Branding David

I have seen many blog posts similar to the title I placed on this post, where people, deciding to find ways to cash in on the Internet, especially when they are having career problems, decide to become Internet Marketing specialists, and tell other people how to make money from the Internet.

Starting on day one, they act as though they have more insight and expertise than the millions of people before them, spewing out information that is mostly incorrect in hopes of building a brand for themselves and earning some sizable pay checks.

It might sound great to most, but for someone like me, that has put over three years into making this my business, I am slightly offended, and a little annoyed by these people.

Of course I understand what they are doing, as I was once looking to find ways to make it big online and make big money, but I understood that you had to learn before you can teach and that you had to put in your dues before withdrawing money from the Internet.

Just because the barrier for entry into blogging or building websites is so low, that doesn’t mean you can skip a bunch of steps, so please, if you want to make your career Internet Marketing, I really hope that you will take the time to learn, practice, study, and try out various things before bestowing your “wisdom” on the general web going public, as your mistakes and misinformation negatively impact all of us, despite that not being your intention.

Sometimes inspiration can be hard to find, but when you really need it, having a few ideas on how to get your creative juices flowing can mean the difference between a productive day, and a waste of one.

Visual

Much of my inspiration comes from taking time to look at things I enjoy. I search for photos of Ireland on Flickr and beautiful web designs on various design galleries which can sometimes bring me back into a more productive mood.

There are numerous visual sources, especially for those in the web design industry, but even for me as a blogger to look at well constructed posts on some of my favourite blogs creates a moment of inspiration that I can hold onto and take advantage of throughout the rest of the day.

Audio

Playing upbeat music that I enjoy has always helped keep my focus and energy up on days where I’d otherwise be slumped over my desk tapping my fingers. Services like Last.fm, and the various streaming radio channels in iTunes have always been a great source of music for me, as I haven’t been a big fan of downloading music for a very long time now.

Ever person is inspired by different types of music, but I recommend something with a faster beat as it can strongly effect your energy level.

Interactive

I have some friends that enjoy playing a round of one card game or another, but I am more interested in tossing an arcade racing game on my Xbox 360, or getting a quick round completed in a first person shooter. Something that will let me unwind in a short period of time, and hopefully provide a small adrenaline response to get me energized and motivated to get back to work.

Conclusion

Some days are easier than others, as there are times when none of these methods work for me, but when you need to do more work than normal, sometimes having that bit of inspiration can give you a banner day.

Who is Chris Garrett?
Chris Garrett is a well known blogger and consultant that I respect. I have followed his career for some time now, and have always enjoyed his writing. One of the most interesting things about Chris was his passion for blogging, especially two years ago where you couldn’t visit a popular blogging information site without seeing a post or two from Chris.

Chris Garrett has co-authored what is quickly being considered the “de facto” book on blogging, entitled Problogger – Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income.

He has also authored and co-authored a few other books over the course of his career related to blogging and programming.

Born in Canada, like myself, Chris now lives in the UK with his family. He has picked up the accent, but will always be Canadian.

Why am I a fan of his?
Chris has found a way to build a strong business online through branding himself, despite the numerous sites he has written on over his career. He has figured out a way to promote himself, and his services while maintaining integrity.

Chris is currently running an Authority Blogger forum and course, as well as working on Performancing branded projects for Splashpress Media.

He has dealt with many of the things I, as a personal brand, am dealing with now, and was able to succeed, despite the numerous things on his plate. Chris is an inspiration.