The Importance of Building Your Personal Brand 

Have you ever been to a networking meeting collected a number of cards and then the next day sort through them only to find that you could not remember any of the people whose cards you collected? That has happened to me quite a few times. I have a whole bunch of cards of people I cannot remember. It is very important for people to remember you – if they don't remember you how do you expect any business to be referred your way?

There are five things that you can do to be unforgettable:

1. Be distinctive

Wear something that people will remember – a brightly coloured tie, a scarf or hat that stands out. Don't be too outlandish but just sufficiently to stand out in a crowd. Perhaps you have a distinctive after shave or a distinctive scent. Wear something that can be memorable in a good way. There is no point in being too outlandish, but you might just be the person who can get away with being eccentric in some way. Whatever you do, be distinctive.

2. Be interested

When you are talking to people, make sure that you really show that you are interested and are fully present in the conversation. If for some reason you cannot be interested in what is being said, then do something about it. Usher the person you are talking to over to someone you know and introduce them, then be excused from the conversation. But when you do find someone in whom you can strike up an interest be present and be part of the conversation. You will be remember for being a true part of the conversation.

3. Ask Thought Provoking Questions

As part of the conversation be sure to ask questions that invoke meaningful responses. These are open-ended questions: who, what, why, when and how. Ask thought provoking questions. But the most important thing is not to ask questions as part of a formula, but be really interested. As Dale Carnegie suggested, you must "take a genuine interest in other people". You will be remembered for being totally interested in the other person.

4. Repeat Keywords That Will be Remembered

People aren't going to remember long descriptions of what you do, or likely even that 15-second intro that many experts teach you to make. People will at best remember a few key things about you:

• Your name
• Your company name
• Your business/industry (in three words or less)
• Your product
• Your location

What you want to do is find ways to unobtrusively increase the occurrence of these things in your conversation. For example, is there some kind of story behind your name? Have it ready to use if there's an opportunity. Does your business have an unusual name? What's the story behind it - what does it mean?

Make sure you repeat your name, your business/company name, and a key phrase that you want them to remember. I met at person that has as his key phrase – The Referral Guy. I have remembered that ever since and that was more than a year ago now.

5. Contribute to the Group Conversation

Don't hog it, and don't say just anything in order to say something publicly, but saying one really smart thing at your table or in front of the whole group will make you much more memorable than half an hour of semi-conscious small talk. Create value for others and you create value for yourself.

When we look at brand strategy in marketing, one of the most important concepts is that a brand is not just a memorable name or logo -- it's an experience. A great brand communicates values and emotions that get called to mind whenever someone thinks of the name or logo.

Here we're talking about your personal brand. Remember that you are your business. The impression that you make on people is the impression they will have of your business, so make it good and make it memorable.