Personal branding means different things to different people. 

 

To some people I’ve met it’s about being known for wearing a particular colour, always wearing yellow socks, or dressing to match their logo. This is all well and good, it might help you be remembered and gets you known within your network. It will say something about you and affect how you are perceived, which may not necessarily be aligned with the impression you are trying to create. 

 

To marketers personal branding means something completely different; to a graphic designer it might be more about choosing one font and colour over another because of the psychology and what that particular sans serif says compared to another one. What we would all agree on is that personal branding is about keeping your message cohesive. 

 

When I talk about personal branding it is in the context of your whole vibe being consistent and accelerating the know, like , trust factor. It’s about you and your business standing out from the crowd for all the right reasons and being aligned with your beliefs, values, and personality. As your personal brand and style mentor it’s about supporting you and your business to look the part – whatever the part means to you. 

 

It’s about Raising Your VIBE – visibility, individuality, branding & essence. 

Whether we like it or not people are making judgements about us within seconds. First impressions are generated subconsciously and how we look is sending messages out to the world. We don’t like to think of ourselves as judgemental, but we do actually judge a book by its cover. We like people to conform with our expectations, at least until we get to know them. 

 

It used to be said that we had seven seconds to make a first impression, but the latest research I could find was in Psychological Science Magazine, July 2006 and it had reduced to one tenth of a second! And that was bloody years ago, so I think it’s fair to expect that by now we’ve got even less time to make a first impression these days. 

 

Think about all the different places as a woman in business, where you make a first impression. It could be on social media, it could be your website, it might your profile pictures on LinkedIn or Facebook or any of the places where you are showing up daily online as well as in real life. When you turn up at networking events and client meetings – even on Zoom, people make conscious and subconscious judgments. Little details all add up to us making these split-second decisions. 

 

Even though none of us like to think we’re being “judgy”, we are. There is scientific proof that we very seldom change what we think about somebody once we have formed that first impression. Instead, apparently, we start looking for evidence to support our opinion. 

 

The Science of People Research Lab, conducted a survey asking 209 people their opinions on first impressions: 

 

·         95% of people believe first impressions are very important. 

 

·         68% believe their first impressions of others are accurate. 

 

This is why your personal branding and brand identity is so important. How you AND your business looks is sending messages out to the world. We as humans do actually judge a book by its cover. We like people to conform with our expectations, at least until we get to know them. 

 

Imagine meeting an accountant or a solicitor for the first time to discuss finances or writing your will. If they turned up in a suit we would not be surprised, it would make us feel confident in their ability. The same person wearing jeans and a football shirt for a first meeting would throw us. It would create dissonance and we’d be distracted – they would not be any less qualified to provide a service but our impression of them would not be the same. 

 

You might want to stand out from the crowd and dress to set yourself apart, but also be mindful of how you come across to your client base, would you want to go so far as to challenge what they expect? Context matters, so it’s important to get the balance right. For example, rocking up suited and booted in your high heels and designer handbag might be ok if you’re auditioning for The Apprentice, BUT doing that at a relaxed, informal networking meeting of holistic, hippy type coaches? You might appear out of place, feel uncomfortable yourself, possibly giving off a vibe that doesn’t gel with the rest of the crowd. 

So, when I talk to you about your personal branding, it is in the context of helping you as a woman in business to look the part. First off, we need to establish what ‘looking the part’ actually means to you and how you want to be perceived. 

 

Getting your personal brand identity sorted is actually about the ALIGNMENT of your FABNESS. Perhaps you want to be seen as warm and approachable? Quirky and creative? Serious and efficient? Remember that you want to avoid dissonance, you are aiming for congruency and consistency across your brand. 

 

TOP TIP - Don't choose branding colours just because you like them. 

 

 You need to think about the messages you want to convey and how you want to be perceived and then look at the psychology of colour. 

 

 Colours are associated with different moods and emotions, but it’s important to recognise that what colours are associated with can be different depending on where in the world you are. Here’s a whistle stop, basic guide to colour psychology in the western world. 

 

·         Blue is often used in business as it is associated with trust, strength, and loyalty. 

 

·         Red conveys confidence, love. Passion and excitement but it can also represent anger and danger. 

 

·         Yellow is fresh, optimistic, and cheerful BUT is also used as a warning colour when combined with black. 

 

·         Orange is friendly and warm. 

 

·         Pink is linked to caring, youth and innovation. 

 

·         Purple for quality and luxury. 

 

·         Green for nature and peace. 

 

·         White for purity and innocence 

 

·         Black is associated with mystery and power. 

There’s a saying “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.” If you look the part, you are more likely to be perceived as credible. Your appearance is communicating non-verbal messages. First off, we establish what  looking the part means to you. 

 

This is where your “Duck Words” come in. You figure out 5 words that resonate with how you want to be perceived. We then go about the process of how that can be achieved in terms of your personal brand and style. So, you might to think about how you want to be perceived, jot down a few words and then take a look at how you show up. 

 

Perhaps you want to be seen as warm and approachable? Quirky and creative? Serious and efficient? I was recently talking to someone about their personal brand, they wanted to be perceived as fun but had chosen conflicting brand colours that were very sombre and deep. Remember that you want to avoid dissonance, you are aiming for congruency and consistency across your brand. 

 

Your overall vibe is greater than the sum of its parts. The devil is in the detail for your personal brand and your vibe is created by how you put those details together. 

 

So, let’s think about that in a business context. As a ‘solopreneur’ woman in business, you ARE a walking advert for your personal brand. Your visual communication, how you show up (headshots, social media graphics, website, etc) are your shop window. 

 

🦩It’s about conveying who you  are and how you might be to work with. 

 

🦩It accelerates the buying process because people feel like they “get you”, therefore the know, like, trust factor doesn’t take as long to kick in. 

 

🦩It’s about a picture painting a thousand words. It’s about how you show up in business. 

 

🦩It’s about your “packaging” reflecting the value of the contents. 

 

🦩It’s about your social media presence etc being your virtual “shop window” and magnetically attracting potential clients into your “shop”. 

 

“The way we dress affects the way we think, the way we feel, the way we act, and the way others react to us.” Judith Rasband 

 

How you look on the outside can affect how you feel on the inside and vice versa. Having more success in your business can start with how you feel in your clothes, because you know how, on those occasions when you get dressed in something that makes you feel a million dollars, you leave the house feeling great? You walk taller that day. You have an air of confidence about you. You feel in your power. Your attitude is different. Things that might have bothered you another day are insignificant. You give off a great vibe that is totally aligned with who YOU are at YOUR best. (Which is why it’s still an important element of my work around personal branding if my clients want to explore their identity and individuality.) 

 

So, you’re going about your business that day and your BEST vibe is reflected across everything you communicate, visually and your tone of voice – both written and when you speak. It all adds up. It’s cohesive. You are authentically showing up as your best self because you ARE your business. 

 

You speak to that prospective client for the first time, and they feel like they already know you because of the content they’ve seen. They “get you”. The know, like, trust factor has been accelerated and they’re ready to invest faster. 

When you are feeling 100% comfortable in your own skin and this is backed up by personal branding that is truly aligned, and authentically tells the world who you are, it’s a win, win. Your potential clients feel connected to you. There are no surprises when they actually meet you for the discovery call on Zoom. You already have rapport because they feel like they know you. Converting them becomes easy, it’s just a matter of which package, they already trust you and know you’ll deliver. 

 

Everything falls into place with ease. This is because you’re representing yourself and your business authentically AND in the best possible way. Moving from a mismatched mish mash of cobbled together outfits and social media images to a cohesive personal brand that expresses the VIBE of who YOU are with consistency. 

 

It’s essentially speeding up your marketing efforts. Raising your vibe will help you to magnetically attract those ideal clients and create a visual shorthand to the know, like, trust factor, ultimately accelerating the buying process. Your ideal clients get a sense of what it will be like to work with you because your personality shines through. 

 

Without addressing your personal brand and style, you may be keeping yourself small and holding yourself back. Perhaps you’d feel more confident on every level if you and your business looked the part. 

 

Controversial statement warning – Next time you don’t want to face up to the fact you’re making judgements based on ‘external packaging’ remember that is highly likely that you are. So are your potential clients. If you feel like it’s time to get it sorted and you’d like to raise your vibe you know where I am. 

This community is really special. It's got the most amazing vibe going on. It’s a safe space where you can metaphorically fling off your bra. It’s women empowering women and providing a circle of support because being in business can be a lonely place. 

 

It's a supportive business network with personal development and a heart centred vibe at the core of the community – no pressured referrals or other stuff you don’t like about networking. It’s birds of a feather networking and growing their businesses together, sharing collective wisdom, a place to thrive and celebrate camaraderie. It’s a space where you feel like you have come home. 

 

We have monthly meetings, online and face to face events. Your first meeting is free, hit me up for a complimentary 'Golden Ticket' to see if we're a good fit. 

The paid membership includes an option to upgrade your networking to include personal style and brand mentoring with me. There's also free FB group if you’re not ready to invest just yet. Come and join in the conversation.