Personal Style & Building your Brand
Anna chats personal style & how, if you are the face of your business, it impacts your personal brands' expression.
Oooh let’s talk fashion & style - one of my favourite things - for this Feature.
So, if you have a business, you have a brand. Branding is what builds connection, trust, loyalty with your audience and differentiates you from others in your industry.
Your vibe is one of the core parts of the brand.
What makes your vibe, you ask? In part, your style. The things you wear, the locations you shoot in, the places you visit, the backgrounds of your social shots…the list goes on.
A great way to easily & consistently build your brand, if you are the face of it, is through style.
Embracing your personal style can enhance brand image. It showcases your authenticity, uniqueness & personality. There is immediate resonance, or not, allowing you to build an engaged audience who actively waits to see what you do next.
To give you a personal example, because so many people come to me because of my brand, I’ll let you in on how I do it.
It’s easy, because really, it’s just me.
Building the brand vibe as a core platform to move from.
I build brand energy boards based on the brand strategy I have created for my brand and business. Brand energy boards are basically Pinterest boards that are filled with images that give off a vibe or energy. I focus more on the attitude or feeling that the images give and the impact that has on how I can confidently share and build an emotional, energetic connection with my audience. Below is a selection of my ‘The Brand’ board. If you look across all platforms where I have a brand presence, you will see this vibe or energy portrayed.
For my photo shoot last year, shot by the incredible Lucy Dracott, I went in on the prep to co-create powerful images that tell a story. Essentially I creatively directed myself and it worked. So many people resonate with my imagery because you can feel the emotion through the screen you’re looking at.
All of this feels easy & natural.
Why?
Because it is my taste & style.
And it is intentional.
Intentionally building a brand based on the things that make you you are the key to differentiating yourself from those in your industry. What makes you you is what makes clients buy. Typically, it’s not what you’re actually selling, it’s the direct result of how you have branded yourself & your business, and what that means for your clients (alongside the transformation you are offering, of course).
The intentional use of personal style in branding works because:
consumers are drawn to genuine personalities
personal style enhances your brand by creating a unique, consistent and relatable identity, visuals & messaging
it’s easy because it is you & therefore translates to attract your on-the-same-wavelength clients
Embracing your uniqueness is the first stage of building a stand out brand - the strategy follows. This is why self-image is so important. Seeing yourself for who you truly are, embodying it through the expression of your style by being comfortable in your skin and then tapping into the strategy to position yourself in the minds of your potential clients are the three key stages of business success.
I’ll leave you with some reflective, embodiment questions to answer so you can start or continue integrating your personal style into your brand. Build up your self image, express yourself authentically using your style and do the work to translate it into intentional strategy - the results will change the game.
What is my aesthetic? What colours, patterns or textures am I naturally drawn to?
Example. I am drawn to vintage gold picture frames, brushed concrete, black & white imagery, newspaper prints, flecks of red etc.
What does this represent when I think about my values, the types of clients I want to draw in and the mission that I’m on?
Example. My clients are driven women or NB folk who like a bit of booj, they get shit done and are seeking to elevate, living an authentic, stylish life where they are time & finance free.
How do I naturally communicate with others?
Example. My expression is bold, initiating and punchy with an undercurrent of passion and love for my audience. I want them to know they can thrive in this world by being themselves.
How can I ensure a consistent personal style and brand identity across different platforms (website, social media, offline presence)?
Example. Clients come to me knowing exactly what they’re going to get and why I’m different to everyone else. They connect with all parts of my personal style & can often be inspired by my expression.
Are there trends in my industry that I can leverage to refresh my brand's image while staying true to myself?
Picking up on relevant (key word) trends bring a quicker recognition with a current trends & links to you. Red boots are in this season, I have red as a brand colour, I bought quality red boots that I know will outlast the trend (it’s giving Parisian chic) and I chose them intentionally. Be careful with this one.
Until next time.
Lots of love,
Anna xo
