When Brand Meets Style
- July 15, 2013
- Posted by: Rochelle
- Category: Brand + Design, Marketing + Selling, Personal Brand
As consultants (and coaches and authors), it’s imperative that we practice what we preach.
We have to put ourselves (and our egos) out on the line—regularly—so clients trust that we “get it”. We build empathy and trust. And we learn boatloads doing it.
In my own case, it has made me more effective at dealing with clients’ occasional angst as they step up to a bigger platform. It’s taught me when to be supportive and when to kick some booty.
So yes, I’ve done the photo shoots, hired myself professional hair and make-up and even called in the big style guns (thank you Bert) to help me create the right “look” for my first studio video.
But it wasn’t until Alexandra Suzanne Greenawalt, creator of “Six Figure Style”, reached out to me for an interview that I realized I’d fallen into a rut.
Don’t let this happen to you.
Backstory: In early 2013, I created “Rochelle TV”, a weekly video series on personal branding, I’m pleased with the results so far—I’ve seen steadily growing readership, been reaching a new audience and even landed a couple of new clients. But, in my zeal to create a less formal version of me for this audience, I managed to get stuck in a uniform of V-necked t-shirts. Especially for a branding expert, this is not good.
Enter Alexandra. For the full brand meets style discussion, watch the video here or take the opportunity to watch Alexandra at work on her “Six Figure Style” series. She’s the bomb!
Besides the on-point style advice from a true pro, my clear take-away is to practice what I preach. To give myself the same access to professional counsel and feedback that I demand for my clients.
Bottom-line: I deserve it. And so do you.
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4 Comments
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Seems to me Rochelle from this message, that you’re due (or you deserve!) to publish your ($47, $67, $97 … fill in the blank!) PDF. Oh I’m probably just a step or two ahead of what’s coming 🙂 And I’m finally seeing how it works for all those of us wishing to do what it takes. You “are” the perfect roll model. de John
It’s a work in progress, John–stay tuned!
Interesting (fascinating perhaps). Just today, I suggested a member of my networking group consider one of the speech “coaches” in our network. This was the first time I recall the colleague delivering the spiel in a larger room (it was a combined meeting of two of our network’s groups. The colleague was presenting from the other end of the room and the director of our network sitting across from me noting the colleague was not projecting. The director’s real job is marketing and I mentioned to her that the coordinator of one of the groups I chair who also attended this event might benefit from help on messaging and more; I think there will be help offered…
I remain a control freak of sorts on message (in all forms); in many ways self taught; admittedly it makes me more resistant to using a consultant where it might (and yes it might) make sense for me. I find it a lot easier to let a better shooter take a shot when I play basketball (but I learned to shoot when open or positioned “down low”).
This is a great story Corey–we consultants figure we’re supposed to know it all, but there are just times when we have to ask for help. It is a good reminder to me of how vulnerable potential clients can feel.