Personal brands are critical for success

Kerry Stich • August 23, 2009

The next time you see a mirror, stop and look. The image staring back is part of your personal brand. It makes a statement about who you are and distinguishes you from your colleagues and competitors. Personal brands are critical to successfully impact your professional relationships.

Marge McGee, president of Career Architect Consulting Services, a career and talent management firm in Rochester, strongly agrees: "Positive impressions encourage others to remember and comfortably promote your abilities."

Build your personal brand with these three basics:

Appearance: First impressions are based on appearance. Make a positive one and people will be naturally inclined to listen and focus on your words. Achieve this by ignoring preconceived images of how you should look. Select colors and styles that complement you (your personality, natural coloring, shape, profession, etc.).

Attitude: The way you feel about yourself affects your self-carriage and how others react to you. If you understand your own unique characteristics and make the most of them, the assured confidence that follows will allow you to appear prepared, competent and convincing.

Authenticity: When you accept the role of a personal brand in the professional world, you free other people to judge you on your merits and free yourself to focus on the content of the situation. After all, professional gains based on authenticity are the best and most sustainable kind.

Kerry Stich is co-owner of Bella Bleu Color, a personal color and image consulting company located in Pittsford and Penfield.