So, we have all heard the phrases “Look the Part” or “Dress for Success”. They get tossed around so much that we do not really analyze what that means on an individual level. This is a missed opportunity for people.
I advise many of my clients that it is possible for your image to do 50% of your sales process. I have a whole blog article about it. If you missed it check out How A Personal Brand Can Cut Your Work In Half.
Aside from helping you make sales your personal brand can also help you communicate a professional message without speaking. For this to happen you need to be very clear about what your professional message is and how your personal brand can communicate that message.
The trick here is there is no one size fits all answer to the question “what is professional?” and “what image best communicates the message of my industry”?
If you want to cultivate a personal brand that goes beyond just looking good but really communicates your professional message, you need to ask yourself a few key questions.
What is your company mission statement?
Your company’s mission statement really gets to the core values you are trying to represent. Are you committing to bettering your community? Is there a certain demographic your mission statement leans towards? Is there a religious or higher purpose that is part of your greater message? This is a great place to start when homing in on what you are communicating.
What is your Industry standard?
I have an entire blog post just devoted to this topic as it can be complicated. Check out How Do You Know What Your Industry Standard Is? before moving further into your analysis.
Once you know your industry standard, how does it relate to your company mission statement? Does it have more of a modest slant to attract a conservative client base? If a core value is creating fun can your image be whimsical? Maybe your geographical area allows for a certain standard and that should be taken into consideration when planning your brand.
What benefits does your company bring to your customer’s lives?
The most important message for making sales is benefits. What does your customer get out of working with you? Security? Money? Fun? Relaxation? Basic Needs? What clothing or image cues are associated with the benefit you offer? Find a way to incorporate that cue into your daily dress.
Who do you want to receive your message (who is your dream audience)?
Once again there is a separate blog post that deep dives into this topic. Check out Who is YOUR audience? before analyzing further.
What image do they want to see?
A great place to start is how do they dress? People often gravitate towards people that seem relatable. People who seem like them. Start dressing and exhibiting the personal brand traits they embody.
This comes with a bit of a warning. One, do not travel too far outside of your own comfort zone or your brand will become disingenuous. Two, sometimes your dream audience is someone who embodies the opposite of what you are communicating when the benefit of your company is to reverse that for them. In this case, the brand should reflect what they aspire to be.
Admittingly this article brings together ideas from many of my other blog posts but this is how it all ties together. One of my favorite sayings is “Image is your billboard”. This is how you create that billboard.
Want individual help?
If this topic has resonated with you then I will be sharing future tips about building your personal brand with my community in the next issue of my email letter the Styled Life Guide. If you are not a part of the community you can subscribe at the bottom of the home page here.
As always follow Alexander Personal Image Styling on Instagram @alexanderpersonalimagestyling for more tips and tricks on your personal brand journey. If you would like more subjective help I would love to connect. Schedule a free one on one consultation with me.