Make a Name for Yourself : Eight Steps Every Woman Needs to Create a Personal Brand Strategy for Success

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Summary: Marketing YOU is a must in today's environment!
Review: Any politician will tell you that success rests with public image and getting people talking about you, your business, or your product. But not everyone is comfortable with self-branding. So before you take a giant leap towards the front covers of "Time" and "Newsweek," your community newspaper - or even the company newsletter - keep in mind that you never, ever get a second chance to make a first impression. The image you present is the one you will have to live with, or live up to! Step ONE in the art of self-promotion is to do an honest self-assessment of who you are, what you have to say - and why anyone would want to listen to your story! Following a careful step-by-step process will help even the most timid become comfortable with the concept of self-promotion. Women, especially, show far too much humility about their talents and skills. If we want people to value our skills, we must first show that we value ourselves -- by making sure our accomplishments are visible to targeted audiences. If we want people to hire us, promote us, buy from us or invest in our companies, they have to know who we are, what we have accomplished and why they should do business with us! Self-promotion isn't bragging. It is a valuable business tool that career women must add to their strategies for success. (from Marion E. Gold, award-winning author of "The Personal Publicity Planner: A Guide to Marketing YOU")

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Summary: Worth its weight in gold!
Review: I love this book. I couldn't read it fast enough the first time--it is well written, well organized, and easily understood. There are many useful examples of women who have successfully branded themselves using a variety of strategies. The 8 steps suggested by the author for defining your personal brand identity are within anyone's grasp. That's the beauty of the book--you don't need a big hunk of startup capital, you don't need a PhD, you don't need to aspire to a six figure income. Anyone can jump RIGHT IN and use the principles today. I have begun the process and find it very do-able even in the context of an insanely busy life. It is forcing me to think more clearly about my business goals and really define what I am offering to my customers. It is equally applicable to someone on a career path within a company as it is to a small business start-up like mine. Highly recommended...wish I could give it 25 stars. Amongst all the business books out there, this one provides the missing piece that can really help you differentiate what you offer to your employer or customer and maybe more importantly--the value or benefit THEY perceive will come from working with you.

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Summary: Branding Made Personal
Review: This book is an easy, empowering, motivational read. I found myself folding over a lot of pages for reference and ideas - ultimately the sign of a good book. It isn't over-complicated or laden with a lot of marketing/branding spin words that don't mean much. Ms. Roffer's background and experience are in the entertainment industry - so a lot of her examples may be a bit out of mainstream America's world making some insider references and terminology hard to relate to - but ultimately, this is a book that should speak to women. In essence, it's a good tool kit to help you realize what's important to you, how to figure out your core attributes/interests - and make it all work together!

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Summary: An uplifting get-to-it book critical to business success
Review: This is one of two books (the other being 7 Habits of Highly Effective People)that have entered my life at critical times and contributed significantly to my success. Different from 7 Habits, this book focuses specifically on marketing your strengths and how to do it. Just like 7 Habits, it calls you to a new level of understanding about yourself and what to do about it. It is fun and easy to read and delivers valuable info and steps to celebrating what makes you different. I always knew that what drove people crazy about me as an employee would be the very thing they would want in me as a entrepreneur/consultant(which I have been now for 11 years). Making A Name For Yourself reinforces that your uniqueness (your brand) packaged correctly, will bring you happiness and success whatever your career. This book does it with humor, how-to-steps, and a universal understanding of women that refreshes hope and inspires you to succeed. Many steps above most self-help books.