INTHEBLACK December 2021 - Magazine - Page 64
F E AT U R E
// P E R S O N A L B R A N D I N G
Left: A mural of former First Lady of the US Michelle
Obama, who has built a strong personal brand based on
authenticity.
Above: Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, looking through
the aviation glasses that once belonged to aviation
pioneer Amelia Earhart.
Below: Rebecca Taylor, leadership brand
photography specialist
“IDENTIFY WHERE YOUR IDEAL CLIENTS OR
REFERRERS HANG OUT. THEN, GET UP AND
TALK IN FRONT OF THEM. THAT IS WHERE YOU
DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF FROM OTHER PEOPLE –
BY UNPACKING THAT EXPERTISE FOR THEM.”
JANE ANDERSON, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION EXPERT
When blogging, Anderson recommends
being conscious of the way you use language.
“One thing to avoid is making it all about
yourself. Don’t have too many ‘I’s’ in the
content. Change your pronouns, so that they’re
either removed, or where possible reframed
over to ‘you’,” she says.
She also encourages everyone to use video. “It
is easy to feel like you’re being self-promotional
by putting your face on things, but that’s not
the case at all – the fact is that you’re dealing
with people’s hard-earned money, their life
savings, and they need to trust you. They want
to know who they are dealing with.”
Better still, go and meet people face-to-face,
she says.
“Identify where your ideal clients or referrers
hang out. Then, get up and talk in front of
them. That is where you differentiate yourself
from other people – by unpacking that
expertise for them. Don’t wait for them to do
a Google search and hope they find you.”
64 ITB December 2021
R E B E C C A TAY L O R ’ S T O P
T I P S F O R G R E AT H E A D S H O T S
I N M A N Y C AS E S , F I R S T I M P R E S S I O N S O F A P E R S O N A L
B R A N D A R E F O R M E D BY A N I N D I V I D U A L’ S H E A D S H O T.
R E B E C C A TAY L O R S U G G E S T S F O U R T I P S F O R A
D I S T I N C T I V E H E A D S H O T.
•H
igh-quality headshots are about building trust and
connection. This takes time and many touchpoints, which
is why it’s a good idea to have more than one. Use different
headshot styles to showcase different layers of your
personality, with some images more corporate and others
more relaxed.
CLICK HERE
TO LISTEN
to a CPA Australia
podcast on
getting noticed
and promoted
at work
•C
hoose outfits that make you feel good, because that
confidence will translate into the images. Wear what you
would normally wear to meet a new client. When people
see you in person, there needs to be a connection with the
person they saw in the photo. A mismatch can create
distrust.
•R
esist the urge to follow the latest trends, so the images
don’t date too quickly. The chunky necklace or the bright
jacket may be very fashionable now, but may be less so in
six months’ time.
•H
ave the image background represent your personal brand.
For example, if you are an innovative, forward thinker, try
concrete textures or a glass reflection as your background.
Try to avoid backgrounds that could be distracting.