What is personal branding? Isn't self-marketing only for celebrities, athletes and extroverts? Why do I need personal branding? How do I build a top personal brand? And why should I do this on LinkedIn?

In today's episode, Curt discusses all this and more with Dr. Natalia Wiechowski, author of the new book, "Personal Branding with LinkedIn: The Think Natalia Method."

Grab her book here: https://thinknatalia.com/products/

At twenty-nine, at the peak of Dr. Natalia's corporate career and deep unhappiness, she quit her job and started from scratch.

During a nine-month sabbatical she changed the way she thinks, speaks and acts. She committed to design her purposeful dream life and founded Think Natalia.

Her obsession is coachsulting people who left corporate to do their own thing: Coaches, consultants, trainers, authors, keynote speakers, photographers and other experts from companies like IBM, SAP, Bosch, Nestle, Microsoft or Coca Cola. People who want to build an international, sustainable and purposeful thought leadership personal brand on LinkedIn. Individuals who want to become the voice of their niche, get more clients and have a positive impact on the world.

Natalia's aim: To develop resp. bring together a tribe of one million (out of the box) thinkers and doers who do not only challenge but also change the status quo. "Who want to be the change they wish to see in the world." -- Mahatma Gandhi

Dr. Natalia consults and speaks globally, comes from Hanover (Germany) and lives in Dubai. She has edutained at conferences and events across the globe.

She started as a Social Scientist, turned into a Dr. of Philosophy, a "LinkedIn Marketing Unicorn" (Inc. magazine), a Forbes Coaches Council Member, "Top Expert" (Erfolg magazine), a LinkedIn Learning author and the Middle East's leading Edutainer.

Should we try to be more like kids when we sell our products and services?

"Well, yeah, think about it," said Art Sobczak in our previous episode "Kids are insensitive to noes because they will ask and ask and ask, and they'll act like they're deaf. And even if they give up with one decision-maker, they'll go to the other decision-maker. So, the noes don't deter them.

In today's episode, Curt delves deeper into this principle.

Forget cold calling. It's time for you to start smart calling.

That's the message shared by sales pro and bestselling author Art Sobczak in today's episode.

Art's book, "Smart Calling™- How to Take the Fear, Failure, and Rejection Out of Cold Calling," hit Number One in the Sales and Marketing category on amazon.com on its very first day of release, and was named Top Sales Book of 2010 by Top Sales Awards. The new Third Edition was released this Spring.

He has helped hundreds of thousands of sales pros say the right things to get through, get in, and sell. He's done this by authoring, designing and delivering content-rich inside sales and cold calling (without the cold) training programs and resources that get results.

He works with thousands of sales reps each year helping them get more business by phone. Art's real-world, non-gimmicky how-to ideas and techniques help salespeople use the phone more effectively to prospect, sell, and service, without morale-killing "rejection."

As Curt discussed with Darrell Amy in our previous episode, your company's message should focus on the outcomes your client's get from working with you. In today's episode, Curt delves deeper into this principle about how to put together an impact story that speaks to the positive impact your clients get from your product or service.

Darrell Amy is author of the new book, "Revenue Growth Engine," co-author of "Selling from the Heart," and co-host of the popular "Selling from the Heart Podcast."

In "Revenue Growth Engine", Amy shares a strategy to accelerate growth. Whether you own a company, lead a sales team, or work in marketing, you share the same goal: revenue growth. In today's economy, companies need to accelerate revenue growth.

Every company has a Revenue Growth Engine. This is the sum of their sales and marketing efforts. The problem is that most engines are not firing on all cylinders. There may even be important cylinders missing.

We'll discuss with Darrell how to get all cylinders of the engine firing!

He brings 26 years of technology industry sales and marketing experience. Having coached hundreds of solutions reps in how to uncover business problems, he helps major account reps talk intelligently about business and financial issues. He also helps reps develop professional writing and presentation skills.

Welcome to episode #1 of The Authority Brand Podcast! In this first episode, host Curt Mercadante discusses what you can expect from this podcast, and lays out hte difference between an authority brand and a commodity brand.