How to create your own image: useful tips

07/12/2015 6 166 6 Reading time: 12 min. Rating:

Author

: Konstantin Bely

Today we will talk about a person's image . Surely, when many people hear the word “image,” the famous phrase from advertising immediately comes to mind: “Image is nothing, thirst is everything!” Most likely, when developing effective advertising, marketers simply wanted to compare thirst with something super-important and super-significant. And it turned out to be just the image.

Indeed, his success in life greatly depends on a person’s image. In this article I will look at what an image is, what it consists of, how the creation and formation of a person’s image occurs.

Image is...

The term image is multifaceted. The word is translated from English image as image or reflection .

And in the most general sense, it means the whole complex of ideas about exactly how a person should look and behave in accordance with his status.

Advertising, PR and propaganda take part in creating an image. It is interesting that the image combines both real properties and those that are only attributed, but in fact do not exist.

Thus, an image is always an artificially formed image of some object: a phenomenon, a company, a person.

For example, the image of a company is formed as a result of the work of PR specialists and marketers, who constantly complement and correct it. As a result, the image improves over time, and the company looks more and more attractive in the eyes of partners and clients.

A certain image can be created through advertising and advertising campaigns, corporate identity, and even the everyday behavior of management and top management.

Image is how others see an object. If a person’s appearance is given by nature, you can work on your image and change it as much as you like.

For example, to create the image of a businesswoman, you need to choose a style of clothing and hairstyle, as well as an appropriate manner of behavior. If you skillfully approach this task, those around you will see a lady with any character and worldview as a business woman. That is, in this case the image is formed correctly.

The words “Image” and “image” are not absolute synonyms, since the image is complemented by psychological and marketing knowledge, and only then becomes an image.

Meaning of the word image

“object image”). The more the idea of image as a component of the success and effectiveness of any activity is fixed in the minds of a modern person, the higher the social demand for image formation: – consulting in the field of image; – services in the field of image formation (image making); sale of products that support a certain image (clothing, interior items, etc.); - a lifestyle that creates a corresponding image. The role of the first impression The first impression is the evaluative perception of a person’s image in the first seconds of acquaintance.

If they saw my shirt and jumper, they would say: “We have a schoolgirl image today, right, Alice?” - but then they would notice the plaid skirt, tights, comfortable shoes and would come to the conclusion that I had decided to once again try on my long-forgotten image called “Blatchley Park”.[2] Having found a name for my “image”, these people would conclude that it was thought out from beginning to end, that all the details of my clothing, all my things, from my wallet and suitcase to my panties, were chosen for a specific reason; the goal is to identify me, assign me a personal code, put a label on me.

Hence, there are two approaches to modeling the image in the public space: image as the cultivation, development of one’s own personality, the indivisible completed form of which is individuality; and image as a game, invention, going beyond individuality, emphasizing or exaggerating features that are structurally expressed in a new way.

A winning smile, an engaging conversation (it is advisable to find out in advance the range of interests of the interlocutor) will certainly endear you to a potential client. Another important piece of advice: having created your image with a complex of external and internal data, you will correspond to it for some time, thus, the image will now become your everyday calling card card, your “I”. Second revelation How often have I had to work with entrepreneurs who do not know how to follow business standards in everyday life, where to start. First clients, first tests... I remember how I had to develop not only the image of a leader, but also the image of his workplace. One of my first clients wanted to become a State Duma deputy; his business was just beginning.

Image literally translated from English means 'image', but in modern Russian this word has a more complex meaning: “an idea (often purposefully created) of someone’s internal and external appearance, image (the image of a politician; the image of a television presenter)” [ Krysin 1998: 266]; word rating

From an economic point of view, an image is a commercial product that has a certain value, and the higher the value, the higher the effectiveness of this image.

He was so tired of his proletarian image that he decided to change it to the image of a high-ranking official.

What is the image like?

Types of image depend on the object itself:

Personal - formed purposefully or spontaneously and determined by the perception of others.
The image of a media person is mandatory for business relationships and plays an important role in professional success;
The image of a company is what distinguishes it from its competitors, attracts customers to it and then makes them permanent. Image has a significant impact on sales;
Brand image - associations and image of a certain product that arise in the consumer when mentioning this brand;
The image of a nation is an ethnic identity in close connection with historical and cultural heritage. For example, it is believed that Germans love order and precision, while the French are fine connoisseurs of beauty and fashion.

What is a person’s image, and what does it consist of?

The main component of the image is the impression a person makes. What is important to those around you is the type of clothing, compliance with hygiene standards, the manner of movement, the voice (loudness, timbre, tempo of speech), even the energy of the handshake, and this is important for creating an image.

The impression determines the degree and development of contact, is fixed in the subconscious, and in general means much more than any eloquent descriptions.

Another component is knowledge , its breadth and general erudition. Each social environment has its own interests. By demonstrating awareness of them, a person develops a sense of community and thus improves his image.

No less important is the depth of knowledge ; it always has a positive effect on the image, since a specialist is always trusted and respected.

The next quality is the ability to adapt . A person must have flexibility: show interest, the ability to communicate at a level accessible to a particular person. The same approach is unacceptable in this case.

Involvement is equally important . Interest does not go unnoticed. And moreover, one person or an entire audience is capable of becoming infected with enthusiasm and experiencing genuine excitement.

Another quality needed to form an image is honesty and truthfulness . To create a positive image, you really need to have those qualities that are broadcast outside.

It is customary to distinguish between two areas of image :

Visual - gestures, facial expressions, other manifestations of kinesthetics (what is this?) that characterize a person. There is no room for trifles; even the facial expression when communicating and the distance at which a person prefers to communicate are important. There are certain rules and regulations that must be followed in order to influence the perception of a person.
Verbal - impression of oral and written speech. In general, the clearer and more clearly a person can express his thoughts, the higher his image.

HOW TO START WORKING ON YOURSELF AND YOUR IMAGE?

The first question I often receive from people who are thirsty for change, but do not dare to fully work on themselves with a professional image consultant at the helm: “How to change your style?” But I never give a clear answer to this question just because it is impossible. Forming an image is a rather complex process, consisting of several stages and based on various characteristics of a person. Among other things, the pace of a person’s life, his environment, profession and much more must be taken into account. Therefore, it is impossible to answer this question in one sentence and give clear guidelines for action. This is a whole science to which people devote themselves. But today I will try to give you tips that will help you take the first steps towards creating a personal image.

Image functions

The purpose of creating your image can be different. Some people need recognition and love, while others need business success or fame.

But the functions of the image always include :

recognition _ Image allows you to identify a person or company and assign it to a certain social group.
idealization _ An object uses an image to show what it would like to become. How successfully this problem can be solved is shown by the image, and how correctly it is chosen.
individuality . Features that allow you to contrast your main qualities with others.

Change of image

Image is destiny. Indeed: whatever you name the yacht, that’s how it will float. How you define yourself first in kindergarten, then at school, at college, among work colleagues, is how they will treat you. It’s not without reason that they say: first you work for your image, then the image works for you. This is the main characteristic of the image.

Almost always, upon closer inspection, a clown turns out to be a sad bore. A shirtless guy and the soul of the company - a domestic tyrant. And the bitch boss is a gentle and reverent keeper of the hearth.

But how to change your image? Is it possible to ensure that the way a person internally sees himself and the way those around him perceive him become identical?

Rules for image formation

You should start with a goal statement. The image is formed in accordance with priorities. You need to choose the main goal , for example, success, or beauty, or reliability of the company.
Next, you should select the target audience , determining exactly who the message is intended for.
List of parameters. It is necessary to generate a list of characteristics that must necessarily be present in an object with the selected image.
Comparing what you already have with what you need to get.
Choosing ways to present appearance and clothing style.
Getting used to a new image.

Those who take maintaining and shaping their image seriously often turn to the services of specialists. They are called image makers, solving image problems with a scientific approach.

Adviсe

Remember that the manner of speaking and walking must necessarily correspond to the style that was chosen. It is important that the worldview also does not stray from the overall picture. So, for example, in a situation where you are a kind, shy girl, there is no need to talk about the fact that you love watching horror films of incredible cruelty.
Get rid of bad habits. They will not decorate your new image.
Shine among your colleagues. A person who wants to earn a good image must be a star in the team. At the same time, you need to know when to stop everything. If you behave too immodestly, declare achievements, try with all your might to gain recognition, you can burn out. Therefore, it is important to engage in unobtrusive self-promotion.
Try to learn everything new. You shouldn’t be wary of something you haven’t tried yet; you need to understand that the modern world is developing, you need to be able to adapt to technologies unknown to you, and keep up with the latest achievements of science and technology.
To be successful, dress appropriately. For example, a person who desires promotion may dress in accordance with how people of higher status look. It is worth unobtrusively indicating that you are ready for a promotion. This does not mean that it is necessary to copy the suits of your superiors. It is important that your image always has a certain zest. This could be some kind of accessory, or a shirt from another suit. At the same time, everything must be combined so that the image is complete.
Train your smile. A good impression is formed about a person if he looks polite, pleasant, open, and smiles at everyone. But he does not do this at inappropriate moments and does not engage in open flattery.
Pay attention to details, demonstrate them.

Now you know the answer to the question of how to create a person’s image. Everyone wants to be unique, not like others, to stand out from the crowd. When choosing a suitable image, take into account your interests, do not follow the opinions of other people, and do not forget about comfort.