We can’t help it. Whether we hear Apple, BMW, Coca-Cola or
Wal-Mart, we automatically create very specific images in our head about each
one of those brands and what they represent to us. Likewise, very specific images come up when
we hear names like Beyonce or Cher or Michael Jackson. Brands don’t only
pertain to businesses, but people, as well.
So, it’s important to understand that whether you are trying to or not,
YOU represent a brand. And whether you
want to accept it or not, there is absolutely no way to separate your personal
and professional brand. Just think of
the late Whitney Houston. What she may have considered “personal business”
still managed to impede her professional brand when it was all said and done.
So, if we know this is true, let’s tackle 3 areas where your
personal life DOES impact your professional brand.
1. Your
Appearance and Attire. What does your
appearance say about you? Remember, that getting up and getting dressed is not
just reserved for the days you go into the office. In today’s society, anyplace
you set foot in has the potential to produce an ideal client, business partnership
or new contract. The question is, “Do you enter each day expecting
opportunities to come your way?” If so, there’s no such thing as just “running
out.” You never know who you might run into. Remember, you may not always physically
see someone, but there’s always someone watching you who has the potential to
bless you. I teach personal finance classes weekly and it’s impossible for me
to remember every face in a room of eighty people. But, it never fails. In just
the last week, I’ve run into former students at Target, a random nail salon and
the Z-Gallerie and not one can say that I had to apologize or make an excuse
for my appearance.
