I love when I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea. Last night was no different. I'm listening to the audio book Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and I have been talking so much about recipes this week, maybe this is where all the inspiration is coming from. Because of this, I've come up with some recipes for success when discussing/activating your brand.

Be Yourself - Nothing is worse than people who aren't comfortable in their own skin. Having a sort of grace and flow with yourself will help you project your brand better to anyone who is interested in learning more. If you're wacky - be wacky. If you are stern and serious all the time - all the time it is; as long as you feel comfortable.

Be Relevant - Staying relevant in any industry can mean alot of things. For some, it means staying in the press. For some, it means taking classes relevant to your profession. For some, it means attending events and just being seen. So find your own way of being relevant and you will.

Be Diligent - Branding yourself and your company isn't easy. I read somewhere that there is no value in a smooth ride, so staying diligent when the ride gets rocky is imperative to your success. Staying persistent and dedicated to making your own impact is what you need. Just add a sprinkle and you will go far.

Be Interesting - Nothing is worse than a bore. In life and in your career, staying interesting is paramount. Being interesting shouldn't take work if you are staying true to the first ingredient of being yourself, but if you find it hard to be interesting, try a new hobby, meet up with new friends or pick up a new exciting project that you've been thinking about for a long time. That's interesting.

Be Consistent - Consistency is something that any one of us can fall short of, especially if we don't see any impact right away. Rome wasn't built overnight and neither will your brand. Do something everyday to enhance your brand and those little things will add up. Be Consistent.

For more recipes - of the liquid variety, visit me on Examiner.com - Search for the DC Cocktails Examiner

- Cristal Carrington