Archives for May 2011

Are you marrying material?

May 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

We often talk about the importance of first impressions. They are, of course, extremely important. Great thought and effort is put into how we present ourselves for the first time in any situation.  Think about all those "firsts", a first date, a first job interview, meeting your child's teacher for the first time.  We put a little extra effort preparing for the first time we are going to meet someone we want to impress.  However, what about the second, third or even tenth time we have an encounter?  Chances are you relax into something less formal which is natural.  However, this can be a slippery slope when it comes to your brand.

Great branding is based in consistency.  You certainly do want to make a spectacular first impression. In business a great first impression can open the door for you.  What keeps that door open, however, is what happens next.

Anyone can look great and be charming once in a while, but it's how you behave and present yourself over the long haul that really matters.  You may date someone who is cute and fun to be with, but you probably would not marry that person unless they showed over time they were also kind, committed, caring, and honest etc.  You don't want to "date" your clients.  You want to build long term relationships with them.  They need to trust you.  They need to see you value the relationship.  You do this by continuing to put your best effort forward. 

Can your clients count on you?  Do you consistently respond in a timely matter to emails and phone calls,  or do your clients have to pester you for answers?  Do you continue to dress sharply when you meet with your clients to show you respect them, or you have let your guard down with your appearance?  Do you find extra ways of showing your clients you value their business or do you figure they just "know" you appreciate them?

Remember your brand is held in the mind of your clients over time.  If you want them to see you as marrying material you must continue to show them you care.

Filed Under: Personal Branding Tagged With: , , ,

Your Brand GPS

May 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

We all make mistakes.  Sometimes we don't realize we are making the mistake until after it's done, but a lot of times there are hints along the way that something isn't quite right.  Those hints come to us in the form of feelings.  Some people call those feelings their "little voice."  I like to think of the little voice as our Brand GPS.  It keeps us on course and gets us to our destination in the quickest, easiest way possible.  If you are clear about your brand, you can use your inner voice to guide you to make decisions that best serve your goals.

However, there are times we all go "off brand" for whatever reason.  We make a decision that does not align with our brand, with the best of who we are or how we want to be percieved by others.  We get cocky and think we know better than the GPS so we make a wrong turn and go off course.  I recently did an audition where I sang as aria that was low and slow and the best part of my voice is my high notes!  As with any mistake the important thing is to get back on course as quickly as possible, apologize if necessary and learn from what happened. 

If you feel yourself going off course, check in with your inner guidance system, your Brand GPS.  What was your original destination?  Where did you go wrong?  Why did you choose to ignore the road signs?  How can you get back on track?  Where is the best place to turn around?  The clearer you get about the answers, the quicker you can get back on the road and avoid those nasty detours in the future

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

MIrror, Mirror on the Wall

May 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

"Nobody thinks that they dress unattractively, yet when you look around, it is clear that some people do."–Elizabeth Gordon, author of The Chic Entrepreneur

From the clothes you wear, to the brochure you send out, to the website you create, you are projecting an image whether you are aware of it or not.  In order to "wow" your audience, your brand and image need to be stellar.  Here are a few tips to increase your chances of success.

1.  Know yourself.  What is it you are TRYING to say?  What message do you WANT people to get from you?  What is the goal of your marketing?  What kind of person do you want your clothing to reflect?  Knowing the answers to these questions is a good first step.

2.  Educate yourself.  We cannot be experts on everything, but thankfully we don't have to be.  There are thousands of books written every year on just about anything you'd like to learn.  Do you want to know how build a business wardrobe, master social media, be a better entrepreneur?  There's a book for that.  A couple of my current favorites are: Brenda's Wardrobe Companion by Brenda Kinsel and The Chic Entrepreneur by Elizabeth Gordon.

3.  Ask for feedback. Simple, right?  Yes, ask. Ask your friends, your colleagues and your advisers for their feedback.  Is your cousin a hair dresser?  Ask her opinion on your current style.  Is your neighbor a web designer?  Ask for feedback and tips on your website.  People usually love to help, just be sure you return the favor in your area of expertise.

4.  Get the help of a professional.  When you are ready to get serious about moving forward, nothing beats the help of professional guidance.  You can read a book on social media, but how much more helpful would it be to have an in-person tutorial on setting up your Facebook fan page?  You can read a book about fashion, but if you really want to shine wouldn't it be more helpful to get a custom analysis of your figure and coloring? 

Wherever you are in the process of building a strong brand, do not leave your image up to chance.  You are judged from the minute you step out the door or log on to the web.  When you are clear, consistent and conscious of your choices your fans will applaud your efforts.

Filed Under: Image Management Tagged With: , ,

A Royal Brand

May 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In the past weeks you could not turn on the television, computer or radio without hearing about the upcoming wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  Some people were glued to every detail while others were turned-off by the whole deluge of information.  Whichever side you came down on, you have to admit it was an incredibly successful event.  It produced all the grandeur and spectical one would expect from a royal wedding, yet somehow it also felt real and personal.  That my friends is a great example of successful branding!

Ok, so it can be kind of crude to liken a wedding, one of the most significant days in a person's life, to personal branding.  You'll have to excuse me for the comparison (I guess it's the performer in me), but after all, when you get down to it, a wedding is a performance and performances are all about expression.  Of course, the main expression is the love and devotion the bride and groom have for each other, but many other things are expressed as well.  The dress the bride chooses, the flowers, the music, even the entree choices are all a reflection of the tastes and preferences of the happy couple and their families. 

Wedding guests take notice of these details and make comments about how beautiful the bride was or how tasty the food was.  However, when a couple manages to really personalize their ceremony with unique and thoughtful details, guests leave with a more memorable experience.  They get a deeper sense of who the couple is, what they care about and also how the couple feels about them.  Isn't that what we want our brands to do for us, to differentiate us in the mind of our audience?  We want them to leave our presence feeling a deeper connection to us, feeling like we've paid attention to the details and that we are authentic in the expression of the things that matter most in our lives.

So here's lifting a glass to Will & Kate. And here's to you creating your own spectacular, personal performance.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,