In these blogs, I usually focus on a specific element of the writing experience.  However, today I’m writing a farewell letter to Mary B, a professional acquaintance who is embarking on a new phase of life in a distant locale.  While https://www.ImaginingsWordpower.com  highlights numerous marketing strategies (and I’ve shared additional information to facilitate Mary’s Branding choices), I feel it’s appropriate to provide an overview of issues that all professionals face in presenting themselves to the world.

Regardless of your career or avocation, you’ll need to introduce and re-introduce yourself to colleagues and the general public periodically.  I’ve found that using the five senses as an organizing principle is useful.  Although you may not be able to directly access some of them in speech or print, drawing upon the essence of each shapes material that will provide your readers and listeners with the feeling of closure. 

As you think about how you will develop this coordinated approach to enhancing your brand professionally, I suggest you ensure the elements you incorporate reflect your personal life as well.  How do you perceive and appreciate the five senses of sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste?

 Sight is the most obvious sense to address in materials to be presented in print or electronic form.  Color, form, and the perception of texture should all be addressed in this sphere of the words and images you create to introduce yourself.  To begin, you might open your closet and look at the color palette on which you base your wardrobe.  There are many schools of color analysis that focus on varying principles for determining the colors most suited to your hair and skin.  The more refined ones also consider your personality.  But regardless of whether you wish to embark on a program of personal style analysis, simply focusing on the colors you find attractive should aid you in this project.

I’ve found three simple exercises for summarizing the elements of form that appeal to each of us.  First, look at several fonts [both seraphed and non-seraphed] and especially the ampersands they include.  Do you prefer straight lines?  Or are you attracted to classic curlicues?  Also consider the types of bullets you might employ.  The simplest choice is between circles and squares.  Which of these—or other shapes—harmonize with the fonts you prefer?  Finally, walk through concrete or virtual museums or art galleries, concentrating on the styles employed (rather than subject matter) that appeal to you.  As you pass from realism to modernism and science fiction animè and manga, what attracts and impacts you the most?

At this point, I hope you see a pattern emerging.  With a notebook or electronic file at hand, begin noting the elements that should be embodied throughout your programs of self-promotion. 

Next, think about the normal, enhanced and softened sounds that you prefer in music and other people’s voices.   How do these tonal ranges and vocal qualities compare to your own speaking voice?  Unless you are challenged vocally, the qualities of your own voice may be ideal for creating audio promotions for yourself.  If you’re a writer, this may lead you to record audio editions of your creative works.

When you appeal to the senses of touch, smell and taste, you may stir the memories of  the people you wish to attract.  When you feature these senses, you can present qualities of your own being normally experienced when someone meets you in person.  This might include the touch of your handshake, the brightness of your smile as you lean forward to kiss someone’s cheek, or suggest a hint of your signature fragrance [from the vanilla, spice, or fruit of a natural soap or cream].

As you consideration these issues, do you find you’re drawn to design elements that are classically European or Asian?  Perhaps you’re attracted to a distinctive design school or art movement such as Cubism, Art Nouveau or Art Déco?  Is there a regional aspect to your preferences, such as the Cowboy West or Fiesta Mexicana?  Everything you’ve learned about your personal tastes should help you to write a detailed list of sensory elements you will utilize in your personal branding efforts.

With these stylistic choices in mind, you are ready to embark on shaping and gathering the branding and marketing materials that will distinguish you!  Of course, by the time you begin this part of your self-enhancing campaign, you will have chosen:  A palette of distinctive colors; a signature font, bullet, and even frame with which to accent your text; ideas for a logo or other images to distinguish you; a set presentation of your name (and perhaps your initials) for professional purposes.  In addition, no matter how many elements I could list, there will be additional ones that come to mind as you progress through your evolving branding journey!

With these aspects of design at the ready, you can embark on the never-ending refinement of necessary branding and marketing tools:

~  Bios of numerous lengths
~  Résumés of varying focus and size
~  Single sentence to page-long self-introductions
~  Sample broadcast, electronic, and print media releases
~  One or more photos that let your personality shine forth
~  Letters of introduction showing your individuality and skills
~  Scripts and handouts for talks and seminars highlighting your perspective
~  Synopses and cover letters for works you’ll promote now and in the future

Have I tired you out with the number of choices you have to make?   I hope not.  I hope I’ve merely reminded you of the many characteristics that express you in life.  You are a unique and wonderful person with many gifts to share within your personal and professional worlds!

Wishing you the best in your writing and branding endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, wordsmith and design consultant

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit my website:  Https://www.ImaginingsWordpower.com

To learn more about Prospect for Murder and my other writing projects, please visit my author’s website:  Https://www.JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com

CATEGORIES:

Art and Science of Writing, Book Publishing, Empowering Your Words, Readers Expectations, The Editorial Process, Wordsmithing, Writers’ Guidelines, Listeners Expectations

TAGS:

the art of communication, amateur writers, audio books, authoring strategies, commercial writing, creative process, editing, editorial process, effective writing, facilitate communication, facilitating communication, formatting tips, inspired writing, non-fiction, professional writers, reader’s attention, research, sensory experience, the art communication, wordsmith, wordsmithing, writing tips