Building a brand is something I have blogged about before while networking, but after my vacation in September (which was awesome) I attended a meetup group and it hit me even more.

You need to create a brand around yourself, me, I, (in this case John Murch), everyone needs to brand themselves (all the cool, kids are doing it). By your domain (if you can still get it!), build a website/blog/tumblr/whatever, get business cards, and establish yourself within your industry. Just think of your website as a big resume, the more you put up there the more you are out there spreading the word of yourself 24/7 online. Set yourself apart from others within your field and create your own business cards with overnight prints it’s easy and simple. You can get 100 Business Cards ONLY $9.95. FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $75 1000’s of Free Templates, Design Today, Ready Tomorrow!

Personally I have started to establish my own brand and recently started to set myself apart with new initiatives. I have highlighted this before for college students, but you need to as a business man (or Geek in my case!) pickup some business cards and get started today!

Remember you need to Sell yourself. No matter what you do in life, as an employee or employer, you meet people and build your network. If you are in sales you meet a lot of people, and even if your a secretary, you meet other peoples via clients. Get out there and sell yourself. In the game of business you are always selling something. Remember in sales you are either making a sale of your product, or having someone sell you on a reason they can’t buy the product.

Okay, back to the point, back in September at the New York Internet Marketing Meetup Group I got to see first hand the reactions to my new business card.

I made these cards since I was getting a lot of slack about my “print your own”. I was a networking whore in Arizona and learned that while networking the first impression is key. You need to be confident and present yourself well, especially if you Want clients. Your business card is you, so put your name up front and make the user focuses on one key factor. I have seen this work time and time again with my friend Brian Shaler. His Business Card is just his name, that’s it. It’s double-side with his name, Brian Shaler. Now some networking whores may say - but how do they contact me, well if you hear of this small company called Google, I am sure you can find all the information you need. Branding is key in this industry, you need to set yourself apart.

The idea of branding should be focused around how many people know your name. The ones who know your name, but have not met you in real life.  Online everyone has a “following” no mater the size of your blogs RSS subscribers, Twitters, Facebook stalkers… everything. I remember when Facebook was just for college kids, and the way to show your coolness was how many friends you had. Connections are key to business as well as personal growth and employee options. It’s all about the who you know who know you. So go build your brand today and hit me up on Twitter (@jmurch).

The basic article discuss how ideas have little to no value, it is all about the execution of an idea that determine how much the idea can be worth. The idea of a execution multiplier.

Derek Sivers explains with the following concept:

AWFUL IDEA = -1
WEAK IDEA = 1
SO-SO IDEA = 5
GOOD IDEA = 10
GREAT IDEA = 15
BRILLIANT IDEA = 20

NO EXECUTION = $1
WEAK EXECUTION = $1000
SO-SO- EXECUTION = $10,000
GOOD EXECUTION = $100,000
GREAT EXECUTION = $1,000,000
BRILLIANT EXECUTION = $10,000,000

“The most brilliant idea, with no execution, is worth $20.
The most brilliant idea takes great execution to be worth $20,000,000.
That’s why I don’t want to hear people’s ideas.
I’m not interested until I see their execution.” via oreilly.com

This is the most brilliant concept I have seen in a while and hit me like a slap in the face. I have millions of ideas day in and day out, but executing them, well I have been slacking in the department in the past, but trying to change.

Ideas are just thoughts, they need to be ironed out and eventually executed. Recently I had an idea about some SEO tool and wanted to executing them. Myself and another partner have been working on building these SEO Tools, that I am sure my readers would want to use. These SEO Tools have mainly been developed based on a idea of automating SEO optimization. I had this idea, but can’t be worth that much, but if executed, it can be vary valuable. So I want to improve on Derek Sivers post by discussion automation as in an Idea is worth little to nothing, executing an idea has a multiply and automation well, that can raise the number to a high power. The automation of a product can also be the repackaging of a product, just checkout 37 Signal’s post on Making Money Twice. You want to automate processes so you can leverage the idea/execution as another stream of passive income. As for my SEO Tools I am hoping to demo the product by end of month, but always looking for beta tests, so contact me if your interested and/or do some SEO work of your own.

A couple of weeks ago, my SEO idea was just that, and idea, but with some help, this idea can be executed and later automated to bring in a steady stream of passive income. While working on executing my own idea (or any idea) you need to surround yourself with like minded people who ask tough questions, give advice, and can help put you in contact with people who can help. Well, early this week I received an email about Ultra Light Startups and was blown away after I saw what Ultra Light Startups promote (Low permanent headcount, low overhead, low budget, and outsourcing) and how they can help (network,share ideas, work together). I have been looking for a group of entrepreneurs who help each other take ideas and get them executed and out the world, hopefully this is it! For myself I do not want to just see myself succeed in a business, I want to help everyone I can and make it a win/win. Much like cashflow, the goal is not to get yourself out of the “rat race”, you want to get everyone out of the “rat race”.

I will be sure to write up a whole blog post about the event. Ultra Light Startups is focused on ‘100% participatory’ and even offer a discount for those who “demo” a idea, how awesome is that. I will be attending their next meeting Thursday October 2nd 2008. So if you are in the NYC area and want to meet some entrepreneurs, register now.

I really am looking forward to this event and hope to meet other entrepreneurs who have taken ideas and executed them by building a low overhead business via outsourcing and working with one another. I am a big fan of multiple streams of passive income. By offering a group that encourages you to take an idea and act on it that requires small amounts of money, well.. I am just really excited. As I said, I will be posting the full story and review in my next post. I hope to see you there or at another meetup/networking event in NYC.

1. Read a Book - Reading has been a great way to motivate myself and inspire others. I have recently been asked by some passion readers to post more often. I keep finding myself with only an hour of time a night after my long commute. I tried bringing my laptop and working on the train, but find that I am a better writer at night then in the morning. I know in the past I have put together a book club that has some amazing books that are inspirational. The latest book that I have read, and need to post up is. “Screw It Let’s Do It”, by Richard Brandson.
2. Goal Setting - To get back on your feet, sometimes you need to take a step back and realign your goals. I have previously posted about the Opensource Goals Meme. I am a big fan of posting up your goals and looking at my 2008 Goals I am surprised my readers have not given up. (I too need to get on the ball, I guess I should be eating my own words.) Also if you have not created one, try making a dream board and posting it where you are most often working.
3. Cleaning - The old saying of “cleanliness is next to godliness” is very much correct in my life. I know when I am down and not motivated, a quick clean up of my desk does the trick. I am not sure if their is some Feng Shui in my life, but when I clean I become more focus and driven.
4. Screensucking - When you spend 14+ hours a day in front of a computer, you tend to read a lot of peoples blogs, websites, ebooks, whatever. You are basically on a uncontrollable hunt for information and keep searching for more information until you get up. Screensucking can get me motivated because I read about someone getting funded or launching an idea that I had years ago. I would suggest looking at various blogs and pin point 3 to 5 blogs that inspire you such as stories of a $100 company.
5. Network - What better way to pick yourself up then to tell the story to a bunch of strangers who are trying to pitch you their business. When you surround yourself with passionate and motivated people, it tends to rub off. Networking events can be hit or miss, some are great and you leave with a great lead/card, where others are more of a so you do this… right. Try and focus on the person as much as possible and ask questions. People love to talk about themselves, and their is nothing better then talking to someone is who passionate about what they do, giving them feedback and letting some of that good vibe rub off on you.