“Never judge a book by its cover.”
Now, we’ve all heard that saying before (and I understand where it comes from) but I have to respectfully disagree when it comes to running a business.
I am no fashionista, but hear me out for a moment. I am the CEO of a company that not only promotes health and fitness but also helps people launch and develop businesses. This means that 80% of my wardrobe is gym/workout clothes and a lot of the time I will run in and out of the house in those clothes, but only because it saves me time. Sometimes I even go to lunch and business meetings in those clothes… hey, they have some really cute workout gear now!
Look, I have 4 kids, one on the way and I run a business and a home. If I took a selfie and shared it RIGHT NOW, it would be kind of sad. Lucky for me, it’s just me and my cup of Joe right now. Even I could stand to step it up sometimes, the truth is, putting on some nice clothes that make you feel good, a little make-up and a clean and neat hair fix (even if it is a quick braid) can do wonders for how you feel about yourself-even if you are working alone in your house. Try it, I bet it will boost your productivity.
Why?
You are a direct representation of your brand. Branding your business image is so important with everyone being online these days. Very seldom do I get to meet people face to face…but my brand image is of super importance to project a consistent, successful business image. Your skills as a business person will be judged by your appearance- not in the bad “I’m judging you” kind of way either. No one is going to want to invest their hard earned money working with someone who can’t put themselves together.
The way you hold and present yourself to others speaks volumes about who you are. You don’t have to care about what others think of you, but care enough about yourself to be presentable.
What is your image of what you want your brand to be? Unkempt? Disheveled? Wrinkled? Consider it this way, if you don’t seem to care about taking care of you, how will others expect you to take care of them from a business perspective?
If you are a brand and are looking for customers to work with, you have to understand that image is everything. I don’t like to shop. Actually, that is an understatement… I HATE SHOPPING! I know I can’t possibly take 5 kids shopping and I have no idea of what is ‘in fashion’ so I defer to the knowledge of others. Have you ever heard of Stitch Fix? The pants, earrings and top in the right photo above are all Stitch Fix.
Click here and you can check it out. I’d be your referral 🙂
It is worth checking out if you are anything like me when it comes to fashion and shopping. Thank God my husband has a very good sense of fashion because I don’t know what we’d do if the 2 of us couldn’t put together an outfit.
Did you know that there is a whole industry totally dedicated to helping fashion-challenged people, just like myself? Many everyday folks hire Image Consultants to help them stock a closet full of clothes that are perfectly matched to their needs? They analyze them for the perfect color combinations that will look the best on them and help them to represent their image properly.
All these Fortune 500 guys have people helping with their image. Why? Because image is everything! Even before you open your mouth, you are being judged on your appearance. No worries, you can find a service that does this in your budget even if you can only manage to invest in a few pieces for the time being.
So, I guess what I’m trying to say it to have a little pride in your appearance. Rock what you’ve got, but understand that you and only you can represent your ‘brand’. How do you want to be known?
Here are a few tips to help you take your image up a notch or 2.
- YouTube is your friend! When I didn’t have a clue how to put on eyeshadow or curl my hair with a flat iron, I found the answer on YouTube – Thousands of options to view!
- It doesn’t have to take you 2 hours in front of the mirror. List 3-5 steps you can commit to in the morning.
- Schedule regular hair appointments. Totally up to you- monthly, every 3 months? Just make it regular.
- Set a timer in the morning for 5 minutes as you get dressed. You may be surprised what improvements you can do in just a small window of time.
Men: This is for you too! Clean your hair lines; shave if you aren’t really growing a beard. Trim excessive facial hairs- ears, nose, brows, etc…
Challenge: How about some before and after picture? I would LOVE if you emailed me or shared on social media and tagged me www.facebook.com/rebekahbain1 with a photo of you now as you read this and a photo of you after 5-10 minutes of fixing yourself up. How about a little gift for the first 5 who submit? I shared my before and after in this blog… I made a pretty significant difference in under 10 minutes. I even broke out the flat iron to smooth out the wild hairs around my face.
As always, thanks for being a reader! It means a lot! Have an awesome week and don’t forget to share your photos!
Rebekah
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