Are you striving to be among the many so-called experts in your field or…

                   Do you want to be…the Star!                                                                         

Imagine… you are standing in the middle of Times Square in the Big Apple.  It’s getting dark outside and the neon lights are shining bright.  (You know the song…) There are people surrounding you everywhere – there must be thousands and thousands of them.  And it’s almost time.  You have been waiting on pins and needles for days, weeks even.  Here’s your big shot at stardom.  You have been given a once in a lifetime opportunity:  a free neon billboard ad high atop a building in the middle of Times Square.  Wow! Can you even begin to imagine the potential value of having thousands of people seeing a lighted billboard with a picture of you and your business brand side by side in lights on top of a building in the heart of New York City?  Can you grasp the scope of this publicity?  The status?  The Star Power? The countdown begins and in a flash….the sign illuminates and there you are for all the world to see.

So?  Are you a star?  Is your message clear?  Are your business and personal brands aligned?  Or did you just leave thousands of people disappointed and wondering what you are trying to say?  Which is the lie?  Your business brand or your personal brand?  If you don’t look like your brand it really doesn’t matter.  Remember this is a “silent story”, no one has heard you utter a word.  In a matter of seconds everyone seeing this billboard has just formed an opinion of you and your business.  Is it everything you hoped for?  Do you now have thousands of raving fans who just can’t get enough of  you?

It’s not very likely that any of us will be given an opportunity to advertise for free on a neon sign in Times Square.  But the opportunity you do have, the same one we all have is this:  Every time you step out in public, every time you stand on a stage to speak, or attend a networking event or you post in social media, you are advertising your business and your personal brand.  You can talk success but if you don’t look success, you’re creating doubt.  Stop confusing potential clients.

Remember that confused minds never buy.  Instead……

Elevate your Image!  Magnetize your Message!  

Turn prospects into Raving Fans!

Good leaders must lead by example. Through their actions, which are aligned with what they say, they become a person others want to follow. When leaders say one thing but do another, they erode trust, a critical element of productive leadership. Here are 10 of the dozens of ways to lead by example.

1. Take responsibility. Blame costs you your credibility, keeps team members on the defensive and ultimately sabotages real growth.

2. Be truthful. Inaccurate representation affects everyone. Show that honesty really IS the best policy.

3. Be courageous. Walk through fire (a crisis) first. Take calculated risks that demonstrate commitment to a larger purpose.

4. Acknowledge failure. It makes it OK for your team to do the same and defines failure as part of the process of becoming extraordinary.

5. Be persistent. Try, try again. Go over, under or around any hurdles to show that obstacles don’t define your company or team.

6. Create solutions. Don’t dwell on problems; instead be the first to offer solutions and then ask your team for more.

7. Listen. Ask questions. Seek to understand. You’ll receive valuable insights and set a tone that encourages healthy dialogue.

8. Delegate liberally. Encourage an atmosphere in which people can focus on their core strengths.

9. Take care of yourself. Exercise, don’t overwork, take a break. A balanced team, mentally and physically, is a successful team. Model it, encourage it, support it!

10. Roll up your sleeves. Like Alexander the Great leading his men into battle, you’ll inspire greatness in your company.

Wow!   I’m back from “Be The Change” in Orlando!  Every year gets bigger and better.  Here’s a heads up:  Next year (2014) at “Be The Change” we will be singing “Viva Las Vegas”.  Yup!  SAVE THE DATE.  You won’t want to miss it.  April 24 – 27 at The M Resort in Las Vegas.   Let me know if you would like to be added to my list for complimentary tickets.  They will be in short supply so RSVP as soon as you can!  I’d hate for you to miss an opportunity to learn about business, marketing, meeting resources and networking with sooo many entrepreneurs all in one place.  My prediction is that there will be over 1200 attendees next year.  (maybe I’m being conservative)

What an amazing four days of incredible content and powerful reframes around beliefs and the way we show up in our business…and in our lives!  And speaking of “showing up in your business”, how do you show up in yours?  What message is being delivered to the many people who see you in person, on line or in your marketing?

We are all the single best advertisement our businesses will ever have.  As entrepreneurs we are our business.  Opinions are formed within seconds of seeing someone, viewing an ad, or hearing a sound.  How often have you spoken on the phone to someone you have never met and you imagine them to be a certain age, with a hairstyle, body shape and fashion style of your choosing, but the moment you meet them all your perceptions are shattered and they are the opposite of the person you envisioned. 

Your brand lives in the hearts and minds of customers and prospects.   When you elevate your personal brand, you up level your business and the clients you attract which in turn = higher $$$. 

Stay tuned for the date of my free webinar where you will learn how to elevate your personal brand to attract your ideal clients and increase $$$.

Creating success

Gail

P.S.   If you would like to talk to me personally about your personal brand or marketing strategy, please email   support@gailshapirodesigns.com. 

Need some help with your personal brand?

Want to know how to define and design a personal brand with Star Power?

Watch for the launch of

DesignYourPersonalBrand.com

May 16th, 2013

I’m sure you’ve been there.  You go to a networking event or attend an event with a guest speaker and you hear them talk about how successful they are.  You look at them and “wonder why the disconnect”?

They “talk success” but they don’t “look success”.

How confident do you feel about working with them?  If they don’t care about what they look like, do they  care about their business?  Will they care about you?  Will they pay attention to the small details that make huge impact on your bottom line?

Looks really do matter!  Elevate your personal brand!  Attract your ideal clients!

Ciao for now

Gail

One of the first things we do when we start a business is to print business cards.  We hand them out to everyone we meet hoping that one day the phone will ring with someone wanting to do business with us.  Really?  Is it that simple?  I  only wish that were true.

QUESTION:

So how do you get your cards to work for you?  What information do you print on your cards?  Should you include a photo of yourself?  Should you print on the back?

ANSWER:

Much depends on your business and what you want your cards to do for you.  Some information to consider when printing your cards:

1. Company name
2. Logo if you have one.  If you’re just starting out and you don’t have a logo…no problem.
3. Tagline or a word or two of what you do (unless your company name says it clearly  e.g.  XYZ Web Design)
4. Website URL
5. Email address
6. Phone number
7. Photo of you.  Consider how many business cards you collect at a networking event, expo or just in general.  Having a photo helps make a connection.  It’s a memory jogger.  Do you want people to remember you?
8. Unless you have a brick and mortar store or an office where people are coming to your physical location you don’t need to include your address.  If you are working from home do you really want the public to know where you live?  Your mailing information can be found in the contact section on your website.
9. And now:  The Back….use this space for a call to action.  e.g. visit my website to download my free ebook or whatever you may want people to do to join your list.

Quick Tip:

It’s not about how many pairs of shoes you own but how you take care of the ones you have.

Scuffed shoes do nothing to enhance your outfit.  On the contrary you could be wearing a neat, stylish, flattering outfit but when the eye goes down to the shoes and they are messy, worn, scuffed and in need of polishing….game over!

Maintain your shoes.  Keep them clean and polished.  Don’t throw them in a pile on the floor of your closet.  Store them in storage boxes, or a proper shoe rack or even lined up on shelves.

Remember:  Shoes can make or break your outfit!

Chat soon

Gail

You may be asking what a personal brand really is.  Well, (first let me say we all have one)

YOUR PERSONAL BRAND IS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE’S PERCEPTION OF YOU! 

THE BIG QUESTION IS….are you ready? 

HOW DO PEOPLE FIRST PERCEIVE YOU?

Have  you been so focused on developing your business brand and promoting your business that you haven’t really thought about the fact that you are the “face” or “billboard” for your business?  When you meet people in person socially or while networking or attending events, are potential clients confused when you tell them what you do?

Remember:  This perception or opinion is formed within the first few seconds of someone seeing you.  It has nothing to do with what you say but rather what visual image you present.  People are either attracted to you and want to meet you or maybe they’d just rather not. We first make judgements of people based on appearance.  I know what you’re thinking…that this may sound shallow but like it or not it’s true and you do it to….Don’t lie.

Want to learn more?

Let’s chat…it’s on me.  Email me with the best day and time to call you.  (Wednesday 10am to 8pm, Sunday 10am -4pm on the 1/2hr) EST.       We’ll spend 30 minutes assessing your personal brand and how it can be designed, tweaked and aligned with your business, even if your business is CEO of Your Home Inc.

gail@gailshapirodesign.com

Looking forward to chatting with you,

Gail

Are you putting off shopping because you just don’t know what styles and shapes work best for your body type? Do you know what your body shape is? Let’s start at the beginning……

We all fall into one of the five main categories listed below with characteristics of each:  

Triangle or Pear:

• small to medium size frame
• narrow or sloping shoulders
• hips are wider than shoulders and bust line
• body is larger below the waist than above
• may have a small bust
• large hips and derriere
• may have full and/or short legs

Inverted Triangle:

• shoulders are wider than hips
• body is larger above the waist than below
• small hips and flat derriere
• great legs
• may have full bust
• clothes hang well from shoulders
• may have broad shoulders and short legs
• sporty or athletic physique

Rectangle or Square:

• small derriere
• legs are usually very long
• very little or no waist definition
• hips and shoulders appear balanced
• waist measures 1” to 8” smaller than the bust measurement
• very common body shape as we gain weight or mature

Oval, Round or Apple:

• fullness at midriff
• bust, waist and hips are very close measurements
• horizontal body line
• great legs
• may have short legs with broad shoulders

Hourglass: the ideal

• waist is 8” to 12” smaller than hip or bust measurement
• bust and hips are usually the same width
• proportioned body with waist definition
• legs are usually proportioned but may be shorter

Your goal is to identify your shape then learn the tips and tricks to focus on your best assets and disguise the not so great ones. Your overall appearance will be amazing.
So girls get out your measuring tapes and identify your shapes. Coming up next….. I’m going to give you some tips and tricks.

You’re on the road to “elevate your image” and “discover your WOW!”

Chat soon
Gail

Well here it is….hot off the press…..my first posting for this new blog all about looking good and feeling great at any age.

You see so many of the “fashion experts” on tv and in the media showing us how to dress and how to do it for less but most of them are targeting a younger audience (say 35ish and under) or trying to make us believe it’s right for everyone to be looking like that too.  Well I say, not so much.  I’ve been that age and as far as I can remember, I loved it and every year between then and now.  BUT!!! Never did I ever want anyone (including myself) to think I was trying to look like my daughter.

I will show you how to look your best at whatever age you might be, by dressing appropriately and not looking like your daughter OR your mother.  Oh! and feeling great and having fun.

Chat soon

Gail