I want to welcome Annie S. Dimitri, Life and Image Coach, to share just how important it is for you to realize you are a brand and you speak for your company by how you dress, how you talk, what you do, etc. Give Annie a buzz to get started on a new brand you.
What Does Your Image Say About Your Business?
Branding your business. Lots of us spend our valuable resources of time and money, tweaking this detail, and defining that nuance, of our business so that who we are and what we offer are boldly declared to our target market. However, your most important asset and advertisement, YOU, most likely hasn’t received the same amount of painstaking care and attention. What can this do for the results of all the hard work of your marketing strategy? It can flush them all right down the toilet with a loud gurgle. And quickly.
Research demonstrates that within 3 to 4 seconds, we form preliminary judgments about people based solely on their appearance. Within 30 seconds, we have calculated at least 11 different assumptions about someone, such as their ability to succeed, sense of humor, and work ethic. Again, this is based solely on appearance. If we don’t pass muster in that first 30 seconds, then the opportunity is shot. The one and only way to change a poor first impression is through repeated exposure, and typically, that isn’t possible. So what is a business owner to do with this information? Let there be no wailing and gnashing of teeth, or excessive martini swigging, about this issue. The solutions are very simple.
Begin by defining how you want others to perceive you (and therefore, your business) when they simply see you. What messages do you want your grooming, clothing, and body language to convey so that it is consistent with your marketing? These three components are your visual vocabulary, the personal poetry of you. Once you have that, rid your closet right then and there of any item that doesn’t agree with your message. Even your exercise clothes. Any place you go, you are advertising your business. It is that simple. You never know when and where you will meet that next client. Find stores that carry the looks you desire. Buy them. Learn to wear them. Educate yourself about the importance of your body language, and how you can use it to make an even more stellar first impression. Update your hair and cosmetics. Those sweet winged bangs and that fluffy ponytail perched jauntily atop your head were so cool back in 1985, but this is 2009. Be current. If you aren’t, potential customers will assume your business isn’t either. If all this isn’t your area of expertise, seek assistance. Image consultants, personal shoppers at Nordstrom and Saks, or just very talented friends can make all the difference in the branding of your most precious commodity—you.









