1) Start by identifying your objectives. What do you hope to accomplish through your social media presence? Are you hoping to directly sell products and services? (Note: in-your-face sales tactics are rarely successful via social media.) Are you hoping to spread awareness amongst your market? Are you seeking to build stronger relationships with current clients? Or are you simply trying to drive traffic to your website? As you see, there are a variety of ways in which social media can be approached. Define your objectives before jumping in!

2) Look to build relationships and form community. Social media is a fantastic forum to strengthen existing relationships and to develop new ones. It is easy to plug yourself in to communities of people that share the same line of work, the same geographic location, or even the same hobbies as you. Start conversations, pursue relationships, and work to integrate yourself into various communities. You will find that these relationships often lead to productive collaboration and are well worth the time you invest.

3) Use Facebook and Twitter to share more about yourself, your interests, and your personal life. Whether it is sharing photos of your family or keeping your followers informed of your latest travels, social media platforms represent a great opportunity to “open up” and let your connections get to know you even better. This is an excellent way to build trust, as well—as it gives your audience a chance to see the “real” you. As you probably know, consumers prefer to do business with people that they trust—so take advantage of the opportunity!

4) Remember to stay true to your brand across all platforms. Whether it is Facebook, your blog, or even your latest TV appearance, it is always important to stay consistent with your brand. The ease and frequency with which you can communicate via social media makes it easy to stray off course, so discipline is important.

Social media is a powerful tool for personal branding. Thanks to platforms like Facebook and Twitter, today you have the ability to reach a massive audience in real-time and for virtually no cost. Thirty years ago, marketers would have stood in line for days and paid untold sums of money for this type of reach. The only question is… will you take advantage? And it all starts with a strategy—contact us today if you’d like to learn more!

For instance:

Do you have a unique educational background? Perhaps you attended a prestigious college or earned a prestigious degree? Or maybe you are a lifelong learner and have acquired multiple degrees. If your educational background makes you uniquely qualified to provide services to your market, emphasize it! You spent plenty of time and money pursuing your education—it only makes sense to leverage it as much as you can.

What are some of the more interesting facets of your personality? Incorporating your personality into your personal brand is important—but only in a way that is relevant. Your phobia of spiders, for example, probably won’t add value to your brand. On the other hand, your non-stop work ethic or your creative approach to problem solving are likely worth working in to your personal brand.

What are your hobbies and passions? Remember, a strong personal brand is distinctive as well as memorable… and what better way to create a memorable brand than by incorporating your unique passions? I am a Florida Gators fan—and my clients, friends, and colleagues are well aware of this fact. You may not be a sports fan, but what are you passionate about? American Idol? Your vintage car collection? Traveling the world? Don’t be shy about working these hobbies and passions into your brand!

A strong personal brand will inspire your audience to trust you—because they will feel like they already know you. But such a brand cannot be built without highlighting the areas that make you unique. You’re not a robot—you’re not all business, 100% of the time. So don’t build a robotic personal brand. Focus on your points of differentiation and your unique characteristics and you’ll be well on your way to building an effective personal brand.

Orlando, FL – December 6, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder of The Dicks and Nanton Companies, a Personal Branding company, recently published an article on his website (http://www.nicknanton.com) discussing the importance of creating a brand that resonates with customers. The article, titled “Does Your Brand Resonate With Your Customers?” asks three questions to help readers determine whether their brand appeals to their market. 

Nick Nanton writes, “Social media, book publishing, and dynamic websites are fantastic—but they must stay true to the principles of effective branding.”

The Dicks and Nanton Companies specialize in Personal Branding. They help clients to elevate their recognition and credibility in their business or professional niche.

The entire article can be found at http://www.celebritybrandingagency.com/articles/does-your-brand-resonate-with-your-customers.php

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

An Emmy Award Winning Director and Producer, Nick Nanton, Esq., is known as the Top Agent to Celebrity Experts around the world for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at at major universities. His book Celebrity Branding You®has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University of Central Florida.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, an international agency with more than 800 clients in 23 countries, Nick is an award winning director, producer and songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has co-authored 15 best-selling books alongside Brian Tracy, Dr. Ivan Misner (Founder of BNI), Jay Conrad Levinson (Author of the Guerilla Marketing Series), Leigh Steinberg and many others, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business and Professional Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 300 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates around the country speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Downtown Credo Orlando, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina and their three children, Brock, Bowen and Addison.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

Orlando, FL – November 30, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder of The Dicks and Nanton Companies, a Personal Branding company, recently published a Blog on his website (http://www.nicknanton.com) warning that failing to define your personal brand can have negative repercussions. The Blog, titled “Personal Branding 101: ‘But I Don't Need a Personal Brand’,” informs readers that, if they do not define their own personal brand, they are leaving it for others to define.

Nick Nanton writes, “As a business owner, you cannot afford to have a miscommunication when it comes to creating your personal brand—which is why it is critical that every business owner deliberately define and communicate his or her personal brand.”

The Dicks and Nanton Companies specialize in Personal Branding. They help clients to elevate their recognition and credibility in their business or professional niche.

The entire Blog can be found at http://www.celebritybrandingagency.com/blog/personal-branding-101-%E2%80%9Cbut-i-dont-need-a-personal-brand.php

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

An Emmy Award Winning Director and Producer, Nick Nanton, Esq., is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, Nick is an award winning director, producer and songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has co-authored 10 best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 300 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates around the country speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Downtown Credo Orlando, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina and their three children, Brock, Bowen and Addison.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

Orlando, FL – October 15, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder of The Dicks and Nanton Companies, a Personal Branding company, recently published an article on his website (http://www.nicknanton.com) highlighting the importance of public speaking. The article, titled “Personal Branding: Why You Need to Start Giving Speeches,” encourages business owners to begin pursuing opportunities for public speaking. 

Nick Nanton writes, “But the truth is that speaking at a seminar or a conference is a uniquely powerful personal branding tool and should be seriously considered by anyone who is serious about building their brand.”

The Dicks and Nanton Companies specialize in Personal Branding. They help clients to elevate their recognition and credibility in their business or professional niche.

The entire article can be found at http://www.celebritybrandingagency.com/articles/personal-branding-why-you-need-to-start-giving-speeches.php

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

An Emmy Award Winning Director and Producer, Nick Nanton, Esq., is known as the Top Agent to Celebrity Experts around the world for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at at major universities. His book Celebrity Branding You®has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University of Central Florida.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, an international agency with more than 800 clients in 23 countries, Nick is an award winning director, producer and songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has co-authored 15 best-selling books alongside Brian Tracy, Dr. Ivan Misner (Founder of BNI), Jay Conrad Levinson (Author of the Guerilla Marketing Series), Leigh Steinberg and many others, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business and Professional Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 300 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates around the country speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Downtown Credo Orlando, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina and their three children, Brock, Bowen and Addison.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

As you know if you have been paying attention to my blog entries and articles, storytelling is an essential aspect of personal branding.  The goal is to create a personal brand that resonates with your audience—and to do that, it is important that your brand tells a story.  A flat, one-dimensional brand doesn’t give an audience any reason to pay attention.  On the other hand, telling your story and letting your brand evolve will naturally generate interest in your personal brand—and by extension, your business.  So how do you tell that story?  Today, we have more effective storytelling tools than ever before… starting with Twitter.  Twitter is a great place to engage with your audience and keep them up to date on all of your latest adventures.  Twitter provides a fun, laid-back atmosphere—it is the perfect venue for building an interesting and dynamic brand.  If you haven’t created a Twitter profile yet, get started!  And if you are already on Twitter, here are some suggestions to help you tell your story:

1) Let your followers know what you are up to. If you follow me on Twitter (@NickNanton), you already know that I spend a good bit of time travelling, speaking, and producing various TV productions.  As a result, my followers recognize that I am truly immersed in the world of personal branding.  What do you spend time doing?  It doesn’t have to be exciting—just keep us all in the loop! 

2) Make it personal. Your Twitter profile should not be all business.  In fact, it is much easier for your audience to truly connect with you when they perceive you as a “real” person.  Tweet about your family, your hobbies, your opinions… don’t be afraid to open up a bit.  The more you share your life on Twitter, the better your audience will feel that they know you.  And the more they know you, the more likely they are to give you a call when they need your services!

3) Interact with your followers. Possibly the most overlooked concept when it comes to branding on Twitter is that interaction is critical.  Too many business owners treat Twitter like a bulletin board—they log on a couple of times each week, post something, and then leave.  But as you know from real life experience, it is hard to connect with someone who won’t interact with you.  Take the time to respond to your followers—your profile will become a much livelier and inviting place.  And when your audience is paying attention, you can tell your story much more effectively.

Personal branding is all about story telling.  Fortunately, Twitter provides the perfect platform for business owners looking to create an engaging personal brand.  Keep these tips in mind as you engage your audience— and you’ll find that telling your story comes naturally.  And don’t forget to connect with me on Twitter… I’m looking forward to hearing your story!

Orlando, FL – September 14, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder of The Dicks and Nanton Companies, a Personal Branding company, recently published a Blog on his website (http://www.nicknanton.com) evaluating the importance of YouTube for branding purposes. The Blog, titled “Personal Branding Tips: Three Reasons You Need to be on YouTube,” advises his readers to create video presence in order to strengthen their personal brand.

Nick Nanton writes, “From a personal branding standpoint, video is a fantastic tool as it allows your audience to see your face and hear your voice… instead of simply reading text.”

The Dicks and Nanton Companies specialize in Personal Branding. They help clients to elevate their recognition and credibility in their business or professional niche.

The entire Blog can be found at http://www.celebritybrandingagency.com/blog/personal-branding-tips-three-reasons-you-need-to-be-on-youtube.php

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

An Emmy Award Winning Director and Producer, Nick Nanton, Esq., is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, Nick is an award winning director, producer and songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has co-authored 10 best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 300 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates around the country speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Downtown Credo Orlando, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina and their three children, Brock, Bowen and Addison.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

As technology continues to evolve, video is becoming more and more prevalent across the internet.  Even five years ago, filming and publishing professional-grade video content was much more difficult than it is today.  From a personal branding standpoint, video is a fantastic tool as it allows your audience to see your face and hear your voice… instead of simply reading text.  Below are three great reasons why, if you are serious about personal branding, you need to be on YouTube:

1) Video allows you to connect with your audience in a way no other medium can. Blogging is great.  So is a strong social media presence and well-written content on your website.  But no medium can provide the type of personal connection that video offers.  There is no substitute for this connection. 

2) Video allows you to express your personality. The essence of your personal brand is your personality.  And video allows you to express yourself far more effectively than any other form of media.  From your facial expressions to vocal inflections, video communicates the subtleties that make you unique.  Video allows you to express your passions effectively as well—passion is communicated much more clearly through video than through text or pictures.

3) Video is fun and easy for your audience. Let’s face it, reading takes more effort than watching a video.  For better or worse, most of us enjoy being able to lean back and simply watch the computer screen rather than actively read.  In addition, video is easy to share, both on your website and on social media.  Take a look at this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQKng6ummN4) that we created introducing our “Generation U” marketing services for an example! 

Today’s technology makes establishing a video identity achievable for every single business owner.  YouTube and other video-based websites are dramatically growing in popularity every day, so don’t wait until it is too late to jump on this bandwagon.  If you have questions or would like further advice regarding using video for personal branding, please feel free to get in touch with me today.  I look forward to seeing you on YouTube!

Orlando, FL – August 29, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder of The Dicks and Nanton Companies, a Personal Branding company, recently published an article on his website (http://www.nicknanton.com) sharing tips for launching a personal branding campaign. The article, titled “Personal Branding: When You Don't Know Where to Start,” provides actionable steps to help readers get started. 

Nick Nanton writes, “First, figure out where you are going.  Who are your target customers?  The brand you seek to build must cater to these customers—as you can imagine, if you are targeting teenagers, your personal brand will be very different than if you are targeting retirees.”

The Dicks and Nanton Companies specialize in Personal Branding. They help clients to elevate their recognition and credibility in their business or professional niche.

The entire article can be found at http://www.celebritybrandingagency.com/articles/personal-branding-when-you-dont-know-where-to-start.php

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

An Emmy Award Winning Director and Producer, Nick Nanton, Esq., is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, Nick is an award winning director, producer and songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has co-authored 10 best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 300 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates around the country speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Downtown Credo Orlando, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina and their three children, Brock, Bowen and Addison.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

Recently I got an email from a regular reader of my articles.  She said that she loved the concepts and that she was ready to begin her own personal branding campaign… but that she had no idea how to start.  I shared some information with her, and today I am going to share it with you all.  Below are the first steps to take when it comes to building a strong personal brand:

First, figure out where you are going.  Who are your target customers?  The brand you seek to build must cater to these customers—as you can imagine, if you are targeting teenagers, your personal brand will be very different than if you are targeting retirees.

Once you have identified your target market, you can begin drawing up the brand you seek to create.  Some of this is already done for you, in the sense that your personality will be a big part of your brand.  You will want to choose traits or abilities to highlight, but you don’t want to make them up.  Effective branding requires you to be genuine—you can’t brand yourself successfully as something you are not.  What traits can set you apart from your competition in ways that appeal to your target market?

You’ve got your brand figured out, so now it is time to launch your campaign, right?  Wrong.  There’s an important step to be taken first, and it is a step that too many people miss.  It is essential that, before you launch your branding campaign, you test it on your audience.  Is your brand believable and appealing to your target market?  Do you come off as genuine?  Is your personal brand memorable?  You may not have the resources to test your brand on a focus group, but all of us have friends and family who will be happy to share their input!  Seek out as many opinions as you can find, and solicit their honest feedback.

Once you have determined that your brand will appeal to your market, it is time to start living it out.  It is not enough to simply create a website or launch a media campaign—if you are not reinforcing your brand on a regular basis, it is not going to grow.  So before you spend money launching a media campaign, take the time to make sure you are doing the little things right.  How are you answering your phone?  How are you dressing?  How are you conducting yourself in conversation?  What type of first impression are you making?  When you are confident that you are living your brand out each and every day, only then is it time to begin thinking about your campaign.

Personal branding is an enjoyable and profitable pursuit.  But for many people, getting started can be a challenge.  The tips we have covered today will get you started in the right direction—feel free to contact me for more information!

Orlando, FL – August 22, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder of The Dicks and Nanton Companies, a Personal Branding company, recently published a Blog on his website (http://www.nicknanton.com) explaining the importance of getting the details right for a personal brand. The Blog, titled “Personal Branding: It's the Details that Count,” provides examples of details that branders often overlook.

Nick Nanton writes, “While it is true that your personal appearance and the impression you have on those around you are both important, the reality is that personal branding is all about the details.”

The Dicks and Nanton Companies specialize in Personal Branding. They help clients to elevate their recognition and credibility in their business or professional niche.

The entire Blog can be found at http://www.celebritybrandingagency.com/blog/personal-branding-its-the-details-that-count.php

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

An Emmy Award Winning Director and Producer, Nick Nanton, Esq., is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, Nick is an award winning director, producer and songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has co-authored 10 best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 300 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates around the country speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Downtown Credo Orlando, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina and their three children, Brock, Bowen and Addison.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

There are plenty of misconceptions when it comes to personal branding, but I have found one to be particularly damaging: the idea that personal branding is nothing more than how you dress and the first impression you make on an audience. While it is true that your personal appearance and the impression you have on those around you are both important, the reality is that personal branding is all about the details.

When you create a brand, you are telling a story. It does you no good to build a “mostly strong” brand--because the details that you get wrong will undermine the brand you are trying to build. Have you ever heard a friend tell a great story, but been distracted by two or three glaring inconsistencies or downright falsehoods? No matter how compelling the story is, most people won’t be able to get past the details that are incorrect. So it is with building a brand. Below are several “little things” that many business owners get wrong...often with disastrous consequences for their brand:

1) Not staying true to their brand while dealing with individual customers. Many of us have experienced this bait-and-switch while dealing with large businesses, such as satellite TV providers or phone companies. You know what I am talking about--the commercial portrays the business as customer oriented and exciting, but the automated phone system sends precisely the opposite message. Don’t disappoint your customers--stay true to your brand every time you interact with them.

2) Contradicting their brand. It can be difficult to stay consistent with your branding efforts across multiple platforms. It is easy to say something in person that contradicts something you’ve written in your blog or shared on Twitter. But if this happens regularly, your market will begin to lose confidence in you and your business. Stay consistent.

3) Trying to be everything to everyone. Many business owners, in their quest to land every customer they see, are willing to shake up their brand in order to appeal to their latest prospect. Unfortunately, while this may increase your chances of landing a client in the short term, it weakens your brand to the point where it no longer stands for anything. Understand your brand, know what it stands for, and don’t deviate!

It is easy to undermine or weaken your personal brand.  And unfortunately, doing so can invalidate the time and resources you have invested.  Make sure that you have the details right!

Orlando, FL – August 15, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder of The Dicks and Nanton Companies, a Personal Branding company, recently published an article on his website (http://www.nicknanton.com) discussing the importance of effective branding. The article, titled “Personal Branding: It Pays to be the Expert,” shares four benefits of a strong expert brand. 

Nick Nanton writes, “Take two CPAs, identical in every way, except for their branding.  One is a typical, ho-hum accountant.  The other is an exciting, dynamic expert in his field.  Which one do you think can charge higher prices?”

The Dicks and Nanton Companies specialize in Personal Branding. They help clients to elevate their recognition and credibility in their business or professional niche.

The entire article can be found at http://www.celebritybrandingagency.com/articles/personal-branding-it-pays-to-be-the-expert.php

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

An Emmy Award Winning Director and Producer, Nick Nanton, Esq., is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, Nick is an award winning director, producer and songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has co-authored 10 best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 300 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates around the country speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Downtown Credo Orlando, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina and their three children, Brock, Bowen and Addison.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

Orlando, FL – August 12, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder of The Dicks and Nanton Companies, a Personal Branding company, recently published a Blog on his website (http://www.nicknanton.com) examining the process of rebranding. The Blog, titled “Rebranding 101,” walks readers through the initial steps in a rebranding campaign.

Nick Nanton writes, “Rebranding is a drastic action which is rarely necessary.  But nonetheless, rebranding is sometimes the only option… so today we are going to walk through that process.”

The Dicks and Nanton Companies specialize in Personal Branding. They help clients to elevate their recognition and credibility in their business or professional niche.

The entire Blog can be found at http://www.celebritybrandingagency.com/blog/rebranding-101.php

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

An Emmy Award Winning Director and Producer, Nick Nanton, Esq., is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, Nick is an award winning director, producer and songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has co-authored 10 best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 300 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates around the country speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Downtown Credo Orlando, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina and their three children, Brock, Bowen and Addison.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

There’s a constant theme that I repeat whenever I’m talking to business owners about their branding efforts.  That theme is simple: it’s essential to brand yourself as an expert in your field.  I’ve written about this in books, given speeches about it, and referred to the concept often in this space.  Most people accept the idea without questioning it, because it’s logical and it sounds good.  But there is much more to it than that, and the benefits of branding yourself as an expert deserve discussion.  So today we are going to look at some of the benefits business owners can expect when they brand themselves as an expert in their field:

1) Experts draw customers in. Think about it—when you need services, whether it be from a dentist or from a landscaper, who do you look for?  You look for a respected professional who is truly great at what he (or she) does.  Expert status means that customers will look for you, while your competition is forced to pursue them.  (Yes, it’s true that some customers will be looking for the cheapest service provider they can find— not necessarily an expert.  But those aren’t the customers you want!)

2) Experts command higher rates. Take two CPAs, identical in every way, except for their branding.  One is a typical, ho-hum accountant.  The other is an exciting, dynamic expert in his field.  Which one do you think can charge higher prices?  Obviously the expert—because most customers are willing to pay more money to work with the best in the business.  Think about the last time you bought sports gear.  Were you willing to pay more for a brand like Nike or Reebok than you would have for a generic brand?  The same concept applies here. 

3) Experts build customer loyalty. We mentioned earlier that you shouldn’t go after customers looking for cheap service.  Why not?  Because as soon as they find a lower price somewhere else, they will dump you and move on.  When you brand yourself as an expert, customers choose you because of your qualifications and the quality of your service.  These are the types of customers with whom you can build a real relationship—and relationships are the key to inspiring loyalty. 

4) Experts can set trends. Let’s say you want to introduce a new business model to your market—for instance, a different fee structure for your wealth management firm.  It looks a bit different than what you’ve done before, and it’s different than what your competition offers.  If you’re a “no-name” business, chances are high that your innovation is ignored, because you don’t fit the description that your market is looking for.  As an expert, your market will assume you know what you are doing.  Expert status gives you the freedom to innovate without alienating your target customers.

More customers, more money, more loyalty, and more freedom.  Now do you see the value in branding yourself as an expert in your field?

Rebranding is a drastic action that's is rarely necessary. But nonetheless, it's sometimes the only option...so today we are going to walk through that process.  Below are the essential first steps in the rebranding process.

1) Understand your market. The essential goal of branding is to differentiate yourself from your competition. Therefore, before you do anything else, spend time thoroughly researching your market. Understand the branding strategies of your competition. Evaluate which brands have been successful--and why they’ve been successful.

2) Identify your niche in the marketplace. Before kicking off your rebranding campaign, it’s essential that you know exactly which segment of your market you are aiming for. Which customers are you trying to appeal to? How intense is the competition for these customers? How will you differentiate yourself from the competition in order to win the business?

3) Make a clean break with your old brand. If you are rebranding, it means that your old brand is no longer viable. And if that is the case, why would you want any association with it? I'm often surprised to watch businesses, supposedly trying to rebrand themselves, end up with a new brand barely distinguishable from their old brand. Make a clean break. Change the name of your business, the colors, the “feel” of the marketing materials, everything you can. Otherwise, what’s the point?

4) Don’t repeat your mistakes. Your brand isn’t like a car--you shouldn’t need to replace it every couple of years. If you’ve determined that rebranding is necessary, it means that that either you made mistakes managing your previous brand, or that your market has shifted on you. Before proceeding with a rebranding effort, make sure that you understand where you went off course, and that you have a plan in place to avoid repeating your mistakes.

5) Create a plan. Once you clearly understand where you are going and why, it’s time to create a plan. Be realistic with regard to costs and schedule--if you don’t have the resources to commit to the effort, don’t do it yet. A rebranding campaign isn’t something you can do halfheartedly.

A rebranding campaign requires time, effort, and resources. Worse, it essentially nullifies all of the work you did building your previous brand. Nonetheless, from time to time it is necessary. If you are convinced that rebranding is your only option, make sure to take your time and do it right! The last thing you want is to be back in the same situation a couple of years later.

Orlando, FL – August 2, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Orlando Entertainment Lawyer and Founder and CEO of The Dicks and Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency®, a Personal Branding Media, Marketing and PR firm, was recently honored to receive an Emmy® Award for his passionate work as one of the Directors of the inspirational short film documentary, “Jacob’s Turn.” Nick and Co-Director Amardeep Kaleka accepted the award in the Director – Short Form category at The Emmy® Ceremony held on July 30, 2011.

Jacob’s Turn is a mother’s story of Jacob Titus, her four-year-old boy from the small rural community of Floyds Knobs, Indiana.  Jacob loves to play T-ball, like thousands of kids across the country. Jacob also happens to have Down Syndrome.  The film shows how Jacob’s “turn” at bat and on the field was a thrill for him, but more importantly, an event that transformed the hearts of everyone in his town. The script for the short film is based on Patricia Titus’ essay she wrote and submitted to the local newspaper. Based out of, and produced in, the Ohio Valley region, “Jacob’s Turn” also received a nomination in the Human Interest – News category.

As Executive Producer, Nick Nanton worked with his extended network of marketing experts to create awareness of “Jacob’s Turn,” through a method of marketing that is usually applied to commercial ventures, but for the first time was used to launch a charitable campaign - one which will help benefit children not only with Down Syndrome but a wide variety of special needs. The goal of everyone with an emotional and financial investment in the film is to raise people’s awareness and generate charitable donations that will help these kids receive the assistance they need to lead the best lives they can—to get their “turn.”

The film was produced with the help of Marketers For Good (MFG). Drawing upon the expertise of the top international marketing minds of our time, MFG is a not for profit organization dedicated to creating unique launch campaigns to raise money and awareness for charitable causes. Utilizing cutting edge marketing strategies, MFG brings together top marketing and business minds in order to encourage and lift up those in need.

Others contributing to the project are Nanton’s partners, JW Dicks and Lindsay Dicks, along with Mike Koenigs, Preston Ely, Baeth Davis, Mark Richter, Bill Gough, Richard Seppala, Dr. Scott Schumann, Darrin Mish and Jared Bonshire.

See the 7-minute short film at http://www.JacobsTurn.com and learn more at www.jacobsturn.com/the-mission

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

An Emmy Award Winning Director and Producer, Nick Nanton, Esq., is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, Nick is an award winning director, producer and songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has co-authored 10 best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 300 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates around the country speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Downtown Credo Orlando, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina and their three children, Brock, Bowen and Addison.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

Orlando, FL – July 13, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq. and JW Dicks, Esq. Founders of Marketers For Good, are pleased to announce that the charitable organization has been granted tax exemption by the IRS with a 501(c)(3) status.  The IRS describes this status as follows:

To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.

Drawing upon the expertise of the top international marketing minds of our time, Marketers For Good is a not for profit organization dedicated to creating unique launch campaigns to raise money and awareness for charitable causes. Utilizing cutting edge marketing strategies, MFG brings together top marketing and business minds in order to encourage and lift up those in need.

The culmination of a brainstorm between Nick Nanton, The Celebrity Lawyer, and public relations expert Bill Harrison, Marketers For Good began with a simple question about how the two could tap their networks in order to help others and give back. Drawing upon their vast network of marketing experts, the two set out, along with a few friends, to create viral campaigns that raise awareness and money for great causes.

Marketers For Good is constantly seeking new supporters who are interested in giving back and using their ability to raise money for important causes.

The Advisory Board for Marketing For Good consists of Nick Nanton, , Darrin Mish, and Dr. Scott Schumann.

Marketing For Good’s latest project, an inspirational  short film documentary, “Jacob’s Turn,” was recently honored to receive two Emmy® Award nominations. “Jacob’s Turn” received a nomination in the Human Interest – News category, while Nick Nanton and Co-Director Amardeep Kaleka received a nomination in the Director – Short Form category.

Jacob’s Turn is a mother’s story of Jacob Titus, her four-year-old boy from the small rural community of Floyds Knobs, Indiana.  Jacob loves to play T-ball, like thousands of kids across the country. Jacob also happens to have Down Syndrome.  The film shows how Jacob’s “turn” at bat and on the field was a thrill for him, but more importantly, an event that transformed the hearts of everyone in his town. The script for the short film is based on Patricia Titus’ essay she wrote and submitted to the local newspaper.

As Executive Producers, Nick Nanton and JW Dicks worked with their extended network of marketing experts to create awareness of “Jacob’s Turn,” through a method of marketing that is usually applied to commercial ventures, but for the first time was used to launch a charitable campaign - one which will help benefit children not only with Down Syndrome but a wide variety of special needs. The goal of everyone with an emotional and financial investment in the film is to raise people’s awareness and generate charitable donations that will help these kids receive the assistance they need to lead the best lives they can—to get their “turn.”

To learn more about Marketers For Good or to get involved please visit http://www.MarketersForGood.org

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq., a 2-time Emmy Nominated producer and director, is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to the top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, Nick is a 2-time Emmy nominated television producer and director and an award winning songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought leaders in the business world and has co-authored 10 best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as editor and publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 100 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About J.W. Dicks:

J.W. Dicks, Esq. is America’s foremost authority on Personal Branding for Business Development. He has developed some of the most successful mass media and multi-channel business marketing campaigns in the country and built multi-million dollar businesses on the back of them.

J.W.  represents some of the top marketers and professional experts in the world in the growth of their businesses using online and offline business development systems, social media, multi-dimensional marketing, franchising and strategic legal structure to accomplish their goals and capitalize on the assets they create.

A “Best Selling” author with more than 22 published books, and hundreds of articles, J.W. has also been quoted or appeared in Newsweek, The Wall street Journal, USA Today, NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX affiliates as well as Entrepreneur’s Start-Up Magazine, Forbes.com, CNN.com, and many other national and local media outlets.

J.W. is a graduate of the University of Florida and George Mason University College of Law. He is a member of the American Bar Association, NASD, National Association of Realtors, Florida Bar, Virginia Bar, and services on the Board of Directors of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, and America’s PremierExperts®.
J.W.’s business address is in Orlando, and his play address is at his beach house where he spends as much time as he can with his wife of 39 years, Linda, and their two Yorkies. His major hobby is fishing… although the fish are rumored to be safe.

JWDicks@DicksNanton.com •  800.980.1626
http://www.DicksNanton.com

Orlando, FL – July 5, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder of The Dicks and Nanton Companies, a Personal Branding company, recently published a Blog on his website (http://www.nicknanton.com) evaluating often overlooked branding opportunities. The Blog, titled “Four Hidden Branding Opportunities,” helps readers identify and capitalize on powerful ways to reinforce their brand.

Nick Nanton writes, “If you focus only on the ‘big’ branding tactics, you overlook many less obvious but powerful branding opportunities.  Below are four of my favorite hidden branding opportunities:”

The Dicks and Nanton Companies specialize in Personal Branding. They help clients to elevate their recognition and credibility in their business or professional niche.

The entire Blog can be found at http://www.celebritybrandingagency.com/blog/four-hidden-branding-opportunities.php

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq., is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, Nick is a 2-time Emmy nominated television producer and director as well as an award winning songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has co-authored 10 best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 300 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates around the country speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Downtown Credo Orlando, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

Orlando, FL – July 1, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder of The Dicks and Nanton Companies, a Personal Branding company, recently published an article on his website (http://www.nicknanton.com) analyzing the importance of social media to business owners. The article, titled “Why Is Social Media Important?” points out three tangible ways in which social media can make money for business owners. 

Nick Nanton writes, “Why should you care about social media?  It may be fun, it may be something your kids are into—but as a business owner, why should you care?  The short answer is simple—an effective social media presence will help you make more money.”

The Dicks and Nanton Companies specialize in Personal Branding. They help clients to elevate their recognition and credibility in their business or professional niche.

The entire article can be found at http://www.celebritybrandingagency.com/articles/why-is-social-media-important.php

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq., is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, Nick is a 2-time Emmy nominated television producer and director as well as an award winning songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has co-authored 10 best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 300 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates around the country speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Downtown Credo Orlando, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

1) Email signature. How many times per week do your clients see your signature?  For many of you, that number will be in the hundreds!  At minimum, you need to have a logo.  You should also include a creative tagline, if appropriate, as well as links to your website, your blog, and your social media profiles. 

2) The holidays. Nowadays, receiving an actual physical card or a letter is unusual.  Take advantage of our digital overload and send your clients some type of tangible card or gift—this is guaranteed to make you stand out from the crowd! 

3) Your attitude. This is particularly important if you interact with customers and clients regularly—and yet, it is often overlooked.  Are you an optimistic, can-do, anything-is-possible type of person?  Even if you aren’t, try your best to adopt this attitude—because the positive “vibe” you create for your clients is more powerful than you may think. 

4) Answering the phone. I have mentioned this previously because it is a classic missed opportunity!  When the phone rings at your office, whoever picks it up needs to state the name of your business.  (I.E. “Celebrity Branding Agency, this is Nick.”)  Don’t miss this easy opportunity to keep driving your brand identity home!

So there you have it: in addition to your personal branding efforts on social media and through your blog and website, take advantage of these often overlooked opportunities.

If you have creative and/or overlooked branding opportunities, I’d love to hear about them!

Why should you care about social media?  It may be fun, it may be something your kids are into—but as a business owner, why should you care?  The short answer is simple—an effective social media presence will help you make more money.  Today I am going to tell you how it will make you money.

But first, I need to dispel a common myth which states that “social media is just another fad… it will be gone in five years.”

The truth is that social media is not a new invention.  It may be a new technological innovation, but it taps into an ancient human impulse.  Humans love to talk.  We love to see what our friends and family members are up to.  We love to connect.  And that is what social media is all about—connecting. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube may be new mediums, but they are simply the 21^st century tool for accomplishing an essential human function.

Social media is here to stay—and that is good news for business owners.  Here is why:

1) An effective social media presence can create brand awareness… at very little cost. Your social media presence allows you to connect with billions of potential customers across the globe.  It allows you the opportunity to reach your audience in an environment where they have mostly let their guard down.  We are so used to being bombarded by commercials on the radio and on TV that many of us subconsciously tune them out.  While social media is certainly going to see a dramatic increase in advertising over the next decade, as of now its advertising potential is largely untapped. 

2) An effective social media presence allows you to create community… centered around your business. Social media platforms, particularly Facebook, are great places to form common-interest groups.  Hobby enthusiasts, sports fans, Justin Bieber fans—it won’t take you more than a few moments to find these communities on Facebook.  As you can see, this presents a golden opportunity for, for instance, the owner of an R/C shop.  By either creating or joining a community focused on remote control vehicles, he or she can create a great place for enthusiasts to connect—all the while establishing himself as the natural choice for their next purchase.

3) An effective social media presence connects you to your customers. A business that is active on social media will often interact with customers or clients several times each week.  Whether it is “liking” something they posted on Facebook or them simply reading an informative Tweet you publish on Twitter, an active social media presence keeps you on the mind of your customers.  As a doctor, for example, you typically see your patients a couple of times per year.  But if you are active on social media, you can potentially interact with them hundreds of times in that same year—keeping your practice fresh on their minds.

So there you have it—if you are not yet active on social media, now you have three great reasons to engage this growing market.  However, we have barely scratched the surface… stay tuned for more in the weeks to come!

Orlando, FL – June 23, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder of The Dicks and Nanton Companies, a Personal Branding company, recently published an article on his website (http://www.nicknanton.com) discussing the value of a strong personal brand. The article, titled “Personal Branding Pays: Why a Strong Personal Brand Is Worth the Effort,” evaluates four benefits of a strong brand. 

Nick Nanton writes, “Every once in a while, it is a good idea to step back and take a look at the big picture—and remind ourselves why a strong personal brand is so important in the first place.  So today we are going to evaluate several of the top benefits that business owners and professionals enjoy once they have created a powerful personal brand:”

The Dicks and Nanton Companies specialize in Personal Branding. They help clients to elevate their recognition and credibility in their business or professional niche.

The entire article can be found at http://www.celebritybrandingagency.com/articles/personal-branding-pays-why-a-strong-personal-brand-is-worth-the-effort.php

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq., is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, Nick is a 2-time Emmy nominated television producer and director as well as an award winning songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has co-authored 10 best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 300 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates around the country speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Downtown Credo Orlando, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

1) Differentiation—as an individual and as a business. A strong personal brand makes you unique within your marketplace.  In turn, your individuality sets your business apart from the competition.  There are thousands of financial planners, for instance, in this country—but a strong personal brand can help you stand out from the crowd.  Why should a potential client choose you instead of the competition?  A strong personal brand answers this question and dramatically increases your chances of picking up business from the competition.

2) Client retention. Forget picking up new business for a moment—a strong personal brand makes it easy to retain the clients you already have.  Think about the power of branding for a moment… how many people do you know that are incredibly loyal to a specific brand?  Whether it be Starbucks, Harley Davidson, Mercedes, Apple, or Rolex, strong brands inspire loyalty.  For a business owner, a strong personal brand can have the exact same effect.  Your strong personal brand inspires loyalty, and your customers enjoy being affiliated with you.  A strong personal brand will allow you to keep customers even when they could find better prices, service, or greater convenience elsewhere.

3) A strong brand makes business fun. Building a strong personal brand gives you the freedom to be yourself.  You don’t have to wear a suit every day (unless that’s part of your brand, of course!), you don’t have to carefully measure every word you say for fear of gaining unwanted attention, and you don’t have to pretend to be someone you aren’t.  Personal branding is all about expressing your individuality—and once you have built a strong brand, you get to stay true to yourself 24/7.

4) Stop competing on price. Once again, think about the power of branding in your daily life.  Pretend you are in a sports store looking at a generic red t-shirt.  How much are you willing to pay for it?  Now, stick a Nike logo on it.  How does that change what you’re willing to pay?  If you’re like most people, you are willing to pay a substantially higher percentage for a product made by a brand you love.  The same principle applies to your business.  Once you have created a strong personal brand, your customers are willing to pay more for your products—giving you the ability to charge higher prices than your competitors and still win the business.

So there you have it—a strong personal brand differentiates you in your marketplace.  It makes it easier to retain your clients.  It enables you to charge higher prices and still win business.  And because you are free to be yourself, it makes going to work every day enjoyable.  Keep branding—it is worth the effort!

Orlando, FL – June 21, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder of The Dicks and Nanton Companies, a Personal Branding company, recently published a Blog on his website (http://www.nicknanton.com) discussing the occasional necessity of rebranding. The Blog, titled “Personal Branding: When Is It Time to Rebrand?” provides four questions to help determine whether rebranding is necessary. 

Nick Nanton writes, “Most of the time, I advise my clients to simply work changes into their current brand.  But from time to time, it’s simply more efficient to start over with a blank slate.  Do you need to rebrand?”

The Dicks and Nanton Companies specialize in Personal Branding. They help clients to elevate their recognition and credibility in their business or professional niche.

The entire Blog can be found at http://www.celebritybrandingagency.com/blog/personal-branding-when-is-it-time-to-rebrand.php

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq., is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, Nick is a 2-time Emmy nominated television producer and director as well as an award winning songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought-leaders in the business world and has co-authored 10 best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 300 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates around the country speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Downtown Credo Orlando, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

1) Does your brand still differentiate you from the competition? The core purpose of branding is to separate yourself from the rest of your market.  If your brand is no longer unique, it may be time to rebrand.

2) Has the market shifted away from your brand? Over time, consumer taste changes.  Think back to the clothes you wore in the Eighties if you don’t believe me.  The personal brand you created fifteen years ago may not have the same appeal to the marketplace that it once had.  Be honest and ask yourself whether your brand still appeals to your target customers.  If it’s hard for you to honestly answer the question, seek opinions from trusted friends or family members.  If your brand no longer appeals to your customers, it is time to rebrand.

3) Does your brand represent the direction your business is growing? Your goals and plans for your business may have shifted dramatically since you began branding yourself.  Where do you envision your business in five years?  Ten years?  Will your current brand still be a good representation of your business?  If not, it’s probably time to rebrand yourself and your business.

4) Is your brand visually appealing compared to the competition? Your brand includes your logo, your company colors, your marketing materials, your photo, and plenty of other visual materials.  Compare your branding materials to those of your competition.  How do you stack up?  If most of your competition has more appealing visuals, it is probably time to rebrand.

Rebranding yourself should be a last resort.  Most of the time, I advise my clients to simply work changes into their current brand.  But from time to time, it’s simply more efficient to start over with a blank slate.  Do you need to rebrand?

Orlando, FL – June 13, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder and CEO of The Dicks and Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency®, a Personal Branding Media, Marketing and PR firm, was recently honored to receive two Emmy® Award nominations for his passionate work with the inspirational  short film documentary, “Jacob’s Turn.”

Jacob’s Turn is a mother’s story of Jacob Titus, her four-year-old boy from the small rural community of Floyds Knobs, Indiana.  Jacob loves to play T-ball, like thousands of kids across the country. Jacob also happens to have Down Syndrome.  The film shows how Jacob’s “turn” at bat and on the field was a thrill for him, but more importantly, an event that transformed the hearts of everyone in his town. The script for the short film is based on Patricia Titus’ essay she wrote and submitted to the local newspaper.

The film was based out of, and produced in, the Ohio Valley region where the film was submitted for Emmy nomination.  “Jacob’s Turn” received a nomination in the Human Interest – News category, while Nick Nanton and Co-Director Amardeep Kaleka received a nomination in the Director – Short Form category. The Emmy® Ceremony will be held July 30, 2011.

As Executive Producer, Nick Nanton worked with his extended network of marketing experts to create awareness of “Jacob’s Turn,” through a method of marketing that is usually applied to commercial ventures, but for the first time was used to launch a charitable campaign - one which will help benefit children not only with Down Syndrome but a wide variety of special needs. The goal of everyone with an emotional and financial investment in the film is to raise people’s awareness and generate charitable donations that will help these kids receive the assistance they need to lead the best lives they can—to get their “turn.”

The film was produced with the help of Marketers For Good (MFG). Drawing upon the expertise of the top international marketing minds of our time, MFG is a not for profit organization dedicated to creating unique launch campaigns to raise money and awareness for charitable causes. Utilizing cutting edge marketing strategies, MFG brings together top marketing and business minds in order to encourage and lift up those in need.

Others contributing to the project are Nanton’s partners, JW Dicks & Lindsay Dicks, along with Mike Koenigs, Preston Ely, Baeth Davis, Mark Richter, Bill Gough, Richard Seppala, Dr. Scott Schumann, Darrin Mish and Jared Bonshire.

See the 7-minute short film at www.JacobsTurn.com and learn more at www.jacobsturn.com/the-mission

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq., a 2-time Emmy Nominated producer and director, is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to the top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, media, marketing and PR to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

The CEO of The Dicks + Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, Nick is a 2-time Emmy nominated television producer and director and an award winning songwriter who has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy, Michael Gerber and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought leaders in the business world and has co-authored 10 best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as editor and publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 100 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a member of The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Home to the Emmy Awards) co-founder of the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors, a 6-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

Orlando, FL – June 7, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder and CEO of The Dicks and Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency, a Personal Branding company, was recently quoted in a Fox Business: Small Business Center article titled “Smart or Not: Starting Your Business With a Friend.” The article was for a Q&A segment on FoxBusiness.com.

The question posed by a FoxBusiness.com reader concerned going into business with a personal friend.  Subsequent answers were provided by the Young Entrepreneurs Council (The Y.E.C,) of which Nick Nanton is a member. The Y.E.C. is a nonprofit organization that provides young entrepreneurs with access to tools, mentorship, community and educational resources that support each stage of their business’s development and growth.

Nick Nanton, speaking as the co-founder of The Dicks and Nanton Celebrity Branding Agency® responded, “If You've Never Disagreed, Don't Do This: Every business and personal relationship will get strained at one point or another. If you haven't gotten into any serious disagreements about anything with this friend, you're not ready to go into business yet. It's the ability to passionately fight for what you believe in, lose the battle, and still remain friends that will allow you to be successful together.”

The strategy of developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments has led to Nick being known as “The Celebrity Agent.” Nick’s expertise on personal branding and marketing has been sought out and featured in the Los Angeles Times, Orlando Sentinel, The Chicago Tribune, The California Chronicle, DailyMe.com, FastCompany.com, USA Today, Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal, among others.

The entire piece can be found at http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/entrepreneurs/2011/06/06/smart-or-not-starting-your-business-with-friend/

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq. is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to the top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

Nick is an award winning songwriter and television producer and has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought leaders in the business world and has co-authored five best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as editor and publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 100 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. The Huffington Post and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a 4-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

Orlando, FL – June 4, 2011 - Nick Nanton, Esq., Founder of The Dicks and Nanton Companies, a Personal Branding company, recently published a Blog on his website (http://www.nicknanton.com) discussing the importance of branding on a daily basis. The Blog, titled “Personal Branding: Make it a Habit,” suggests that readers make their branding efforts a part of their daily routine. 

Nick Nanton writes, “Personal branding doesn’t happen automatically.  Building a strong brand takes intentional effort.”

The Dicks and Nanton Companies specialize in Personal Branding. They help clients to elevate their recognition and credibility in their business or professional niche.

The entire Blog can be found at http://www.celebritybrandingagency.com/blog/personal-branding-make-it-a-habit.php

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq. is known as The Celebrity Lawyer and Agent to the top Celebrity Experts for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts, through personal branding, to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

Nick is an award winning songwriter and television producer and has worked on everything from large scale events to television shows with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Brian Tracy and many more.

Nick is recognized as one of the top thought leaders in the business world and has co-authored five best-selling books, including the breakthrough hit Celebrity Branding You!®.

Nick serves as editor and publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and Nick has led the marketing and PR campaigns that have driven more than 100 authors to Best-Seller status. Nick has been seen in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com. The Huffington Post and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a 4-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.nicknanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

Yes, you’re busy. The demands of running a business are non-stop. I understand—I run several! But you find time to brush your teeth twice a day, right? You take the time to straighten your tie before heading out the door. Where do you find the time and the energy? You don’t have to “find” the time—you just do it, because it’s a habit. And that’s what personal branding needs to become. A habit. This could mean a couple of minutes on Twitter before bed each night, or it could mean 20 minutes every Tuesday and Thursday to work on your blog.

Personal branding isn’t about flashes of brilliance. It’s about being yourself, consistently, and engaging with the world around you. Posting three incredibly insightful tweets each month is much less effective than multiple “routine” tweets each day—because the point is to build a connection with your audience. And you can’t do that without consistent interaction. That’s why it’s critical that you are active on a near-daily basis. You don’t have to feel inspired—you just have to be there, and be yourself.

Effective branding requires consistent activity. It’s as simple as that. But you aren’t going to be able to be active consistently unless you establish a habit. It could be first thing in the morning, it could be the last thing you do before you leave the office, it could be after lunch—but whenever it is, find time to dedicate to your personal brand and start building the habit!