Personal Branding are you on message...

At the weekend it was the annual Bramley Fete and for the last three years a great team and I have worked on the secondhand clothes stall.  A couple of years ago I wanted to brand the stall with some signage. 

As a team we work really hard to sort the clothes that when we arrive on the day of the Fete we only hang the best of the best.  We organise  the rails according to the garment so eg. rail for dresses/another for skirts, blouses etc...

we also try and group in colours.  All this setup and hard work makes it easier for the customer to hunt for bargains, but undoubtedly makes the stand something a little bit more than a secondhand clothes stall.  I was really keen not to have clothes thrown on tables and sell at any price.  With this all in mind we needed signage to attract but also to project who and what we were.  I decided on the "Bramley Boutique" and went for T Shirts to match the signs. 

We have had some funny moments, which reflect how well we have done with the set up and the branding:-

One customer asked "Do you have this in another size?"

Another "Where is your shop located?"

With your own personal brand do you say what you want to say.  What are you projecting? How can you ensure that you are elevated to the right level?

People used to say to dress for the next position up.  Today it is not so much about the clothes you wear but the way you behave and interact with others.  Just as  the set up of the stall was organised and logical, do we present in the same way.  Being involved in things beyond just your day job, will definitely elevate your visibility and will get your brand out there.  Think about whether you can Chair the Social Committee or be a member of the Volunteering Group?

The only way that you will ever know you are on track is to ask for feedback.  Be artful as to how you acquire it, as asking anyone "Please can you give me some feedback?" can elicit a sense of fear in others or just lead to a very limited response "Yeah your great".  Try asking for just one thing! for example:-

"At the meeting last week please can you suggest one thing I did well and is there one thing you think I should change"

The fete is over for another year, and all the Bramley Boutique signs stored away, however we have left a memory in peoples minds because we created a brand.  As indiividuals we do this every day so think about "What shadow do you cast?" - "Do you say what you want to say?" and are you happy with the memory you have left with them.

Please do get in touch for a workshop on Personal Branding or for a one to one coaching session bev@nuggetsoflearning.co.uk