Brand Permissions - We all just want to be accepted

Most industries create their secret squirrel language that makes what they do a mystery to everyone else.  But in branding we just use the word "brand" and most people are already confused (or tuned out). Which means our language consists of things like:
Brand Identity
Brand Personality
Brand Promise

Did I just say the same thing 3 times? Actually, I did not, but unless you consider the nuances between them to be your reason for being you'll probably think so.

I am beyond passionate and extremely effective at Brand Strategy and because of that I can see it's flaws as much as I can see it's shiny bits. It wasn't until I launched my first business 8 years ago and then began advising start ups in my second business, primarily in the category of Independent Luxury and Lifestyle Consulting, that I found the missing link; The Brand Permissions.

The business of being a Change Agent is one of delecate, sensitivity, guidance, acceptance and permissions. For instance: Wardrobe Consultants, Voice Coaches, Personal Trainer, Professional Organizer. They are providing the tools neccessary to make the change as much as they are providing permission for that person to accept that there is a need for the change.

And in the big picture of branding? It's called creating relevancy and acceptance. We live in a very transparent world so acceptance is what makes a brand approachable. Its not enough to put a face and voice to a brand and promise that it will make your teeth whiter. What's the relevancy to my life? Not just, "what will it do?", but "where do I fit into your brand?" and "will you accept me for who I am once I'm there".

I have a coaching client that's an up-and-coming celebrity hair stylist Brand Promise is:

• to lisen and validate
• over deliver
• build a long term plan
• be a visionary

Which means her Brand Permissions are:

• you can be yourself & speak your truth
• I will make it possible for you to be a little lazy
• you can take your time. I don't expect you to change over night.
• it's OK to not know what you want. I'm a visionary for you and I see you for who you are.

It doesn't matter if you aren't a Luxury and Lifestyle consultant the neccessity for Brand Permissions are still there. Whether it is your personal brand, your company's brand, your product's brand, or your dog's brand, we all just want to be accepted for who we are.

Suit Jacket vs. Straight Jacket: And other distractions of Personal Branding for women

"PSSSSST, We see you and we know you're a woman".

I think that's how I'll start my talk later this month when I speak to the IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit Super Women Luncheon. What do you think?

I'm of an age when I remember how it came to be that women started dressing like men to get taken more seriously in the workplace. It was the '80s and using the mindset; "If you look more like a man you must think like them too", hence the shoulderpads. There should be no wonder why the rise of women business owners has increased from 5 million in 1997 to 8 million according to Amercian Express OPEN State Of Women Owned Business Report. Its not because getting an AMEX got easier it's because they are sick of dressing like men at the office.

Believe it or not I hear stories all the time from women who are still having it strongly suggested to them that they should consider wearing a jacket for presentations.  To which I reply: "Why, so they have somewhere to clip the wireless mic?"

I've spoken at Ameriprise a few times so when Adelaide Lancaster of In Good Company (and co-auther of the new book "The Big Enough Company") introduced me to Judi Rosenthal I knew we had a lot to talk about.  Judi is a financial advisor for Ameriprise and is the driving force behind their Bloom network which is a virtual “water cooler” … a community that shares positive peer support, Ameriprise expertise and outside inspiration from all types of business resources and beyond. She also hosts a radio program for Bloom members which we agreed that the topic of Personal Branding Through Appearance was neccessary.

Judi is an easy person to talk to and has a ready laugh so the interview was a lot of fun.  Not surprisingly there were some predictable topics discussed like; Is a jacket even neccessary for women anymore? And hoisery rules and preferences. But the best topic of all was around distractions. Particularly the kind that bad or misfunctioning underwear can create.  I'm pretty certain this is exclusive to women but I'd be happy to entertain the mail perspective on this one.

Enjoy the interview and don't leave before we get to the good stuff
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

The 6 Inch Rule

You want this. You need it. Now get your mind out of the gutter. Another pearl of wisdom from someone who's collected lots of pearls and likes to wear them.

A reminder for women of any age to take stock in who their audience is how to maintain good eye contact. If you know what I mean.

Interviewing Your Brand Series, Part II: "Ladies, Is It A Man's World? Only If You Insist On Dressing Like It"

"Say Ladies! Hey Ladies! I want to hear it from the Laaaadieeees".  Pardon the party flashback.
Last time we talked I got you thinking about not blending into the office furniture when you show up for an interview. Now let's discuss the big purple polka dot elephant in the room.  Shhhhh! Don't look now but someone might notice that you're a woman.  Then what?


I'll tell you what.  They might also find out that you possess some very valuable traits that make you better at what you do then they can. Intuitive, communicative, multi-tasking, insightful, nurturing, self-aware, just to name a few of the traits that are inherently female.  And which industry is it that can't benefit from some or all of those? What customer isn't looking for any of that?


As you know, I'm not giving you rules to memorize, but what I will give you is the tools and permission to own your brand like a only woman can.


Some DON'TS first, just to cover my butt and yours:

1. Lack the linger. Do yourself a huge favor and just skip the perfume all together.  You want them to concentrate on remembering your personal brand strengths and attributes not the lingering scent you leave behind.
2. Don’t be distracting.  Absolutely NO jewelry that is noisy, clanking, jingling
3. Six Inch Rule; NEVER show too much leg, cleavage, back or booty.  When you sit down you will loose 6 inches in the length of your skirt. This same measurement can be applied to necklines.  If the neckline of your shirt is below 6” from your collar bone you probably will have a hard time making eye contact
4. Fly Low; much like the six inch rule, is the "Fly Low" rule.  Low heeled dress shoes don't just show how sensible you it keeps you from teetering around foreign territory, accidentally tripping on the carpet, towering above a less than tall potentially new male boss, or click-clacking down an office corridor drawing the wrong kind of attention.

And for the DO's:

1. Know your brand; Goals, History, Value, Mission, Intended Audience.  Be able to speak to every one of those.  Not only because it makes you a stronger more confident candidate but because you should select your attire to support it.
2. Color is your friend. If you HAVE to wear a suit layer it with some color, or a scarf.  Men don't always wear white shirts and black ties so why should you? Unless you are applying for a job as a mortician, it's not necessary to wear a black suit and solid shirt. Black is harsh and unapproachable in most situations.
3. Alternative thinking; Yes, we know you are trying to make a point with that power suit, but the point you are making may not be the one you want. It may just say "Look I know how to dress like a man even though I'm a woman".  An extremely powerful alternative is a tastefully tailored, dress in a lightweight wool, lined and knee length.  You can even dabble in a subtle toned print such as  grey, cobalt and black.
4. Fit. I've said it before and I'll say it again; Fit is everything. The aforementioned dress will only be a powerful alternative to a suit if it fits you impeccably.

Interviewing Your Brand Series I: "As memorable as office furniture"

I'm going to give you the moral of this story before I tell it.  It goes like this:  Dress like drab office furniture and see if they can distinguish you from the rest of the candidtates blending into the lobby after you've gone.

Every time I ask someone why they thought dressing as boring and neutral as possible was a good idea for an interivew they grow pale. Regarless of profession, industry, level of expertise, and especially personality you get the same advice for interview attire.  A standard pre-programmed response such as this snoozeworthy video from About.com; "A neutral colored suit and solid shirt". Sad but true.

Good stuf.  I'm inspired. You? I'm also going to hell, but that's aside the point.

This is not a fashion lesson, and if you know me at all then you know you aren't getting any "Rules" from me either.  That would make me NOT a Rules Girl. No, I give tools and permission to own your brand. You want some rules and fashion advice you can hit up the scary duo from "What Not To Wear".  However, I've been giving a lot of talks to groups requesting information on Personal Branding for interiewing which goes well beyond what color your parachute is and how to color coordinate with it. So much more in fact that this will be a 3 part series on interviewing and your brand. Following is an excerpt from some of the tools I have been sharing with job seeking hopefuls to help them establish a memorable brand.

Know your brand; Think of yourself as a company. What are your strengths, values, goals, mission, attributes that would create brand loyalty. Write down something for each of these and then make this part of your vernacular when you talk about yourself. Now use it to guide your desicions on how you present your brand visually.  This means, if you are going to sit there and tell me how creative, and resourceful you but you are dressed like industrial carpeting I'm going to have a real disconnect. Get it?

Know your audience; Sounds delicate already.  A non-traditional, creative atmosphere isn't looking to bring in a working stiff.  In otherwords don't take your fashion advice from an attorney if you are interviewing at start-up, ad agency or some other creative industry.  Not only will you look like a dork, but it will be so obvious that you don't "get it" that it borders on disrespectful.  Show some passion for your work, let them see your rich depth and texture of character. Same can be said for interviewing at a very  conservative company; don't go flying your freak flag too high.  Be respectful. Be intentional.

Is your little Type A linear brain having a panic attack yet? All right, I've give up some goodies.  Don't say I never gave you anythying. Here:

1. Color = emotion, Texture=Attributes, Style elements = Values, Fit=Character
2. You want to make money? You need to look like money. What the biggest difference between “Us” and “Them” – all of their clothes FIT, FIT, FIT. Perfectly fitting clothes don’t have to be custom made.  The quickest way to make some old new again or something cheap look expensive; have it tailord to fit perfectly. It could cost your more than the price of a hem in the eyes of a detailed oriented Sr. VP.
3. “The 6 Parameters” for strategic decision making for your personal brand style. This one is part of my signature program for my clients but I'll give the abbreviated general idea. Run anything you wear and/or buy through these : Brand Attributes | Color Palette | Purpose | Time & Longevity | Fit | Feel
4.  As I always say: "If you are your own brand then your wardrobe is your logo".  
Next: "It's a man's world, but you don't have to dress like it". Something just for the ladies.

Flying the Casual Skies

For most of us I think we use Facebook status updates to share something that is of interest and top of mind.  Of course we all have a friend that has less than savvy Facebook skills and announces when they are bored or making a sandwich.

Recently a Facebook friend used her status to comment on the unprofessional appearace of the flight crew on an American Airlines flight.  Apparently it was "honoring" something so they were allowed to wear jeans and t-shirts.  Already this sounded like a bad idea. Unless your company is doing a day of work for Habitat for Humanity, it's always going to be 'off brand' to encourage a jeans and t-shirt day at work.  Over and over it has been proven; casual day dress = casual attitude about productivity. My question to all of this was, how was the service? Casual?

However, this brings up the point of what people wear when they fly.  Having grown up with a mother that was a travel agent it was unthinkable to travel in sweatpants.  Sure, comfort is important on a long flight but consider this:

• It may be 5:30 a.m. in Seattle when you leave for the airport but it's past mid-day and almost cocktail hour when you arrive at the Le Parker Meridien hotel in mid-town Manhattan. Looking like you are taking out the trash is going to make you stand out tremendously in an uncomfortable way.
• You never know who your seatmate might be. How many incredible stories of business being done, connections being made, hook-ups (let's be honest), have we all heard of taking place on an airplane.
• Don't even think for a minute that you have a snowball's chance in hell of getting upgraded looking like a tired slob. One of my favorite articles about this subject is written my Christopher Elliot a consumer advocate for travel, "Honor Your Flight Crew Wear a Tie When You Fly".

The two most important take-aways I like people to have when attending one of my presenations that apply here are:

• If you are your own brand then your wardrobe is your logo.
• Be intentional - if you aren't taking your brand seriously why should anyone else?

"The T-Shirt To Prove It"

Last year I participated in a program through The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur called "The First Million".  I didn't make a million dollars but I did make a wonderful friend through my assigned Accountability Partner.  Sherry Sexton, in addition to having a killer name, was a refreshing powerhouse of honesty, energy and ideas. 

My role to for her was to hold her accountable to the vision of the book she wanted to write. An account of 25 women entrepreneurs and their stories of challenges, adversities and success. As she described it to me I thought, this is a chance for these women who have really made s*&% happen to finally say "Yeah baby, I've been there, did that and I have the T-shirt to prove it".  And a book title was born. 

I can't say that naming the book was my gaurantee for securing chapter 16, but I don't think it hurt my chances. Needless to say its a great book and recently Sherry was honored by WomenEntrepreneur.com with an article about her book that featured an excerpt. It just so happens to Chapter 16, which is my story. 

Definitely worth sharing and I encourage you to buy the book to read the other 24 stories of how we earned our "T-Shirt To Prove It".

"Life is a Wild Ride. Get Onboard"

"Darcey Howard relates her sometimes twisting path to entrepreneurial success."
By: Sherry Sexton for WomenEntrepreneur.com
08/22/2010