Your personal style is a basic building block of your brand image. It reflects your personality, values, and the message you want to convey to your audience. Defining your personal style involves getting to know what makes you feel your most confident and put together. And, deciding how you want to be perceived by others.
Is your personal style on social media boosting or busting your brand’s vibe?
Remember that as a small business owner, you are the face of your brand – whatever that is. You may be a pilates teacher who at 60 is starting to teach. Or, a person who has an idea and wants to bring that to market. The people you want to reach (your audience) sees you and makes a decision if they want to buy, learn, or subscribe.
CASE STUDY “A”
“A” is a personal coach. She frequently posts selfies and is always in different attire. In one photo, A called out a stylist friend thanking them for the Valentino dress she was posing in. It was a lovely dress and A looked uber gorgeous. There are some selfies and photos of A in lovely camisoles and dresses which I feel detract from a professional vibe. Others show her reading, meditating, and smelling flowers.
Since A is all over social media, a potential client might assume that A is a wealthy coach with high rates, and plenty of free time. The pretty selfies are more suitable for a private account because coaches aren’t there to sell their beauty. Lastly, talking to A you find she’s very professional, hardworking, experienced, and has affordable rates.
Conclusion: It’s possible to enhance your value proposition with personal style and the opposite is also true. [Your value prop is the “why” a customer should believe you, buy your product, or service.] And by the way, you don’t have to follow trends, have a ton of money, be a certain age or body type.
Check out these examples to see what I mean.
https://www.instagram.com/sivanskitchen/ (dresses in T shirts, always looks organized and clean to showcase her recipes which makes you want to try them).
https://www.instagram.com/bakedbymelissa always wears tie dye and says “I love you, bye” – it conveys a down to earth vibe and is relatable.
Both https://www.instagram.com/nililotan/ (her brand – unapologetically luxurious and exclusive – be like me) and https://www.instagram.com/de_rococo/ (let’s be stylish gals together) do a great job using their platforms to showcase their style-brand.
5 questions to ask yourself to enhance your brand through style
Used wisely, social media can help you build your community and engage with others. It can also be a tool for sales, subscriptions, and better organic website traffic.
Here are 5 questions to ask yourself to determine if your personal style (visible on social) is enhancing or undermining your brand image.
- Calling out someone you admire is great. Does it tie into your brand (services)?
- Mentioning brand names is fine. Do you do that consistently and for a specific reason?
- Showing your facets can work. Will your audience think you are a show off?
- People form opinions by what they see and hear. Are you sending the “right message”.
- Yes to dressing for success. But is the dress the message? It could be.
Bottom line – a strategy helps.
Simple ways to define your personal style so it aligns with your brand image
Aliza Licht – On Brand
“you have to tell your story in the way you want it reported”
Defining your personal style is an ongoing process. It may evolve over time as you grow and start self-reflecting. Embrace this evolution and use it as an opportunity to refine and elevate your brand image.
Do some research. Check out different fashion sources for inspiration. Scan social media, check out magazines and fashion influencers. See what other brand owners in your industry wear. It’s just an idea gathering time. We can always look at what you have and make outfits, or identify capsule wardrobe items that will sustain you for awhile.
Tip: Take your measurements so you can learn how to dress for your body shape (and buy the right size). Sloppy appearance could convey a sloppy work style and you don’t want that. Goes for any industry from personal trainer to CEO.
Make time for a closet clean out. Find the items that make you feel confident and creative. Make piles with clothes that bring you down or don’t fit. Notice if there are colors, silhouettes, textures or types of clothes that don’t feel right at this time. For instance, I used to love mauve but when I wear it I think it makes me look tired.
Tip: Note any emotions that come up as you do this exercise. These pants make me feel___ or gee, I always fidget with the buttons when I wear that top. Discomfort shows up like a chocolate ice cream stain on white pants (speaking from experience here).
Think about the message you want to communicate. I am a purpose-driven professional so I often wear clothes by brands that give back. I’ll often buy from smaller companies, led by individuals who value their clients – as I do. While creative, I’m also practical and prefer classics – especially good quality items that are on sale. Many of my friends like quantity but I find quality gives me more satisfaction.
Tip: Write down words that describe your personality, values, and brand story.
CASE STUDY “B”
On Instagram, I follow “B”, a female founder who posts dressed in sweatshirts. She’s a mentor and speaker too but doesn’t wear her hoodies to do that. She gives off an approachable, hardworking, vibe. When B posts pictures of her speaking engagements, she’s wearing jeans and a blazer or some type of office casual outfit. She comes across as a busy professional/mom/entrepreneur who gets her look together when it’s necessary and is otherwise dressed like a friend who is as laid back as anyone once work is done. She is very consistent and does a good job at the formula: personal style = brand style. If you posted in sweatshirts, what message would it send?
Conclusion: It isn’t about following fashion trends, it’s about messaging. Steve https://www.instagram.com/packleaderdogs/ nails it – always in his t-shirt and always talks about dog psychology. You remember him. The only thing I would tell him is – instead of using Instagram as a blog which doesn’t help people find your website and book you – write a blog and share your blog on social media so you get more traction.
Next steps – authenticity and consistency
Your personal style is a powerful tool. It’s a reflection of your unique identity and a direct channel to your audience. Let your authentic self shine through!
Need help unlocking your personal style? I specialize in mindfulness and stress reduction techniques that can guide you towards a genuine expression of yourself. When you dress appropriately and from that authentic self, you can build a consistent brand image – and that builds trust. Stay tuned for more about consistency and thanks for reading. You can also download my free E-book to get started.
Follow Us!