Although specifics may vary from one author to the next, there are generally considered to be 6 'P's of branding. My list includes:
Product - This is the product, service, business or personality that you are selling.
Position - The unique and available spot in the marketplace and in the consumers' mind.
Promise - Your promise, and ultimately, the foundation of your reputation.
Presentation - How your product is presented via advertising, packaging, et al.
Persistence - Your steadfastness to your brand message and image.
Perception - The market's belief about your product and its value.
I started this blog for two reasons. One was to provide me my own personal forum to discuss topics of great interest to me. The other, to simultaneously develop my personal brand.
But by starting the blog, and abandoning it in lieu of a long, needed (and deserved?) vacation, I undermined the 6 Ps above. Right now my personal brand would appear to procrastination, or failing to follow up. Plenty of that around today and it is not my intent to blend into the crowd, but rather to differentiate myself.
Time for me to get back on track and see how this experiment works for me. I guess the good news is that today I am sole subscriber to this blog site. I have only to make it up to myself at this point.
And, did I mention that my two month long hiatus was spectacular?
