The essence of a personal brand is that it’s similar to a corporate brand, yet it’s personal to you, which allows for more freedom and, in all honesty, far more fun. Take a look at music or acting and notice how the likes of Russell Brand, Jennifer Lopez and Justin Timberlake have wildly successful careers based on lucrative brands that represent their true personalities?
#1: Get visual
I know Sunday’s past but I’ve got a confession to make. You know those cheesy people that have their photos on business cards and emails? Well, I’m one of them and, it gets worse, I’m proud to be one. Now that the hard part’s over, will you please join me? Getting visual is part of representing your personality and your brand. People do business with people; it’s that simple. When they see your face, it’s easy to remember you and a personal connection is made. It’s time to make your brand more personal.
#2: Go monotone
Getting personal is something pop icon Katy Perry is used to, as is her bright red lipstick. Nearly every photo has Ms. Perry’s infamous blue eyes and red lipstick; that lipstick has become part of her personal brand. You can do the same by using one color in a continuous way. Think about what your favorite color is and then go monotone.
Get busy integrating your favorite color into your brand everywhere from your clothes to your business cards and thank you notes to your email signature and accessories. When people see you, they’ll notice that every time you’ve got on green. Making color synonymous with you, your name and your personal brand will have a quick boost to your personal brand.
Marvelous monotone branding
One of my favorite recent examples of monotone color branding is Lisa VanderPump from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Lisa finds a way to put pink on everything from bathroom counters to chocolate Louboutins and dog sweaters. Thanks to Lisa’s ability to vary the shades of pink and integrate it everywhere, I’ve fallen back in love with the color.
Boost your brand; boost your job search results
Fall in love with your personality and let it shine through naturally to allow your personal brand the success both you and I know is waiting for you. When you’ve got a color everyone knows your for (e.g. green), it’s easy for others to refer new colleagues to you during networking events by saying “You’ll know him because he’s always got on green.” In addition, when you add a photo to your email and business card, it makes first meetings far more comfortable when networking one-on-one. After all, 80% of today’s jobs are landed through networking.
