1. Personal Branding
Ref: 0052
Communicate Your Message – Build Your Personal Brand
How well do you get your message across in a face-to-face situation? Can you be
absolutely sure that your listener has concentrated on hearing you right through to
the end?
There are many reasons why most of us are guilty of occasionally ‘tuning out’ of
conversations. There may be a lot going on around us, or perhaps the speaker is
beginning to ‘waffle’ or become repetitious. Their body language may be
inappropriate for the situation, perhaps lacking eye contact or appearing as though
they are closed off to the messages being received or imparted.
Because there are now so many ways to communicate – through email, conference
calls, Skype and so on – we have to consciously re-adjust to a face-to-face meeting
and make good use of the appropriate speaking skills. It may be time for you to re-
evaluate your speaking techniques in order for you to appear more confident and
affirmative in a verbal situation and to ensure that your message is regarded as
important. Fortunately, there are techniques that will help you with such situations.
 Create impact by speaking more slowly and in a lower tone of voice. This
makes the message sound more serious and you appear more authoritative.
 In addition, keep your sentences short, and pause to give the listener more
time to process your message.
Page 1 of 2
For further information on this handout and the consulting
and coaching programs available please contact:
Image Group International
Asia Pacific Head Office
T: (+61 3) 9824 0420
www.imagegroup.com.au
E: info@imagegroup.com.au
©2012

2.  Try to avoid nodding and smiling too often. These unconscious habits can
make your message seem more trivial and so lower your credibility.
 When you focus on what you are saying, you look more serious, and this
emphasises to the listener that what you are saying is important.
 Try to maintain eye contact with the listener. Maintain the kind of body
language that makes it easier for the other person to listen to you. Stand with
your head up and your shoulders down so that you look ‘open’ to the
conversation. However, don’t appear overly friendly, as this may make it more
difficult to ‘manage’ a difficult situation or engage in a challenging conversation
on another occasion.
 Think about your stance as you mentally review what you are about to say.
Your message will have more impact when you are concise. The skill of
imparting your message without a lot of waffle will also help you to effectively
use social networking, whether through Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. Your
brevity will be appreciated.
Remember, your verbal and physical presentation is important in a face-to-face
situation, it adds creditability to your offline personal brand. As a spokesperson for
your company, you should be seen as approachable and personable, yet still
maintain enough distance to ensure professionalism. A mental ‘step back’ will
enable you to speak with confidence and a new air of authority.
“Communication is the real worth of leadership”
Nitin Nohria
Dean, Harvard Business School
Page 2 of 2
For further information on this handout and the consulting
and coaching programs available please contact:
Image Group International
Asia Pacific Head Office
T: (+61 3) 9824 0420
www.imagegroup.com.au
E: info@imagegroup.com.au
©2012