact that the prints that you are taking are solely for business purpose. It refers to business documents, business records, financial documents, brochures and other business documents. These documents carry a lot of significance and thus it is recommended not to compromise with the type of printing.
So, you should check that the printing agency whom you are entrusting the job can give you the right quality of print. You should not compromise with quality as it can create a wrong impression on your clients as well as customers. There are a few business documents that are meant for internal purpose only. They would not come in direct contact with outside members and in these cases; you may be a little bit more lenient. However, it is advised that you do not compromise with the quality of business printing at all. Even if the document is required for internal purpose only, you should try to use the best standards.
There may be a few documents that cater to the clients as well as the customers. These business documents are of paramount significance and these are the documents which you have to be very particular about. Using inefficient and low quality of business printing can do a lot of damage as your customers and even clients can get disappointed with the type of documents and print outs. This can wreck a lot of damage on your business.
So, check out the best printing agencies and examine the type of work that they do. After you have a clear idea of the type of work that they can do and you are satisfied with their facilities, you should avail their services. You should always opt for the best business printing services and make sure that you have provided the details and specifications clearly to your printing agency.

Trade Binary Options In A Placid Manner To Yield Amazing Results!

As binary trade has successfully grabbed the attention of traders and many are considering it to be the simplest form of trading; yet, the need for thoroughly learning the tips for trading binary options, cannot be overlooked. Binary trade requires great skills to carry out successful trading, and this is the reason why many naïve traders consider it a handy tool to learn the binary options trading tips. Options trading strategies have got their own importance, but you can only be able to implement the strategies when you know the smart binary trading tips. You ought to follow these tips in order to ensure binary options high ROI.
Wake Up and Have a Close Look On The Global Affairs
You cannot hope to achieve binary options high ROI if you do not keep yourself abreast of the global affairs. Begin your day by doing your homework in the form of knowing the global situation. If your trading assets include oil, then you must know that what Saudi Arabia is up to in order to forecast the future situation. The global situation also has a marked influence on the global market indices; therefore, you need to keep an eye on the NASDAQ and other stock markets. Be a sound professional and trade binary options by reviewing the previous day's blunders.
Begin Your Work Following the Smart Binary Options Tips
After having educated yourself with the global affairs, it is high time to begin binary trade. You might have lots of money and superb strategies, but what if you do not know the tips to handle the pressure? It is important that you take breaks while trading binary options. Do not get baffled if the situation gets worse for you. As you begin trading, moving on steadily is one of the basic binary trading tips, as execution of diminutive trades will assist you in gaining experience, boosting your confidence and avoiding the stress level. Timing is a great factor while trading binary options and you should analyze the price changes keeping in view the daily and monthly time intervals. To achieve high binary ROI target, nature of the trade should be one hour expiration.
Build a Network of Binary Traders to Share Ideas
Exchanging ideas to carry out a successful binary trade would be a smart move. Sharing each other's ideas will help to reach a better conclusion before taking the final steps, and you can trade confidently. There are issues with every trader, and each of them has varying smart binary trading tips. Sorting out the solution of your issues and brainstorming strategies for a high binary ROI, will help you to expand your thoughts and ideas as well as polish your skills to be a proficient binary trader!

The Hotel Mystery Shopping Service Explained

The concept of hotel mystery shopping is becoming ever more popular in the hospitality industry. In today's competitive world, the difference between acceptable service and exceptional service can mean the difference between a one-off customer and one that wants to return to your establishment over and over again. The training of staff in any department of hospitality is important and there are reputable companies and institutes that offer comprehensive training courses in all aspects of hotel work. From reception, housekeeping and restaurant jobs to top management posts, every position is equally important in contributing to the team that delivers the best service possible for your business.
Hotel mystery shopping has become an important tool in measuring the service provided in hotels and maintaining the top quality expected in every department.
Maintaining Excellent Service
The world of hospitality is all about the customers' experience and that goes beyond simple theory. The concepts behind service to the customer are theoretically based but it is the practical execution and 'going that extra mile' that must be encouraged if a business is to remain competitive. This industry thrives on repeat business and reputation; because the employees are directly involved with a customer's pleasure and comfort of stay they have a direct impact on the customer's entire experience and, consequently, the potential for people to return or recommend to others.
The hotel mystery shopping service not only covers front of house staff's direct contact with the customer, but it also includes facility provision, marketing of services, choice of food and beverage availability, atmosphere and general tone, quality and vibe of the business. All of these aspects of providing the best service are imperative and must be assessed and continually monitored if your business is going to succeed.
The Service Provided
There are a number of international companies that pride themselves on providing excellent hotel mystery shopping services. Many are based in more than one country and can provide their service in several locations, in multiple languages and all with the same level of consideration.
Reputable companies offer a very individual service and will design a bespoke programme that encompasses the individual requirements of their clients. Some aspects of one particular company may need more focus than another and programmes are tailored to focus accordingly. First and foremost, the hotel mystery shopping experience is one that follows comprehensive training courses and aims to maintain the standards initially set. The company providing the service is usually the same one that hosts the training courses, meaning the assessments are relevant and appropriate.
The internal brand of every client varies and is what makes the difference to the customer. Mystery shoppers are very well trained and briefed on the establishments they are assessing, and the atmosphere and experience they should be expecting. The customer experience begins the minute they decide to stay or visit a hotel and ends when they have left completely. It includes general feel, facilities, interaction with staff and overall impression. Some of these appear intangible, but the surveys and reports designed to evaluate these components are easily analysed and conclusions can be defined and acted upon.

Brand Management Made Simple

Brand management involves nothing less than a pure creative ability and sustainability of your particular brand. The art of branding attract customers who will then continue remain endearingly committed to the popular brand. Forceful brands have the ability to make your product or service stand out among other market competitors. On the whole, efficient brand management gives the essential impetus to create a desired superior image for your organization and its true potential.
First and foremost, managing your brand includes effective management of both its tangible as well as intangible distinctiveness. In respect to product brands, tangibles among others mostly embrace your product, its price, and packaging, while, with regard to service brands, tangibles primarily include customer experience above all else. Intangibles, on the other hand, revolve around such emotional connections as the clients may eventually develop with your product or service.
Brand management is the process of putting together an assorted medium of marketing mix to subsequently obtain a whole that provides you with an identity of your own. Technically, it is little else than capturing the attention of your clients with a striking brand name. To achieve this objective, it must portray the distinct image of a well organized, progressive and highly reliable business. Your prime goal thus is capturing a market niche for your offered product or service, in addition to finding proper means to create confidence among your existing and potential clients, signifying that you possess the ability and potential to provide unique solutions that adequately cater to their specific needs.
Prime scope of branding lies in vivid conveyance of your brand message through appropriate marketing initiatives, creating loyalty among your customers, persuading them to make use of your product or service, and establishment of a long term emotional bond with your client base. Moreover, branding concept helps to inculcate clear perceptions about your product or service. To prove its effective utility among your clients, it should also help to raise their expectations. Key aim of brand management can be defined as creating a differentiation of opinion.
Strong brands are specifically designed to lessen customer perceptions regarding social, safety, and monetary risks associated with purchasing a particular product or service, in the absence of adequate prior knowledge. Besides, brand names also assist customers in clearly visualizing an intangible product or service. With respect to market share, organizations with strong brand names have the benefit of enjoying an explicit edge over their competitors. The key target of a business should entail considerably good support to its brand, enabling it to sustain itself on long term basis. With a reasonably competent system in operation, one significant benefit of brand management is helping project a robust corporate image that reflects your credibility as well as prominent market status.

Near Field Communication for Mobile Payments

Near Field Communication technology has been a very highly anticipated and desired feature for smart phones and other "E-Wallet" devices. The technology is already available in newer model smart phones and is being used mostly for exchanging pictures and documents from one phone to the other by doing nothing more than quickly touching the phones together.
NFC technology has recently been explored for making mobile payments with your smart phone or "E-Wallet" device. If successful it will eliminate the need to ever have to carry a credit card or cash again.
As with any new technology there are issues that need to be resolved before it can catch on like wildfire. A few of those issues are:

• Security

Security is the absolute most important factor when considering a new device or piece of software that is to be used for handling sensitive information. As soon as a new technology is born, almost immediately you will find somebody trying to exploit it for their own gains. We need to be 100% sure that the only people capable of using our bank information to run a charge are people we have authorized to do so.

• Popularity

How are we supposed to use the technology and expect to leave our wallets at home when 9 out of 10 stores that we shop at do not support our new found favorite thing ever? Simply speaking having the technology is not enough, we need to make sure that it is worth taking the potential security risks outlined above for the convenience of making payments on the go.

• Convenience

Is the device really worth having? There are literally hundreds of new inventions every day, most of them you never even hear about because they do not really serve an important enough purpose to care about. Most popular devices do a great job of showing you a huge problem that you never knew you had and then present itself as the solution to that problem. Remember, every dollar saved is a dollar earned.
It has been said that Near Field Communication is the wave of the future. So far it has not really caught on the way that has been expected. The jury is still out on whether or not the technology will actually be the next big thing or a passing fad. You can bet that you have not heard the last of it considering the amount of money that is being spent trying to implement the idea and solve the problems that the technology currently faces.
I for one am not a big fan of using the technology for mobile payments. The easier it is for me to spend money the more money I wind up spending, not to mention an increased exposure to banking and/or identity theft.

Courage and Leadership

When I think of the concept of courage I'm often drawn towards those larger than life, uncommon examples of valor that are held in reverence and awe.
For example, Medal of Honor recipient Sgt John Basilone on Guadalcanal repelling 3,000 Japanese for three days and nights without sleep, rest, or food; or Neil Armstrong taking control away from the computer and manually flying the Lunar Module to a safer landing spot on the moon with only 40 seconds of fuel to spare.
It's easy to understand courage in this context; these "life and death" type scenarios. But what about courage in the "everyday" that we are required to exhibit?
I think most of us equate courage as fearless acts of valor that are reserved for larger-than-life scenarios. It's easy to look at these type of fearless acts and wonder if we have what it takes to exhibit courage; and therefore be a leader.
It's important to note, however, that exhibiting courage does not mean that one acts without fear. In fact fear is actually a requirement of courage. Courage is the act of being scared to death and doing what's required anyway. One of my favorite quotes comes from World War I Ace Eddie Rickenbacker where he said, "Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared."
In this context, every day we are faced with courageous choices and acts. Every time you act upon your gut instincts; every time you listen and follow your heart; every time you choose to do the right thing; you're exhibiting courage.
It takes everyday acts of courage to deal with your life situations, love, family and work.
Maybe you're required to step forward, make a fool of yourself, and lead your team in the Birthday Song for one of your employees.
Maybe you need to tell your kid no about going to the "party of the year" where all of her friends will be going.
Maybe you're the father, who for the first time ever, decides to lead his family in grace over the evening meal.
All of these acts require courage. I realize that they're not "life-and-death" type scenarios, yet there is still an element of fear involved in each. Regardless of the fear level, it's just as important that we put aside the fear and do the right thing.
Don't discount the everyday acts of courage that are required in our lives.
You need courage to hold your family together when they seem to be falling apart.
You need to have courage to not lose heart when met with failure.
You need courage to be a leader.

Richard specializes in leadership and change management. His philosophy of inspiring "everyone to think and act like a leader" is based on timeless natural principles and common sense; and from his positive and humbling experiences as a husband of 20 years, father of four daughters, professional executive, and military pilot.