Humans are wired to interpret things visually first.
One of the ways people recall an interaction is picturing in their mind how you presented yourself. We think in pictures. Similar to what corporations do when they create their brand identity guide, you should do the same for your personal brand to ensure all elements form unity. We all have our own visual language. The components that make up your visual language are:
Signature Personal Style
Does what you are choosing to wear from a style and color perspective send the message you want others to receive? Does it fit with your overall lifestyle?
Headshot
An essential element on all your social media and online accounts.
Pay attention to the overall look and feel of the photo. Does it tie into all of the other elements you are using and the image you want to portray? Does it capture the essence of who you are and your personality? For example, do not do a stiff portrait if you are a very creative person.
Personal Brand Elements
This includes website layout, blog layout, and imagery used online or in any marketing collateral.
Social Media Profiles
Do each of your social media accounts have a similar look and feel?
Any easy way to get started in creating your own Personal Brand Style Guide is to do a Personal Brand Vision Board. Start gathering colors and pictures from hard copy publications and websites that speak to who you are as a person and place them on a board, whether that is actual poster board, a Pinterest board, or in a simple Word document. Look at clothing, eyeglasses, makeup, hairstyles, color combinations (clothing or otherwise), vehicles, homes, marketing pieces such as ads, one-sheets, brochures, website layouts, fonts, and any images or photos of absolutely anything that you simply just love. Soon you will start to notice an overall theme of what you are selecting.
The vision board will be the building blocks of discovering your visual language. It not only has to speak to others, but it needs to speak to you authentically. You will never be able to deliver your personal brand if it doesn’t feel right to you.
I encourage you to start your Personal Brand Vision Board. Next time we will work through how to create your Personal Brand Style Guide.
