If you are looking for chemical warehousing in India or any other related services, then Rhenus Logistics India offers a range of warehouse logistics solutions.

The Bureau of Indian Standards adopted this Indian Standard (First Revision) on December 21,Guest Posting 1987, after the Chemical Division Council approved the draught finalised by the Chemical Hazards Sectional Committee.

The need for a chemical warehousing safety code stems from two factors: the hazards inherent in the nature and handling of chemicals and the hazards posed by inadequacy or improper handling of instrumental facilities required in chemical laboratories, such as glassware, electricity, gas, machinery equipment, steam, high/low-temperature apparatus, water, and pressure. Countless compounds employed as reagents and solvents are hazardous, combustible, corrosive, poisonous, or irritating to bodily tissues.

Chemical Regulations in India: An Overview

The following are the two most important chemical regulations in India. We’ll take a closer look at each one individually.

1989, 1994, and 2000 amendments to the Manufacture, Storage & Import of Hazardous Chemicals, MSIHC (Amendment) Rules. R&C Rules for Ozone-Depleting Substances (2000).
A safe chemical storage location should limit workers and other exposure to the risks connected with the chemicals and protect people from the potentially dangerous repercussions of an accidental leak or chemical reaction.
It is critical to never keep dangerous chemicals near food or beverages.

Take the following precautions when storing dangerous materials at work:

Carefully read the safety data sheet (SDS) or label and follow any storage instructions.

Protect the chemicals from unauthorised access and use.
Allow no chemicals to contact the sun, extreme heat, or ignition sources.
Keep only the bare minimum of chemicals on hand. Make sure that all chemicals are properly labelled and that the labels are in good condition.
Allow for sufficient ventilation.
To keep chemicals organised, label shelves and cupboards.
Placards should be used as necessary.
Keep the outsides of the containers clean and the storage area organised.
Ascertain that clear segregation plans are followed. Compounds must be stored separately to prevent incompatible chemicals from mixing in the event of a spill.
To avoid contamination in the event of a leak, do not store liquids above solids.
Corrosives should always be stored in spill trays.
Refrigerate or freeze flammable liquids only if they have been modified, such as spark proofed.
Make sure the shelves aren’t too full.
Store incompatible substances separately to avoid hazardous reactions.
Different chemicals must be kept or carried separately to avoid incompatible substances mixing in the event of a spill. You should seek professional assistance with hazardous chemical separation.
Use appropriate Personal Protective equipments (PPE) while handling chemicals as mentioned in Safety data sheet.
Major accident notification.

(1) If a serious accident occurs on a site or in a pipeline, the occupier must immediately notify the responsible authority, and provide the responsible authority with a report relating to the incidents in instalments necessary in Schedule 6.

(2) Upon receiving the report required by sub-rule I of this rule, the responsible authority shall conduct a thorough investigation into the serious accident and communicate the necessary information to the Ministry of Environment and Forests via suitable channels.

Marketing a healthcare business is tough! the Healthcare Industry is a unique field because while you deal with the very sensitive nature of your patients’ treatment, which often frighten you, make you vulnerable or confuse you, you also work in a very scientific and avant-garde industry where treatments, tools and systems in constant evolution. Today, healthcare providers are rarely caught up in the new health marketing strategy and sales processes or respond to technological advances.

The healthcare marketing landscape has shifted dramatically the past decade with the increase of technology tools, social media, and digital devices. A recent article for Socialnomics quotes Tricia Wilkerson, Senior Marketing Specialist at Conifer Health Solutions, on the state of B2B Marketing in the Healthcare industry: “Healthcare is notoriously behind other industries when responding to technological advances and audience expectations, so it remains important that marketers push the industry with smart trend adoption.”

Here are some important stats to consider as you begin planning out your marketing strategy:

• As of 2016, there were more than 326 million people in the U.S. Each one of them with their own personality and each one of them a potential patient.

• 52% of smartphone users gather health-related data from a smartphone.

• 91% of adults have their smartphone within arm’s reach 24/7.

• According to recent Facebook data, the number one most asked for recommendation is a doctor or a healthcare provider.

• There are 8.2 billion health-related video views on YouTube.

As in many B2B industries, long sales cycles can mean change comes slowly to marketing strategy. So, to make it a little easier for you, here are some essential truths we’ve discovered about healthcare marketing. Here are the three healthcare marketing secrets and how they can rejuvenate your business:

#1 Research and Define Your Ideal Customers

When you try to reach a particular audience, your success depends on how deeply you can guide them. Focusing on a certain segment of the market to generate and attract potential customers will not only help you polish your marketing, but also ensure that the customer association you get from your sales and marketing operations will have a better success rate.

How to Reach Your Target Audience in the Healthcare Industry?

If you are looking to improve your health care marketing, you may have realized that not all messages will be adapted to all audiences. Partnering with a marketing professional with health care experience is always a smart strategy. Before doing anything else, you need to consider your audience:

• For whom are you creating this report?

• What do they want to know?

• What will they do with the information?

For any organization and practice of medical care of all kinds (hospitals, manufacturers, doctors and surgeons, dentists, pharmacists or groups), the more specifically the target audience defined, the greater their capacity to inspire a positive response.

Once you have identified your targeted audiences, it is helpful to gather some information about them. This information can help you determine the information needs of your audience, how you can communicate with them more effectively, and where and how you can contact them.

#2 Create Valuable Content

How do healthcare marketers develop and promote relevant content? First, they must understand the needs of clients by building insight through primary research, syndicated sources, and behavior analysis. Next, they need to create content that meets their needs, such as video, blogs, articles and supports brand objectives. Finally, promote content in the media where customers interact and share.

According to a new report, 85% of healthcare B2B marketers have a content marketing strategy, but only 4% believe their programs are extremely effective.

For a healthcare marketer focused on a pediatric service line, creating helpful content could mean writing an educational article on the merits and concerns of pediatric psychology. When planning to increase content production when the vast majority does not believe that their content marketing efforts are highly effective, B2B marketing specialists are potentially prepared for failure.

Content marketing nurtures a long-term relationship with customers, which is critical in the medical industry.

3 Tips to Grow Your Healthcare Company with Content Marketing:

1. Know what your customers want to learn

2. Be a healthcare industry leader

3. Capitalize on current events

The following tips will set you up with the knowhow you need to produce better content for your readers. Content marketing is an excellent way to both position your healthcare company as a thought leader and to generate new leads and customers for your business. Be creative and offer information that provides real insight for your customers.

Target Ideal Buyers with Content

Creating and sharing successful Healthcare marketing content is all about your audience: who you’re speaking to and what you’re trying to say. To make the most out of your healthcare services, you first have to define the group of people you’re creating your content for and what they’ll find useful about it. Content marketing involves creating and sharing quality content that is specifically designed to attract your target customers. If you’re not sure how to get started with your content marketing strategy, we can help! Here’s how to target your buyer persona through content marketing.

• Defining And Developing Buyer Personas

• Consider The Buying Team

• Mapping Content To The Buyer’s Journey

The beauty of the specific content is that it was created with a specific group in mind to enjoy and learn from the way they prefer to consume content. Without a persona-based content marketing initiative, you run the risk of allowing your competitors to influence buyers by talking about their needs and addressing uncertainties through specific content, which increases the consideration of purchases as along the road.

That’s especially true for B2B healthcare marketers, many of whom face more complicated, longer sales cycles, making their challenges with consistent and compelling content creation all the more problematic. With that in mind, there is a lot for B2B marketers in other industries to learn from the world of health marketing. Be sure to always involve a specific target audience through different channels and remain relevant.

Table of Contents

Best Ways To Start Online Marketing With Little Money

6 Things IMers Need to Know About Your Marketing Campaign

Marketing Campaigns Don’t Come Free… or do they?
Free Marketing Tools… Yes!
Don’t Underestimate Social Media
Tell Your Story – It Matters
How to Start Online Marketing with Zero Experience
Don’t Just Walk Away
Best Ways To Start Online Marketing With Little Money
Anyone who has ever started a marketing campaign can tell you that marketing is a very tricky business. However, the days when marketing was simply about throwing up a few fliers and sending out some snail mail are long gone. Today, most marketing campaigns are done on the Internet, and that is a whole other ballgame. With that being said, read on below for a few of the top things you need to know about your marketing campaign.

If you want to make sure that you are giving your IM business the best chance at success, then you are going to have to invest some time and a little bit of money into online marketing. This is vital if you want to make sure that you are keeping up with your competition. If all of your competitors are making use of proper marketing techniques and you are not, it is only a matter of time before things for your business start to dwindle and you want to prevent that from ever happening.

There are 6 Things IMers Need to Know About Your Marketing Campaign if you want to build a successful Internet Marketing business online.

However, First Things First… You want to get it out of your head that you have to have a lot of money in order to properly market your company. In fact, some of the best online marketing tools and techniques do not require a ton of money. They might need a little bit of money, but mostly, they require time and effort. If you have that – then you can make it work with no problem.

To help you with this, you will want to make sure that you are taking the time to make use of the following tips.

6 Things IMers Need to Know About Your Marketing Campaign

1. Marketing Campaigns Don’t Come Free… or do they?

This is a MUST for anyone who hopes to have even a remote chance of succeeding with an online business as an Internet Marketer (IMer). There are plenty of programs available that will provide you with the ability to build your own “free” site. However, you want to be very careful as to what exactly “free” allows for and doesn’t.

Your initial attempts at internet marketing, until you acquire the necessary skills and know-how, should always be with programs that are “free” (or at minimum offer free trials of at least 30 days). This will allow you some time to become more knowledgeable prior to engaging in any paid internet marketing system or promotional campaigns.

Nonetheless, whether free or paid, you want to have some specific requirements that must be met if you are to have any chance of success in your journey as an IMer. They are simple and should include (but not be limited to):

Free hosting (for at least 6 months)
Offer ease of use
Provide reliable support and last but never least
Be reasonably priced (stay within what you can comfortably afford)
You can easily obtain most, if not all, of this information online by checking reviews. – Be Sure To Do That!
Do your due diligence and you WILL find “Exactly” what you are looking for and need.

“Your Website Should Earn You Money… NOT Just Cost You Money.”

While launching a marketing campaign certainly isn’t easy or completely free, it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. Remember, there is nothing more revealing than a well-placed YouTube video or taking a chance on social media. Get your feet wet free of charge, sign up for a social media page for your business (if you haven’t, yet). With this in mind, you want to make sure that you start planning to set aside a budget (even a modest one) for your marketing campaign if it is to be effective.

2. Free Marketing Tools… Yes!

You need to start understanding the online marketing tools that are offered to you free of charge. After all, your IM business will financially benefit if you make sure you are using them correctly. Then, with the extra money that you have earned from those techniques, you will be able to move on to bigger and better online marketing strategies.

So what kind of online marketing tool is free of charge?

Social media – that’s what! Sure, you might have thought that social media pages are for people to keep in contact with their family and to show off vacation pictures to all of their friends. However, while it is that, it is also so much more. You can create a nice business page on a social media website, update it as needed with valuable information, and interact with people who you hope to turn into customers one day.

3. Don’t Underestimate Social Media

As much as you might hate to, marketing on social media is where it’s at. By getting yourself out there and showing the world what your business has to offer, you will find that you will be much better off! Social Media are used 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and nothing gets the word out there like social media can.

4. Tell Your Story – It Matters

In the marketing world, your product isn’t the only thing that matters. When you start a marketing campaign, you automatically become a piece of media. No one wants to watch an advertisement for a product that is boring, no matter how sensational that product may be. These days, you have to sell your brand, not just your product. The best way to do this is by making the customer feel what the product can do for them. Telling a story matters, if you want your product to sell and your brand to succeed.

5. How to Start Online Marketing With Zero Experience

Do not make the mistake of falling into the trap where you assume that you have to have a ton of internet marketing experience in order to make it work for you. This is nonsense because someone who has absolutely zero experience with internet marketing can become very successful with it. And the best part? It might not take as long as you think! This is because there are a lot of easy ways to get started. Since there are multiple ways to make use of internet marketing, you will find that there is always something you can do to make this an easier thing for you to accomplish.

Remember, one of the first things you can do, and with little experience if any, is to assure that you are setting up some social media accounts for your business. You will then want to make sure that you are spending enough time throughout the week interacting with the people that like your page. Utilize your time wisely, not for simple SM chit-chat. This is a time consuming but much-needed process, particularly if your budget is low – Let’s call this Time-Equity.

6. Don’t Just Walk Away

Simply setting up the page and walking away is not going to cut it because people will forget about you. They are also not likely to view you as an authority figure in the field that you are in. If you are tight on time, you can always have a friend or family member help you with your social media pages throughout the week. Since we are only talking maybe an hour or two of work a week, this should not be a hard thing to do.

Your Website & Content

There are also resources available that, for a fee (very small in some cases), will write content for you to publish on your site and SM pages. You want to ensure that your content is 100% unique and of the highest quality related to your niche so be sure to discuss your requirements clearly, if you are to source out your content writing.

Whether you set up the website on your own or you get help with it – it is all about keeping it up to date with fresh evergreen/unique, high-quality content. Show your potential clients or customers that you are the person to go to when they need a little help. Even a whiff of knowledge and sharing that knowledge can really go a long way!

Recap

These are but a few of the things you need to know before you launch a marketing campaign. Make sure that you don’t forget them and your campaign should be a roaring success. Marketing has come a long way, get on board for the success you have always wanted to achieve today.

It is important to make sure that you are doing everything that you can in order to get the name of your IM business out there. This way, you will be able to help more people than ever before. You will also be able to find that you are making more money than ever before. So, how can this be accomplished? One way to achieve this is to pay diligent attention to the things you need to know about your business and its marketing campaign.

Become laser-focused on internet marketing best practices for your IM business. This might seem a bit intimidating, especially if you have never given internet marketing a try, but it’s really not difficult to achieve.

Sign up for a social media page for your business right away, if you haven’t already. This is absolutely free and in today’s world, probably one of the best online marketing tools out there. This is because so many people find themselves spending a great deal of their free time online social media websites. It simply is not something that you want to pass up on.

Then What?

Of course, you are going to have to take it a step further; don’t just setting up the business social media page and walking away. You are going to have to make sure that you are being interactive with the people who visit your page. Post updates on your SM pages; Link articles/posts/blogs from your site to your SM pages; Offer free advice.

Do anything you can in order to gain the trust of your future customers.

Become very familiar with the things you need to know about your Internet Marketing business. Learn about and invest in some online marketing strategies whenever possible. Do not be surprised when this, and this alone, starts to give you some cushioning in your profit margins; which will come in very handy when you decide to venture and expand your market even further.

Here is something many entrepreneurs need to understand when it comes to marketing: there is no such thing as guaranteed results.

There are too many factors about your marketing campaign that no one can control. Among them, there is the behavior of the overall market, competitive pricing, demand for offers like yours, current events, and others.

It would be anti-ethical for any marketing agency or freelancer to guarantee ABC results if you invest XYZ amount of money. But it does not mean that there are not ways to get the most out of your marketing budget (according to the circumstances).

Here are seven ways you can maximize your marketing efforts – whether we are in a recession or a booming period.

Do Not Confuse Marketing with Networking

If you are marketing your business, you need to understand the difference between connecting and communicating with your community and sharing / promoting your business.

Do not take to social media or networking events to present your sales pitch right away. People do not like it when you sell stuff to them. Instead, connect first by hearing about their problems, and communicate with them in ways they can solve those problems.

There will be time for you to promote and share on social media and at networking events. But you need to build a relationship first. That way, your audience would not feel like you are selling to them, but that they are taking advice. Because they trust you.

Market Efficiently

I am a firm believer in A/B testing. It is the best way to keep your marketing campaigns rolling and not waste your budget.

You do not want to throw money away with marketing that is not appealing to your market. That is why it is imperative that you constantly test your letters, ads, and emails to see what is getting the attention of the market, and what is persuading them into buying.

Cut What Does Not Work

Once you start testing your marketing efforts, you will know what to keep and what to drop.

You do not need to be everywhere at once. You need to be where your market wants you to be.

Do not waste your time on Facebook if the people are not responding. Stop sending letters if there are no sales coming from them. And please, do not waste two million dollars on a TV spot that won’t produce any ROI.

Inbound Marketing vs Outbound Marketing

I believe both inbound and outbound marketing have a place and are beneficial to every business. But they have their place in the marketing process.

Outbound marketing should be the focus when you are starting out. You need to let people know that you are there to help them. Thus, you should be sending emails, making phone calls, and making the first step to connect with the market.

Once you have set up a reputation for your business, then inbound marketing takes over. Because people will be looking for you. They will look at your website, your blog, and your social media channels.

So, do not disregard either marketing strategy. Just place them correctly according to the level of growth of your business. Outbound marketing when you are looking to prove yourself, and inbound marketing when you have an established name in the market.

Cold Calling as a Marketing Tactic

Most people are afraid of cold calling. Honestly, I believe “terrified” is a more proper term.

That is the reason many dismiss this tactic from their marketing strategy. But I think cold calling is as practical a marketing tactic as any of the others.

You need to make that first connection. And if the market is not coming to you, you might as well go to them.

And cold calling is not as bad as people make it out to be.

All you need is a good script and some thick skin (to handle rejection). And after a couple of times doing it, you will feel comfortable approaching targets and converting them into leads.

Hire Professionals

You can divide any marketing campaign into three facets: strategy, content, and design.

If you have experience in marketing planning, website design, and copy and content writing – then, by all means, go for it. Although I would recommend getting a critique from a professional on each, just to go safely.

But, if you are marketing your business, and have no prior planning, writing, or designing experience, your best bet is to hire professionals for each endeavor. They will know what to do to present your product in the most appealing way possible to your market.

There is also the choice of learning things yourself, but if time is not on your side, then I suggest hiring the professionals anyway until you can take over after getting some marketing seasoning.

Plan Your Marketing

You might have expected this to be tip number one. But I wanted to make sure you understood some things before we got into time management.

But now that we got the small details explained, here is a template to develop a weekly marketing schedule:

Mondays: Market research to find targets

Tuesdays: Prospecting

Wednesdays: Content marketing

Thursdays: Automation

Fridays: Website updates

Every day: Networking on Twitter and LinkedIn

Make sure to separate (at least) an hour every workday to do your marketing. You can perform a marketing task each day to keep your efforts moving. Also, make room for at least half an hour of networking – online or in person.

When people say that they want to make photocopies of a document, they often say they’re going to Xerox them, even if the machine they’re using isn’t a Xerox brand machine. When people need to sneeze, they often ask for a Kleenex, even if the box nearby is a different brand. That’s the power of branding. If you can make your company name synonymous with the product you’re selling, then it will be that much easier to get the word out about your product. Using the internet to create a brand for your business services is a great way to promote your business.The first step to using the internet to create a brand for your business services is to decide on the name of that brand. It should be short and easy to remember so that people can start using it quickly. You should try to make it clever, and it will definitely help if you include it in a catch phrase. People are more likely to remember it if it’s part of a slogan. If the current name of your business doesn’t work, then you may want to try creating an internet-only service and giving that product a brandable name.If you’re serious about using the internet to create a brand for your business services, then you need to be serious about using your brand name as often as possible. Use it as though it’s already a part of the pop-culture lexicon. People may ask what you’re talking about, but that will only serve as an opportunity to tell them about the branded service. You want to encourage as many people as possible to start using your brand name as the name of the service in question, and the best way to do this is to lead by example.And be sure to advertise your brand diligently. Using the internet to create a brand for your business services will be an exercise in futility if you don’t make the effort to properly market the brand. You’ll know you’re making headway when you use the brand name as the service name and people actually know what you mean. The more you’re able to get people comfortable with your brand as the name of the service, the closer you are to your goal of branding your service. With the help of the internet, you can even take that brand worldwide, if you want to. The sky’s the limit.

Unless you are using a branding iron or needle for tattoos, there is no ing in brand.I make the mistake of using the participle branding and certainly allow others, but I see a problem. As personal brand concepts are becoming more widely discussed on and offline; and coaches are marketing personal brand services, I see a clear confusion between marketing and brand.Let’s start here in part one of a series on personal brand:You have a market (maybe not always easily defined). Then you have marketing.You have a brand (maybe not always easily defined). Then you have marketing.Brand exists in the moment. Yes, you have a brand right now. You can re-brand to change an image or perception, but the experience remains along the way. You need marketing to communicate the brand.Brand is soft. It is an experience defined by the market/customer. It can be you, your business, products and culture.Marketing is more tangible. Name, logo, slogan, design, influence, scheme, campaign, etc.Brand is a collection of the marketing collateral. Important: the brand can be perceived different than the message. That is where market research comes in. Or for the personal brand a brand check – similar to a confidential reference check the way I do it.In other words you don’t start personal branding, the action, but you may start awareness of your brand and a strategy to improve and communicate your value proposition.My days as an executive recruiter generalist provided insight into many businesses and disciplines. It was the Brand Manager role in many executives and some entrepreneurs I love to apply to the personal brand manager required in all of us.A classic brand manager job description coming from, say, Kellogg School of Management into a well know company like Sara Lee to run or create any one of the Sara Lee Brands consist of expertise in:Identifying key marketsMarket researchBuild product/service solutionsPricing strategyBuilding brand awarenessCareers are our own business – a business that we create, brand, own and manage. Our careers go through the same service model cycle a business does. So it is logical to think that any professional needs to plan, manage and brand a career. The Classic disciplines required such as those listed above are not required core competencies of the career and community minded professional. But the strategy as a tool is required to build and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage.Brand management for your career:Identifying key markets to understand where your skills and passions are transferable.Market research to be tooled with the required skills to be competitive today and tomorrow and to identify market trends (or create them).Build product/service solutions that add value and separate you from your perceived competition.Pricing strategy to understand the value of your skills and results as well positioning for negotiations for your service offering.Building brand awareness on and offline to be a known commodity and provider of value – sought after as an expert in your field.Identifying Key MarketsIf you could live in your ideal community, where would it be? Describe your neighbors and their character. What is the hot industry that you can’t stop talking about? Why can’t this industry live without you? Are you a generalist or have multiple industry answers – lucky you because you can think about why multiple industries and communities can’t live without you! For you, there is a different value proposition based on market conditions and trends – what are they?
Before true success in market penetration with product You – you know yourself with lived values and trust in your competencies. That confidence is the difference and if you don’t have it in you, how can you expect others to be confident in you as you venture into the unknown together.Key markets can be where you have demonstrated obvious results and your skills are easily sold with existing brand loyalty. With the ability to demonstrate your confidence, you can show transferable skills into new key markets – whether the industry is new to you or new to everybody.Show a match in your integrity and competencies to the mission of a target company in your key market and you will have a winning strategy – if you are innovating new than you know what to do…surround yourself with complimentary brands that will drive your idea to market.Market ResearchTo the surprise of most, Tiger Woods chose the top of his game to fix his swing. Woods was widely recognized as the best golfer in the world in 1997 so why would he deliberately slump to fix his swing?Tiger Woods knew his swing would not remain a competitive advantage over the long term. His proactive training was the mark of a visionary at his best.Woods already identified his talents and passion and is constantly working on his skills. If he does not constantly look at the competition, conditions, tools he uses and skills to compete, he knows he will quickly become irrelevant – same with you and me!When looking at your skill-set, do you know what you have to offer? What is it going to take to compete next year…three years….five years? Do you ask yourself what trends are taking place that could change or eliminate your role?I am often asked to help identify the best ways to help research industries and trends. From a broad spectrum, subscribe to the appropriate trade magazines and join the targeted associations in your area. Seek out the experts and trend setters and find a way to add value to them. Learn learn learn and be the sought after one in the magazines and events on and offline. That is a great personal brand! Need help with specific examples for you? Ask at http://www.PersonalBoardofAdvisors.comBuild Product/Service SolutionsWe understand the concept of being the CEO of ME, Inc in this fast paced and ultra growth competitive age. It is a hot topic Oprah has covered in a series called Investing in Me, Inc and if you Google discussion forums about personal brand, you are sure to find many discussions and ideas.Great idea in theory, but what if you are a commodity with no known competitive advantage or your talents and passions don’t line with your skills? What if you have no perceived value? What if your brand is negative because of a poor experience others have with you?Your career is in the service business so it is worth repeating:Careers are our own business – a business that we create, brand, own and manage. Our careers go through the same service model cycle a business does. So it is logical to think that any professional needs to plan, manage and brand a career. The Classic disciplines required such as those listed above are not required core competencies of the career and community minded professional. But the strategy as a tool is required to build and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage.What do you sell?Without a solid answer to this question you can not have the confidence to pitch your offering to people. You must believe in yourself first before you can start communicating your brand. As you continuously learn and build market trend and identify needs, you too can tool yourself with a competitive advantage packaged with a promise of value.Pricing StrategyHow much to charge for services and how much to pay for services can be a time consuming due diligence task if you are not aware of your value and environment. It is also a tough sell if perceived value and trust is not where it should be – your brand. In other words, price can be an easy indicator of fit or deal killer early. The fear of paying too much or too little is found out over time. Too little results in lack of motivation and active searching for a better fit; too much holds poor expectations resulting in adjustments (firing) over time.That said, there are multiple ingredients to what makes a fair compensation agreement. It is a good idea through negotiations to learn all parties motivations. Unique benefits and risk/reward scenarios come into play – understand what a true win:win looks like.Traditional employer/employee situations have ranges that are easily understood so skills vs. needs tend to find each other rather easy. Salary.com and the 2008 Inc Magazine Executive Compensation Guide will give you an idea. Look for these studies each year for trends. If your personal brand shows an obvious premium or learning curve – negotiate appropriately.Consultants have other cost and cost savers for the client to consider. The otherwise salary being replaced is a starting point. Consider business development and other non-paid time in your equation and know how your higher rate saves the client company money under traditional hire situations – your value proposition.Finally there is your products and services and how they should be priced in the market. Not much changes here. The market will help determine your price and you help communicate value in terms of ROI. If you offer something new to the market, clearly more research and testing may be required.Happy negotiating!Building Brand AwarenessYour personal brand changes as you the individual learn more details about your natural talents and build on your core competencies. It also changes along with your environment. Today, those changes are happening faster than you can accomplish your current tasks on the job and in your community. The perception of what you have to offer could be great one day and irrelevant the next. That perception can also be different from how you see it vs. your market and even from person to person as they experience you. That is why there is no “ing” in brand.Your personal brand exists in it’s current state. Not everyone is going to get it. But does everyone respect you? Are you proud of who you are? Do you communicate a focused brand to an audience who can benefit? Do people trust you – do you have confidence in yourself?When you re-brand, meaning changing your promise of value and experience people have with you, you are in a cycle of change. It is here where you prove your vision of who you want to be is your greatest asset. Living and talking (BEING) that brand will make your transition seamless. Communication, marketing, networking your change is a process that will take time in the masses. But with existing trust and your confidence shining to those who don’t know you, your brand, continues to be present in the moment.You are not branding…you are. The question is, do people know who you are?Do they know how you can add value, RIGHT NOW? Do they know how to help you get to where you want to be?Building brand awareness is as easy as being authentic in adding value to yourself, family, community and business. You build brand awareness by adding value and doing a GREAT job consistently – by being a connector. The rest is marketing. here, there and everywhere on and offline where people will listen.Be you – be great and make it an “Absolutely Incredible Day” for someone!

The word branding derives from the act of branding of cattle in order to discern the identity of the cattle, or whom they belonged to. Branding means to “burn” one’s mark on their product. Today, branding has evolved to encompass a company, product or service’s identity and how that image is imprinted in the mind of the consumer. Branding is not only about making people aware of your product, but also about perception. You want your customers to see you as the end all, the only solution to what they are looking for. If people trust in your brand, they will be willing to pay for it, no matter what the cost. A brand creates an image in the consumer’s head. It tells them that there is something special about your brand, something that is not like other businesses or products out there.When you are prepared to get started with your branding strategy, you need to establish what your company stands for. By doing this you will define exactly how you want your company to be perceived. Come up with a few ideas and then build around them from there. If you are unable to brand your company into a few terms, then how do you expect your customers to do the same? At the end of the day, you want to create a successful brand, bring in customers and give the positive experience. This will create a devoted customer.These days many companies make promises to consumers. “Money back guaranteed!” “You won’t believe the results!” Branding is how your company strategizes making its promise to the customer. Companies have to stand out from other brands, which is challenging when we as consumers have so many options at our fingertips. Ultimately, the goal is for people to put your brand at the very top of whatever category your product or service fits.There are a few things you should try to avoid when devising your branding strategy. It is not typical for a company to be successful at selling a “better” product and make claims of its superiority over a product that has a record of success; you must separate yourself from the competition. You should come up with your company or products branding in terms that the majority of consumers will understand; the simpler the brand concept, the more it tends to stick in people’s minds. It is important to protect your brand and deal with online reputation management, or IRM. Lastly, focus on offering your customer’s the best value and not the lowest price. There will always be competitors trying to get below your price point.Remember that branding is about the consumer’s perception and not the product itself. It is proven that perception is the reality of the consumer, not the facts. It does take time, money and consistency to build a strong brand, but the advantages of will pay off if it is done correctly.