Welcome to the May edition of Shine Communique my ezine with tips on personal and professional public relations success.

Often I talk about PR as being relationships with your public. I believe building personal relationships is critical to business success. One way of doing that is through your personal branding differentiating yourself from your competitors by being you, and allowing that uniqueness to shine. "You" are also the package, just like a product. What does your package look like? How's the design, colour and look?

In this month's Communique read how you can improve your image to generate profits and better results.  

Keep shining!

Package Yourself to Shine

Your image is a bit like the weather. People notice when it's extremely good or extremely bad. In person how you shake hands, make eye contact, how you conduct yourself in social situations and the clothes you choose to wear help to build your personal brand. You need to take care of the details.

Your clothes, appearance and grooming really are the external image of your brand. What image are you projecting?

If we look at famous brands and the look they project through their people, Virgin Blue as an example, has a strong corporate image of being friendly, fresh and cheeky. Qantas, their image is more conservative, more corporate. Both companies spend millions on getting their look right.  Not just the external branding of logos and signage but the uniforms and image of the people.

Everything is totally cooordinated from the outfits to the shoes, hosiery, earrings and luggage. It's a  coordinated professional look as they can't afford to have anyone in those companies presenting negatively. Jetstar on the other hand have a completely different image. It looks more casual and down-market and portrays an image of being cheap, no frills.

Not all organisations have a uniform, but there is definitely an underlying code of dressing particularly in the corporate environment which is smart, polished and professional.

Now having said that it doesn't mean we all need to look and dress the same. By understanding the brand qualities you want to project with the work you do and the customer you want to attract you can create a look that is suitable, creative and stylish to help you stand out.

To begin, write down some adjectives of the type of person or brand you would like to be or project. Cut out and collect some words, images and colours from magazines. Cut out images of clothes and shapes that appeal to you and reflect the words you have chosen for yourself.  Create a brand portfolio of ideas and visual examples. Establish a strong visual image that is your blueprint.

As you do this exercise you will begin to discover your style and what appeals to you. This is going to be your logo, your own personal brand. Begin to think and feel your new brand image and live your new image until it becomes part of you. 

You can read more in my book - Apprentice to Business Ace - an inside-out guide to personal branding written with co-authors Carmen Parnos and Helen Robinett. Out soon!

Learn more about this book and how you can place your order here

Bali is in my sights this month, perhaps because I have just relocated here for a while to work in the Asian market. Depending on who you talk to Bali has many different connotations. People's  perceptions of the "Island of the Gods" are pretty much black or white. Those that love the place and the others who wouldn't ever go there.

Those perceptions have been formed either by what the media has said about the island in recent years and also from word of mouth. Here are a few contradictory brand images. Noisy, dirty, too many hawkers, dangerous, traffic chaos, corrupt, Bali belly.

Beautiful beaches, exciting, sophisticated resorts, up-market dining, peaceful, spiritual, friendly people, culture and tradition.

Whatever you may think take a moment to look at this fun clip aimed at the Australian tourist market. Where the Bali Hell are You? http://www.wherethebalihellareyou.com/

Shine Seminars

Shine Communications continues to service the Australian corporate market with programs on personal and professional public relations. Any of these topics can be delivered as a keynote, breakout or training session in house or at your conference.

Our topics include personal branding, professional image, presentation, publicity and media. Find out more here.

I will be presenting at the Asia Professional Speakers Summit in Singapore on May 18. If you are visiting or know of anyone who may be interested in attending, please forward them this link. http://www.apss2007.com/eflyer/apss_eflyer_ver27.html

If you haven't already downloaded your free eBook, Brand Yourself to Stand Out and Shine, click here.

T: + 61 2 9555 6952