Billboards are meant to be simple, engaging, and creative. Even though advertising has become largely digital, billboard space is still highly valued, as it is a golden opportunity to do groundbreaking, impactful work. Most people don’t think much about it, but you are a walking billboard. Everything you do and every piece of information you put out there is part of your personal brand, and it’s important for everything to reflect the same image and vibe. Create a successful personal brand through your clothing, your confidence, your elevator pitch, and your ability to establish rapport with others. Never forget that you have the power to change how people see you. It’s really empowering when you realize that you control everything you put out there including how people see you and what perception you give off.

Create an image for your billboard

Think about how often we judge people almost immediately based on their appearance. Clothing is a tool which can help you take control of how people see you and manipulate their viewpoint. Do you want to appear as a strong, knowledgeable, and confident individual? Your clothing can help with that!

Think about how a brand is cohesive in every aspect of marketing and aesthetics. What would a brand put on a billboard to enhance brand awareness? Decide how you want other people to see you and the brand you represent, and dress accordingly. If you want to be seen as a professional, wear professional clothing. It won’t only affect how people see you, but there’s something empowering about dressing "up." It changes your demeanor and studies have shown that it influences the way we think.

Communicate with confidence

Part of being a walking billboard is being confident in who you are, what you believe in, and what your personal brand represents. Have you ever noticed that some people communicate with confidence and command respect when speaking while others don't? When you communicate with confidence, it is the difference between telling your boss that you need the day off and asking if it would be possible to take the day off. While it's not okay to act self-righteous and show a lack of respect others, it is important to act on what you need.

It can be a hard to communicate with confidence, and even harder to implement if you aren’t used to actively telling people how you feel and what you need. However once you do learn how to utilize this concept, there will be an immediate and noticeable difference in how others react to you.

Perfect your elevator pitch

An elevator pitch is a short and persuasive speech that summarizes who you are, what you do, and why you’re unique. You should know it by heart and be able to say your elevator pitch at any time, from a casual conversation with friends to a job interview. Your elevator pitch is one of the most important parts of pitching yourself to others whether it’s at a party, for a job, a writing opportunity, or to gain experience. You’re pitching yourself any time you met someone or try to further develop your career, so getting confident in your elevator pitch is essential.

A great way to practice is to give your elevator pitch to a friend and ask them to give you feedback on three main aspects:

·       What they learned

·       What they wish they learned/what information you should include

·       Where they think you could improve

This exercise will help you figure out where you are with your elevator pitch and how you can improve it to perfect this important part of your personal brand.

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When you think about your personal brand, what perception do you want to give off? You are a walking billboard and have the ability to put any perception or image about yourself into the world. You have the power to affect how people see you based on your confidence, your appearance, your communication skills, and your online footprint.

A native San Franciscan, Michele Lando is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and founder of writestylesonline.com. She has a passion for helping others present the best version of themselves, both on paper and in person, and works to polish individuals' application package and personal style. Aiming to help create a perfect personal branding package, Write Styles presents tips to enhance your resume, style, and boost your confidence.

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