I know it sounds so… cold and pretentious? Why would you think you are a commodity by branding yourself. The first time I heard of “branding” is in one of the episodes of Entourage when agencies are pitching to Vinny Chase their services. But looking at the high-tech society now, there is actually an importance and a big advantage of knowing how to brand yourself. It can advance your career, attract opportunities, allows you more decisive decisions, earn more and make friends with like-minded people. The list of advantages are endless.

As a blogger, I have slowly understand how important is branding to direct how you want your blog to be presented. Somehow as you slowly discover your brand and particular niche, you have a  guide and focus on your blog. But you also get to learn more about who you truly and what you value. Believe me, understanding your brand will not only give your better directon for your blog but as well as for yourself.

A few months ago, I was privileged to join the Blogger Babes Asia workshop organised by Clozette. Blogger Babes Founder, Heidi Nazarudin, is the speaker for the event. She is also the person behind the successful fashion & beauty blog for stylish working women, The Ambiotionista.

Photo grab from The Ambitionista

Heidi was simply amazing. She taught  us that afternoon how to be an effective blogger. She was concise and very generous with her advice. Her talk inspired me to reexamine my blog. She said that the reasons most blog fail is because  not spending too much time in  branding and content development. She explained that branding is the conscious creation of a uniform message in all forms of communication, be it your blog design, photos & graphics social media chances, blog voice or style of writing and your style & personality.

Here are some questions for you  given by Heidi to answer to understand your brand and improve your blog content:

1. Who are your core readers?
2. What are your main interest?
3. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
4. Is your content useful or entertaining?

If you are serious in blogging or your business or career, I suggest you take some time alone to reflect on your branding. Then rope in a friend, better yet,  a blogger friend, and get feedbacks of each other blogs. It is helpful in so many ways. After I contemplated into it, I felt a better direction for my blog and it even saved me of my constant shopping dilemma. I dread clothes shopping, I just dont know how to decide on a dress after years of being used to wearing hand-me downs and clothes bought by my mom for me. Understanding my branding, I know what kind of clothes that would best suit me.

I realized I am all about sweetness (hence, my name. ehem.. ehem..), femininity, inspiration and positivity. Blush pink and mint greens are colors that best represent me which I did incorporate in blog design. My blog is offer inspiration for myself and people who drops by my blog.

Taken from my pinterest board – lilmisshoney

I am so happy that I have been given a chance to understand the significance of branding my blog. Thank you Heidi and Clozette for this opportunity. Here I am with Heidi and Miss Chocoholic.

We went home with these wonderful stuff inside our goodie bag (coffee and my camera not included, hehe).

There was also lucky draw after Heidi’s talk. I was ecstatic to win the Aurum  by Guðbjörg Jewelry voucher. I got these babies all the way from Iceland. Lovely, isn’t it?

I also got to see a lot of familiar faces and met new fashion & beauty bloggers as well. I was happy chatting with the fashionable and beautiful people behind Clozette.

To know more about Clozette and how to be a Clozetter, here over to their Clozette website. And if you want to be a part of Blogger Babes Asia, a community of driven female bloggers seeking solutions and support to successfully navigate the highly competitive arena of online curation and blogging, sign up here. For more of Heidi, follow her in her blog and instagram.

P.S. you might also be interested to read about blogging for inspiration.