What are people saying about you and your business?

Have you given much thought to how you are perceived by others and the effect this has on your business? I invited Personal Branding and Image Expert, Deborah Turner, to write this thought-provoking post about the importance of ensuring that your personal brand is a true reflection of the value you bring to your business.

When I first started out with developing the Get Fruitful Marketing brand, I knew what my personal and business brand values were, and had an idea for how I wanted to embody these in the way I dressed. But as a new business owner, as well as a new Mum (having set-up a few months after the birth of my daughter), I was in need of an image overhaul. Whilst pregnant I had stored all my pre-maternity clothes in a suitcase in my cellar which got damp and everything was ruined! I had to start again from scratch and build up a whole new wardrobe that would suit my new role as a working Mum. I also wanted to get some expert advice to help me choose my new brand colours.

So I called on Deborah Turner – who is based in Kent and runs You Image Consultancy. She offers Personal Branding advice for men, women and companies to ensure you make the best impression and get noticed for the right reasons, making your personal image truly reflect your skills, talents and values.

Deborah gave me a fascinating insight into the science of how colour works, and practical advice on the palette that worked best with my skin tone, eye and hair colour. She showed me and explained why exactly some colours made me look sickly and pale and others more radiant and healthy. Of course, these better colours also helped me feel to more confident and happy in myself.

I can now save time getting ready in the morning knowing that my wardrobe is more coherent, and different pieces will tone together well as they come from the same colour family. I can also save money by avoiding buying clothes that will just sit in the wardrobe not getting worn because they don’t feel quite right. Additionally, I was then able to give the colour palette to a graphic designer to work into the brand identity for my business. Deborah’s insights have been instrumental to the creation of my own personal and business brand.

I would recommend her services to anyone wanting an objective perspective backed by a scientific approach on how to create the best impression for themselves in business and beyond.

Over to Deborah for her words of wisdom…

Networking is an excellent tool for marketing your business and your personal brand. However, if you are not promoting yourself in the very best way possible, do others understand who you want to connect with and do business with? Are you promoting your business in the most beneficial way?

How do YOU want to be known? What do you want people to say about YOU?

If you are clear on how you want to be perceived, are you communicating this clearly and concisely so that when others think about you, talk about you and refer you, it is the correct message?

Effective personal branding is when you are known for what you want to be known for.

It is about ensuring that all your skills, talents, and expertise are communicated the second that you show up.

Although we are all told we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, we all do. It is prehistoric human instinct, based on our need to identify threats to our safety. So no matter what our Mum’s told us we do judge people based on what we see and so people judge you by your personal image. You should therefore be making the most of your personal brand.

Do you consciously manage your personal brand? It is an integral part of your marketing strategy?

Once you know what makes you stand out from the crowd and is unique to you, ask yourself, “Am I representing that message in the way that I show up? Does my personal brand truly reflect my core message and values?”

Your goal should be to create the ultimate YOU. Your personal brand should be a true reflection of what is important to you. Your personal brand is your shop front to the outside world, so make the most of it.

Once you know what it is you want to communicate to the outside world, be consistent. Make sure you showcase yourself in that way across every platform when representing your business.

Have a single professional headshot for all your social media profiles, ensure your biography is expertly written and that your personal brand is the best version of you. Building your brand will boost your business.

Your personal brand if your own free marketing tool to ensure your skills talents and expertise are best represented, are you making the most of your personal brand?