Your image is your personal brand, the very essence of you, and it comes to life the minute you wake up.  The minute you step out of your house or log in to Zoom, you become the living billboard for your business.   First impressions are formed almost immediately, so you continuously ask yourself:

• Do I look like an executive?
• How do I look to others?
• What impression do I give

These are essential questions to ask, as the answers reflect how others see you and their impression of you and your work. Those first few minutes after meeting someone, judgments are made that determine, in their eyes, your capability, confidence, credibility, and trustworthiness. Such snap judgments can negatively or positively impact your brand and, ultimately, your career.  Studies have shown that non-verbal communication comprises 80-90% of the information received, so honestly, you only get one chance to make a great first impression.

When a bold, confident, well-dressed woman enters the room, heads turn. When that same woman appears at a Zoom event, her presence is recognized and commands respect.

With your own authentic, polished, personal image, you can also be noticed and admired.  So what is personal branding? How can you use it to influence others?

According to a Forbes article in 2019, “A personal brand is the unique combination of skills and experiences that make you who you are. It is how you present yourself to the world. Effective personal branding will differentiate you from the competition and allow you to build trust with prospective clients and employers.”

Personal branding is your reputation, the perception the public has of you. Intentionally building your brand allows you to tell your story just the way you want it.  Branding establishes you as a leader in your field and will enable you to connect with clients.

Ultimately, a strong personal brand saves you time and money because you are the expert everyone wants to work with; clients will seek you out rather than the other way around.

Branding doesn’t happen overnight, though. There is a recipe for presenting yourself in a confident, successful, yet approachable manner. Also, it is a skill that Knowing practiced and mastered. Let’s look at 10 factors that will help you step up into an image and brand you love!

What’s your story?
Your story represents your brand’s personality and identity. Before you start telling your story, you need to outline it and fill in some essential details. Some things to consider are your purpose or the why for what you do. What are your core values? Knowing your story allows you to stay authentic and consistent.

Are you coming across as human?
A part of being authentic is coming across as human and understanding the issues and problems your clients face. Building a reputation as somebody who listens to, engages with, and cares about the types of people that make up your potential and existing clients is paramount.

Do your actions match your brand?
Consistency is the secret to personal branding, especially when you establishing a portrait of who you are.  Your actions need to match your perceived image. For example, If you portray yourself as caring for your customers, you must listen to their complaints and be prepared to resolve them. Most of all, authenticity is the key to any successful personal brand. You want your brand to match what people say about you when you are not present to establish credibility.

What makes you stand head and shoulders above the rest?
What’s unique about you or the way you deliver results? Why should someone work with you rather than your competitors? Your personal brand should clearly demonstrate what distinguishes you from others, your unique qualities, training, and capabilities. In other words, your secret sauce!

What does your appearance say about you?
Personal branding encompasses your physical appearance, including your grooming, the clothes you wear and how you speak, as well as any memorable personality quirks! So take an honest assessment of your physical appearance and ask:

• Are your clothing and accessories (this includes any tattoos or piercings) appropriate and appealing to your target audience?
• What do you want their impression and takeaway to be?

When you ask these questions, make sure the answers align with how you present yourself to others and the message you want to convey to be successful. At ImageUp, we want to help clarify and create your personal style in a way that makes you recognizable as a leader with a natural and confident authority.

Is your elevator pitch consistent with your brand?
Whether it is 30 seconds or a minute, you have the opportunity to tell people about your business and to demonstrate how you embody your brand. Take the time to craft a message that communicates your brand effectively.

Are you networking?
Stay in touch with existing contacts and expand your network by talking to strangers at conferences and other events.  Look for opportunities to speak and share your content to add value to other groups.  When you focus on helping others, and you’ll find that people will do the same for you.

What is your brand status currently?
It’s always a good idea to find out the state of your brand. Check Google first to see what pops up when you enter your name. Do you even show up at all, or do the results show someone else with your name? Also, click on the Google images tab: are the photos appropriate and congruent with your brand?  If the picture presented on Google is far from the professional image you want or if you’re not showing up at all, you have some work to do! It’s a fact that 70% of employers use Google to check you out, while that same percentage reviews your social media profiles as part of the hiring process.

What about your social media presence?
What would a prospective employer or client think of you based on what they find online?  It’s important to review your social media profiles, especially the biggest culprit, Facebook, to see what story you’re telling there.  Is your page marred with political rants, drunken photos in compromising surroundings, or full of cat video posts? Even if none of those fit you, it is still good to evaluate the image that might form in the minds of prospective clients, partners, investors, or employers. Consider setting up a separate page for your business persona and limit your existing Facebook profile with strict privacy settings so only your closest friends and family will see your selfies and rants. However, the best solution is to not post about politics or rants and keep them to yourself!

Also, don’t forget to check and update your LinkedIn profile. What’s the message coming through in the recommendations, and the content are you liking and commenting on? Make a great impression with an active, up-to-date profile with positive engagement.

What message does your profile image convey?
Your image on the various networking sites, such as LinkedIn, should convey your personal brand’s key element.  Too many profile pictures and random pictures that do not relate to who you are can clutter your message and image.  When using a profile image, try to use the same one everywhere. Repetition and consistency are essential when you’re establishing your l brand. In addition to repetition, the most crucial element in branding is authenticity; your headshot should always look like you, especially since you probably are attending networking events, speaking at industry shows, and so on.

Inconsistency between you and your profile pictures will undermine the authenticity of your brand. Updating your photo as you age, or if you change appearance in some very noticeable way, is highly recommended, such as a new hairstyle, significant weight loss, or the addition of eyeglasses. The key to a great profile image is to understand what makes you stand out.

In the end, it is important to know that your personal style represents your brand and communicates volumes to the world. Professionalism is established when you pay attention to outward features:  attire, grooming, and physical appearance. Do you project yourself in a way that reflects your personal tastes, core values, and lifestyle that makes you unique? Does your dress and grooming make you feel confident and at your best? Are you effectively communicating the personal brand that you want the world to see? If you’re not sure, let’s talk about the steps to make your brand shine, so you can become unstuck by putting your best face forward.

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