Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

March 24, 2006

Brand YOU–You Are What They See

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 10:41 am

Covers Sell Books

Personal Branding logo

People say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.� People judge books by covers. Covers sell books. We only have so much time to look at books, and the cover is what gets our attention. This photo lets you know how important a cover can be. As a publisher, I’d edit that old advice to say, “Judge a book by its cover, but also judge the book builder too.�‘

A book cover makes a promise about what you will find when you open the book.

Your image works the same way for you.

What’s Your Cover?

What people see about you–your first impression, your image–is like the book cover to your personal brand. Your first impression literally makes a mental image. Your image makes a silent promise about who you are and what people can count on when they get to know you. That mental image lasts. Pictures stay longer than words.

When there’s a question about what to believe, your image might just tip the balance. That’s a powerful reason to be sure that the big idea of your brand carries through into all things that people see around you. Here’s a checklist that might help you make sure your image supports your personal brand.
For the sake of this checklist let’s imagine that you want to be known as one who is always on top of information.

Once you start thinking in this direction, you’ll start to see that everything you do is an opportunity to enhance the big idea of your personal brand. It’s not so hard to develop habits that form around your big idea. That’s the key learning to live your brand.

People do judge books by the promise of the cover. Make a promise they will value–one that you will keep–and they’ll notice it for sure.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related article
Brand YOU–What’s the BIG IDEA?
Personal Branding: Strengths Assessment Tool
Building a Personal Brand–YOU





Filed under Branding, Marketing, Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog |




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11 Comments to “Brand YOU–You Are What They See”

  1. March 24th, 2006 at 1:45 pm
    Robert Bruce said

    Yep. Interesting too how this varies from industry to industry… the accountant will not dress like the actor and vice versa, etc.

    Although, between outsourcing and the possibilities of income using the old internet, we may all be wearing the same “cover” soon….

    A bathrobe and slippers.

    (Which may not be a bad thing)

  2. March 24th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
    Robert Bruce said

    Great title btw. “You are what they see”

  3. March 24th, 2006 at 2:05 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Robert,

    I think our “covers” will become what they see on the Internet–our blogs etc. How I look will change with my header. :)

    You make a good point about the “uniform” for each industry. :)

    Thanks for your comment.
    Liz

  4. March 24th, 2006 at 5:46 pm
    Successful Blog - BusinessWeekOnline Agrees said

    [...] Related articles Brand YOU–You Are What They See Building a Personal Brand–YOU Technorati Tags: big idea leadership personal branding personal image self awareness self promotion strengths and weaknesses [...]

  5. March 27th, 2006 at 11:07 pm
    Educational Technology and Life » Blog Archive » Building a Personal Brand-YOU said

    [...] Brand YOU-You Are What They See (Via Successful Blog.) This may go back to the venerable dress for success movement, though in a less prescriptive way, and Liz ties it clearly to the personal brand: “Once you start thinking in this direction, you’ll start to see that everything you do is an opportunity to enhance the big idea of your personal brand. It’s not so hard to develop habits that form around your big idea. That’s the key learning to live your brand.” [...]

  6. April 2nd, 2006 at 9:21 am
    Successful Blog - New Flat Screen–I Can See the Words!!! said

    [...] Related articles Success in a Blink and a Blink Test Brand YOU–You Are What They See Brand YOU–Making Your Weaknesses Irrelevant Technorati Tags: blog promotion errors in text making weaknesses irrelevant managing to decline personal branding self promotion [...]

  7. April 7th, 2006 at 8:37 am
    Successful Blog - Perfect for Friday Productivity Checklist said

    [...] Related articles Brand YOU–You Are What They See Brand YOU–What’s the BIG IDEA? Don’t Let Burn Out Singe Your Brand Technorati Tags: leadership orgiinzation Perfect for Friday Productivity Checklist personal branding productivity Productivity Checklist self promotion [...]

  8. September 28th, 2006 at 9:35 pm
    Anonymous No More — No One’s Listening Archive said

    [...] Credibility. Not so much for you, the reader, but for me. Knowing that everyone out there knows who I am, I’m more likely to take special care to make sure that what I publish is accurate, interesting, and well written. Just like the real news (is supposed to be). It’s been a while since I’ve visited Liz’s blog, but I’m sure she’d agree with me. [...]

  9. June 20th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
    Michael Choate said

    Great piece! I am now cleaning up my desk and will start living my brand!

    Thanks!

    M!

  10. June 20th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
    ME Strauss said

    H Michael!
    Welcome! I’m glad you found this one useful. I love the energy. :)

  11. June 13th, 2008 at 6:10 am
    Show Your Workspace Some Love - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] articles Brand YOU–You Are What They See Brand YOU–What’s the BIG IDEA? Don’t Let Burn Out Singe Your Brand Tags: personal brand, [...]

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