Michelle Rodger: Personal branding makes its mark in Scots boardrooms

Published on Saturday 19 June 2010 15:03

CLOTHES may maketh the man, but increasingly it appears that clothes and a personal brand actually maketh the differentiation – and ultimately the sale.

We all know first impressions count, but they can also be the difference between closing a deal and watching your sharp-suited competitor swoop in and snatch it from right under your nose.

When recessionary times are tough, competition for a reduced number of sales is fierce, and it all comes right down to the little details that previously might not have had such an influence.

According to Wikipedia, personal branding is defined as "the creating of an asset that pertains to a particular person or individual; this includes but is not limited to the body, clothing, appearance and knowledge contained within, leading to an indelible impression that is uniquely distinguishable".

The term is thought to have been brought to the fore by business guru Tom Peters. In 1997 he wrote in Fast Company magazine: "Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc.

"To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You!"

What started as an American phenomenon has sashayed across the pond and is now taking hold in boardrooms across Scotland.

Lorna Hudson has been involved in personal branding for 10 years – the corporate image consultant has advised more than 2,500 executives – but the economic impact of the past couple of years has seen a definite rising trend in the desire to create strong individual brands.

You only have to look at her client list to see how seriously personal branding is being taken by big Scottish businesses; Diageo, Lloyds TSB, Royal Bank of Scotland, Scottish Executive, Coutts, Scottish and Newcastle.

Clearly not everyone wants to reveal that they were dressed by a woman, but Hudson insists this isn't just about image, nor is it about playing with colours or shopping for designer labels. Yes, it's about appropriate attire, but crucially it's also about strong communication skills and confident body language. This is all about business. It's about your brand, at every level of the business, and whether that brand is consistent, memorable and deal-clinchingly effective.

Hudson, founder of Individual Impact, says first impressions count absolutely. In fact, first impressions are made within the first 15 seconds of an introduction. But she also believes that while you will be judged on how you look, sound and behave, you are in complete control of all those things.

"It's no longer good enough to be good at your job," warns Hudson. "Business is increasingly competitive during and after a recession, if you can make yourself stand out from the crowd you will have a greater chance of success."

The first step is to consider the brand values of your company and then ask yourself if how you look, sound and behave reflects those values accurately. If you and/or your people don't represent those core values then, says Hudson, you have got a real issue.

Hudson's experiences are backed up by workwear designers NKD Clothing. Gill Eastgate's business, originally designing and manufacturing staff uniforms, has now expanded to offer bespoke tailoring to meet the very demand illustrated by Hudson, a service which is proving increasingly popular with company bosses.

NKD's Stephanie Yapp says it's vital to align staff image with brand identity. The next step is to build your brand, making yourself uniquely distinguishable based on your major differentials.

"With a unique image comes the perception of unique solutions," says Yapp, "Which is far more desirable than a corporate and stoic approach to business.

"This shift reflects a more personal approach, which I would say is expected in business now. It's vital to leverage our own identity to stand out and prosper in a competitive global marketplace. It has to be done confidently and consistently – you have to be clear on your position now more than ever."

The bottom line is your personal brand is what people say about you behind your back, it's how they describe you to their colleagues and friends, and it's how you make them feel about you. It can't be purely superficial, it's vital this image aligns with the one you're trying to promote.

We all have a brand image, whether we work at it consciously or not, but what does yours say about you?