Your Million Dollar Brand: 5 Tips to Present Yourself as the Expert (cont.)

Submitted by on November 29, 2010 - 1:32 pm

A guide for Philanthropists, Entrepreneurs and Ladder Jumping Corporate Women

BY CATHERINE CASSIDY

Again, the quote at the crux of this series:

“Initially Style is more important than substance. If you don’t have the right Style, you won’t get to share any of your substance.”

The key is that you have A style- YOUR style. “Right Style” simply means to get noticed and recognized, not a style that lets you sit in the shadows.

You don’t want to sit in the shadows, do you? You have your message to get out to the world! You want to that promotion, land that new client, get that speaking gig, etc.

Tip #3: Consider Your Brand

This is true whether you have your own business or you’re building a corporate career.

Personal Brand: What people perceive when they first meet you. This includes your presentation, image and manner of speaking.

How you present yourself each day should be consistent with your personal brand- whether you’re in a personal or professional setting.

Though this sounds like a lot of work, it actually can be pretty easy. The beauty is that YOU get to define your personal brand, so it should be a true reflection of  your personality, interests and goals.

I cannot stress enough that your Brand needs to be about YOU! Recall the comment from Tony Robbins…I want you to get to share your substance! If you’re trying to fit a mold that wasn’t made for you, it’s just not going to work.

You need to fit the mold to you.

Let me explain…

First, what is your favorite color? Now what is your favorite color to wear? Why? How does it (or they!) make you feel? This says a lot about HOW you are. You might be happy, energetic, calm, compassionate, fiery, bold, stubborn, regal, etc. The colors you wear reflect this to your audience. Be sure that the message you want to get across comes through (subconsciously) in your Personal Branding.

Second, how would you describe yourself? What are some adjectives others often use to describe you? What do you want to include in your personal brand? Some adjectives to consider: polished, professional, creative, sophisticated, intelligent, enthusiastic, hippie, etc.

Finally, what would you consider your ideal style? Going back to your vision board, how do you want to come across from a STYLE point of view? Bohemian? Chic? Classic? Trendy? Independent?

Taking these three pieces into consideration, you can fit the mold to you by staying true to YOU and your STYLE while making your look appropriate for the occasion.



Your Million Dollar Brand: 5 Tips to Present Yourself as the Expert (cont.)

Submitted by on November 26, 2010 - 6:07 pm

A guide for Philanthropists, Entrepreneurs and Ladder Jumping Corporate Women

BY CATHERINE CASSIDY

I shared with you last week the quote from Tony Robbins, but I’ll share it again:

“Initially Style is more important than substance. If you don’t have the right Style, you won’t get to share any of your Substance.”

This sings to me because it’s at the heart of what I do. Not because I love the superficiality of looking good, but because it’s a reflection of how you feel on the inside. Your image is a reflection of your inner confidence, your success and your knowledge.

Of course you’re the expert!

However, it’s imperative that you give that first impression every time you meet someone. If you’re not, you’re costing yourself your success.

Are you ready to step into your greatness?

This tip is incredibly important, so take note of it. While you might think this goes against PERSONAL style, it never will if you’re always true to yourself.

Tip #2: Consider Your Audience

Where are you going and what are you doing? What does your daily life look like? Who are you talking to? What is the purpose?

For instance, how you dress for a meeting with a corporate company would be different than if you’re meeting a colleague for coffee. In each scenario, you want to be pulled together and polished in your own way, but one might be a bit more formal than the other.

When it comes to business casual versus business professional, it never hurts to ask which is appropriate. Usually, if the company/occasion is more formal, you will be offered the information. However, you never want to make assumptions!!

Aside from running errands, when you can definitely have more freedom (though, even still, you never know who you’re going to meet or when!!), you should always consider the environment, culture and/or occasion.

Editors Note: If you question whether it’s too provocative or inappropriate, it probably is. Go with your intuition!

Your Million Dollar Brand: 5 Tips to Presenting Yourself as the Expert

Submitted by on November 24, 2010 - 6:50 pm

A guide for Philanthropists, Entrepreneurs and Ladder Jumping Corporate Women

BY CATHERINE CASSIDY

I’m going to level with you – I too get fed up with the superficiality placed on how we look, but whether we want to admit it or not, Image is just as important as Ability when it comes to success in business. Image opens the doors to your opportunities while Ability proves you deserving of success.

Something that Tony Robbins shared at one of his “Unleash the Power Within” workshops really rang true for me and it will hit home for you:

” Initially Style is more important than substance. If you don’t have the right Style, you won’t get to share any of your Substance.”

This from a man who orders custom made suits and is obviously very aware of his image (have you seen his shoulders?!) … not to mention that he has achieved enormous success!

Personally, for me, it’s all about the Substance – this is where the style comes from. So the question becomes, are you representing your substance in it’s best light?

It’s all about YOU!!

As a personal stylist, it’s my job to understand you, your business, your audience and help you refine and create an image that is totally YOU and has you coming across in that first impression as … intelligent, sophisticated, creative, bright, fun, dynamic, etc … while also helping you get out of your comfort zone and stepping into your greatness!

Tip 1) Create a Style Vision Board

This helps you get clear on what Fashion and Style you prefer. You can use pictures of celebrities, athletes or family members – as long as their style resonates with you. You should also scan Fashion magazines and Style websites for pictures that you are drawn to. Tear out the pages from the magazines or print the pictures from the websites. Whether you tear out ads or styled shots, it only matters that what you’re tearing out makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. This could also include some pictures from your favorite designers.

Maybe you’re not wearing them today, but you will one day – some way, some how!

As far as putting together the Vision Board, it’s no different than a vision board for your life or business. This one is just focused on your style and image. Make it look pretty. It could even be frameable!

This process defines YOUR style. You’ll be able to see if you’re Bohemian Chic, Classic with a Twist, Vintage Hip, Professional Glamour, etc.

You can even put some pieces on your board that you’d like to add to your wardrobe. It’s about building a wardrobe you LOVE!!

Editors note: For runway/editorial Fashion, I prefer Vogue and W. For realway/educational Fashion, I prefer In Style and Lucky. Style websites I go to people.com, instyle.com andstyle.com for all the runway shoes. If you really want to learn about the Fashion Industry,WWD.com is a great resource and you can get a lot of the articles without signing up for the paid subscription.

INSIDER TIP: Top designers create vision boards before they begin designing each collection.