Personal Branding and the Legacies of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett & Michael Jackson

What a sad and tragic week! The deaths of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson last week shocked and saddened us all, leaving us short of a few unique individuals who made their mark on the world. This also got me thinking about personal branding, as each of these people had worked so hard to crave out a one-of-a-kind niche and reputation that will live on for years to come.

I was saddened by Ed McMahon’s death because he’d been around for so long and had a reputation of being such a good person. I’ll always remember him saying, “Here’s Johnny!” He was known to help anyone and everyone who needed help. That may be why he had financial troubles a few years ago. He never thought of himself, and always wanted others to have what they needed. His role as the amiable, trustworthy sidekick served him well as he embarked on a new career of commercial endorsements—you just trusted that he would one day show up at your door with a giant check!

It’s hard to believe Farrah Fawcett was on “Charlie’s Angels” full-time for only one year. She was the epitome of the beautiful girl next door in the ‘70s. We all had her red swimsuit poster, which was the best-selling pin-up poster of all time! Not only was she a beautiful woman, but she was a good actress who didn’t mind making challenging movies where she wasn’t portrayed as a typical young and gorgeous creature. Though her roles were varied, Farrah established herself as a natural beauty with a gorgeous smile, a sunny warmth, and a willingness to try new things.

Michael Jackson was a household name, an icon, and a brand. Who doesn’t remember watching the moonwalk during Motown’s 25^th Anniversary Special in 1983? Even if you were not there to watch it, you’ve seen that performance, which became one of the most memorable moments in television history, just like the Beatles appearing on the “Ed Sullivan Show” in the early ‘60s.

He was consistent in his work, always working to give the best of himself. You knew that if you went to a Michael Jackson concert, you would get the very best. You knew that if you purchased one of his albums, you would get your money’s worth—even if you didn’t know any of the songs that would be on that album. That’s what personal branding is all about:  consistency, authenticity, and always giving the public what they expect from you.  

As we reflect on these icons now lost, I wonder what each of our personal legacies will be. For me, personal branding is something that shapes not just our careers—it shapes how people view us, and how are we remembered after we’re gone. I’m in the process of creating a new seminar and webinar on personal branding, so I hope to soon be helping you all make your unique mark!

My Tricks for Looking Younger

I made the resolution a month ago that I was going to look GREAT for my next birthday in November. Since I’m not in my 20s or 30s anymore (surprised? I am – I still feel 37!), I figured it would take me 5 or 6 months to get there.

I now sleep 8 hours every night and exercise almost daily – the secret to this is to find something you don’t hate (aka something you like). While on vacation in Florida last month, I discovered a Zumba class at the Y. I thought I had died and gone to heaven! Because of my growing up in Venezuela and Martinique, I have rhythm in my bones and love to dance. I also miss the days of aerobics from the ‘80s when we used to jump around and sweat with Jane Fonda. This Zumba class is a mix of both. I work out with a trainer twice a week and try to find fun classes at my gym. I also decided I am going to use the treadmill I have at home. It was convenient using it as a clothes rack, but it would behoove me to use it for its original purpose. My trick to using the treadmill is turning on CNN, muting it, and playing disco music. This way I feel like I am multitasking and staying in touch with the outside world!

As to eating better, I’m not eliminating (which would be punishment) as much as adding! I’m adding lots of fruit, plain yogurt with fresh fruit, a few more salads and another secret: I think before I put something in my mouth! I am known for having binging contests with my co-workers when I was in Corporate. We’d see who could eat a whole bag of Hershey kisses the fastest. I would also purchase boxes of Girl Scout cookies to “support” my co-workers’ daughters and would demolish a whole box of Thin Mints at my desk without anyone knowing (I think). 

Now that I look back, I must have always had a great metabolism. I never really had a weight problem and always out-ate the men I was with! I could lose 3 to 5 lbs. in a few days if I had a special slinky dress I wanted to wear to go dancing.

I am still blessed with a good metabolism (for my age, as they say) but I have noticed that eliminating some of the junk has not only flattened my stomach but made me feel good. My clothes fit just right around my waist and I’ve been in a real good mood lately! Would it all be due to taking care of myself? I know it’s not due to that birthday lurking around the corner!

Please feel free to share any self-improvement measures you’ve taken lately and let me know how they work for you.

How Twitter & Texting Could Hurt Your Career

The new book Executive Image Power—for which I wrote a chapter on tech etiquette—comes out today, so naturally I’ve been fielding a lot of questions about Twitter, texting, social networking, and the like. It’s important to remember that just because we have these high-tech tools at our fingertips doesn’t mean we can let our polished professional images go down the drain.

One major mistake people make when “tweeting” or texting is to forget their grammar and instead churn out nonsense like “how r u?” and “c u l8r.” The fact that Twitter limits users to just 140 characters has led many of us to bastardize the English language for the sake of brevity, as the New York Times recently reported. If a word is too long, we try to abbreviate it to make it fit—who cares if it’s barely legible or makes us look like a 12-year-old? Trust me—people notice sloppy grammar and spellings and childish acronyms. And they don’t reflect well on your hard-earned reputation as an intelligent professional. The solution: Always proofread, spell out words or crack open a thesaurus to find a shorter alternative, and steer clear of emoticons and goofy acronyms like lol.

One thing recent graduates—and anyone else searching for a job—should keep in mind is the dangers of communicating with interviewers via modern means like text or email. As this Wall Street Journal article notes, younger applicants have abandoned the traditional post-interview “thank you” note in favor of a quick emoticon-laced email, a text sent to the interviewer’s personal cell phone, or even a Facebook request. Consider this quote from hiring manager Cathy Chin: “If I’m going to give you a job, do I really want you communicating to our clients in this fashion? No.”

Instead, thank interviewers with a tasteful card (selecting a beautiful art print of photographic image ensures that the interviewer will hang on to it and keep you in mind), or a clean, professionally written email if you’re short on time. Only contact interviewers via work phone or email unless instructed otherwise, and don’t add them on social networking sites until you get the job (and only then if your profile is presentable and not full of drunk photos of your pals).

Twitter, texting and email are fabulous communication tools—just make sure you are using them wisely!

Graduation Gift Ideas

Forget weddings—for many of us, June is all about juggling graduation invites, both at the high school and university level. This of courses raises the question, “What is an appropriate graduation gift?” Read on for advice on proper graduation etiquette.

Unless you are a family member or good friend, you should not feel obligated to attend every graduation ceremony that you are invited to, though it is always a nice gesture to do so. However, if for whatever reason you are unable to attend the ceremony, you should acknowledge the person’s achievement with a card and a thoughtful gift.

For older graduates, I recommend giving a tasteful but useful gift such as a stainless steel keychain, leather business card holder, engraved pen, or a beautiful paperweight. For instance, when I was in corporate, a colleague invited me to his MBA graduation. I gave him a silver pen from Tiffany’s. It was not excessively expensive, but when one receives a gift that comes in the “blue box,” it’s always special. You don’t need to spend a lot of money. The receiver will almost certainly cherish the gift and will always remember you when they use it—and they will use it.

For younger university graduates who are just starting out, you may want to splurge on a gadget, such as an iPhone or an iPod (which can be engraved). Of course, if that is out of your budget, consider getting them a present related to their degree or career plan, such as a subscription to a trade publication. You could also get them a gift certificate to a clothing store that specializes in career wear, such as Ann Taylor.

For high school graduates who will soon be leaving for college, a gift certificate to Starbucks (for those late-night study sessions), Target (for outfitting a dorm room), or their local campus bookstore will always come in handy. As far as a monetary amount, it really depends on how close you are to the graduate or his/her family. For relatives and close friends, I would aim for $50-$100 or more; for acquaintances or less intimate friends, I would aim for around $25.

P.S. Congratulations to all of those 2009 graduates reading!

Enjoying the Simple Life

My husband and I decided to spend two weeks at our beach house in Amelia Island, FL so I could finish writing my second book. My deadline is June 13^th, and I assumed that the sun, the ocean and the beautiful palm trees would inspire me. Not! I am experiencing major writer’s block.

This book will be published next spring and is a joint effort between three other successful Atlanta businesswomen and myself, with advice on starting your own business. We’ll each be sharing the experiences and lessons we endured during our professional journeys, so I think it will be a must-read for anyone wanting to break out on their own.

However, I am noticing a change in myself. I feel I am going through a new phase in my life. Five years ago, I reinvented myself by starting my own business and becoming a successful image consultant, which in turn elevated my self-esteem as well as my self-confidence. I often feel like I am living an outer body experience when I find myself speaking to 100 people at a time or helping someone feel great about herself.

The first part of this sabbatical was no different than any others. My stress leveled off, I walked on the beach every day with my 3 Westies, and I discovered a great YMCA one mile from our house. But now that we enter our second week on the island, I not only feel relaxed but am enjoying the simple things in life which I’ve ignored for decades! Yesterday, I went to the produce market (me!) and enjoyed buying fresh fruit, homemade peanut brittle and fresh flowers.  Then I walked downtown with Oliver and Spike in tow and felt I was living in a ‘50s movie where life seemed simpler. We walked on Main Street, smiled and said hello to other passersby. Some people would ask if they could pet the puppies and thanked me after they did!

I then sat on a bench and enjoyed the peaceful blue sky, the bells ringing at the church across the street (when is the last time you heard church bells?), and the soft breeze and wondered why anyone would want to live anywhere else! I don’t miss the traffic in Atlanta, I don’t miss looking for a parking space at the grocery store and I certainly don’t miss having to get “appropriately” dressed when I go out. Here, I don’t wear makeup, pull my hair back in a ponytail, wear flip flops (no corporate arena around here) and don’t mind being seen in shorts.

There’s really something to say about “the simple life.” What will happen when we go home next week? I’d love to hear your personal experiences about slowing down. Do we all change every few years? I sure hope it’s not a sign of getting old, ha ha!