Happy Friday!

As an image consultant, I help my clients define and/or refine their image to create a personal brand for themselves. A personal brand sends a message to all you encounter. You send a message to each person that sees you….the question is: Do you know what message you are sending? When you control your brand, you are controlling what you want others to think and feel about you. For example, when you see a Coke, you know that “It’s the real thing” and it immediately sends a message of taste and quality. When you see Tiger Woods, you think consistency and excellency. On the other hand, when you see Britney Spears, what do you think? Or

This is just a tidbit of advice–personal branding is not only about your i.e., look, but about how you act, with whom you associate, etiquette, etc. A personal brand is the total package of YOU. I don’t want to overload your brain on a Friday, so just digest these pearls to start….

In my seminars, I teach attendees how to “Set the S.TA.G.E.” for their personal brands to appear (don’t try to steal it–remember, I am still an attorney, and I will sue you!) This includes honing your skills in these areas:

Socializing/Speaking
Tapping into your Personal Brand
Appearance/Image
Grooming
Etiquette

Personal Branding Tips for Visual Identity

1. Think of clothes as packaging—use your clothes to enhance your brand.
2. Have a signature item—have a trademark that people can associate to you.
3. Look different—have a signature look that is unlike anyone else’s look.
4. Look the part—fake it until you make it.
5. Use hair as a branding device—think Donald Trump.
6. Make your look consistent—don’t confuse others with your look. If your goal is a business look, all of your attire should reflect this goal.
7. Have a signature color or palette.
8. Have a strong presence, i.e. Stand Tall!
9. Leverage your height, shape, and weight—wear what works with your body!
10. Stay relevant and fresh—you must evolve with time.

(tips excerpted from and paraphrased from U R A Brand, by Katherine Kaputa)

Here’s a great article in Business Week for additional advice. So, get started on building and/or refining your brand. Remember, regardless of what your momma told you, when people first meet or see you, you are what you look like…

“A Brand Isn’t What You Say It Is. It’s What They Say It Is.”
–Marty Neumeier

So, what are they saying about you?