As an entrepreneur you are committed to building a strong, consistent, authentic brand that visually represents your business and your ethos. You know that in order to engage with your audience and build trust, credibility and, ultimately clients you need to put the ‘you’ in your business and create a ‘personal brand’, yet I see so many entrepreneurs failing to use one of the most powerful tools at the their disposal when it comes to creating an authentic brand – their personal style.
If you’re going to successfully build a personal brand that truly embodies your business and your brand, you MUST consider your personal style and the image you present to your audience. Because it doesn’t matter how strong your business brand is; if your personal style doesn’t authentically align with you or your business then you are seriously hindering your ability to connect to your audience.
“A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another”
- Seth Godin -
So, if you are not connecting to your audience in the most authentic way you can, then they may well choose to hire or buy from someone else.
It doesn’t matter what type of business you own – a personal style that suits you and your business is a must!
If you’re reading this thinking “this doesn’t apply to me because I don’t deal with my clients in person” you are sadly mistaken. This applies to all business owners. It doesn’t matter whether your business has you meeting and working with clients in person, or working with them from behind your computer screen. Like it or not, your audience wants (and expects) you to have a strong online presence. They don’t just want to see your website, they want to see you.
It has become totally normal for potential clients to stalk you on social media before making a decision to hire you. They want to know who the person behind the business is and what’s important to you, and they love to see snippets of your life. They’re nosy because they know that all of these things will help them to form a decision as to whether or not you’re the right fit for them.
It’s not enough to just show up and rely on your ability and your knowledge to win trust and credibility
You need to make sure that your audience not only sees your brand in the way you want it to be seen, but that they see YOU how you want to be seen, every time you interact with your audience through Instagram, Instagram stories, Facebook Live, webinars, Skype calls, etc…
But here’s the beautiful thing – as a business owner YOU set the rules! You have the freedom to wear what you choose and to craft a personal style that you love and that communicates what is important to you. You don’t have to conform to a strict, unimaginative dress code or fit in with someone else’s brand and vision. You have the opportunity to develop a personal brand and personal style that comes from your heart, that represents you and your business, 100%, so don’t waste it!
If you can develop a personal style that is authentic to you and align this with your authentic personal brand, your audience is much more likely to believe in you and what you do and will become more than just clients, they’ll become fans and fans are like the holy grail of clients as these are the people who will promote your business for you!