• About Kathleen Gran

  

  Kathleen Gran is having a great time working as an Image Coach and helping people achieve a strong, personal brand. Her mission is to get people to understand the power of their visual impact so that they can thrive and succeed.

  

• Purchase Amor Corpus

  

  Amor Corpus
  Guided Visualisations for the Appreciation of the Body

  Click for more information

  "Listening to your CD is a wonderful, meditative, healing experience bringing us into harmony with body and mind.

  The music is enchanting, and the pace seems just right. You seem to know what to say and when, intuitively understanding the process and timing…you have created a true work of art."

  Sarena Miller
  Women's Entrepreneurial Exchange
  "I found the visualisations interesting and varied. The rhythm and tone of Kathleen's voice contributed to a deep state of relaxation and the music created a favourable atmosphere for meditation."

  Béatrice Djahanbin

• Archives

  • September 2011
  • July 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010

• Categories

  • Assessments
  • Business Tips
  • Etiquette
  • Image Partners
  • Looking Your Best
  • Welcome

• Tags

  Articles Assessments Makeovers

“I found I could say things with color
and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.”

Georgia O’Keefe

We gratefully live in colour. It is everywhere around us and we sometimes forget to recognize it as a powerful psychological tool for ourselves and our businesses. Its use, or misuse, can lead to positive or negative messages, influence people, encourage or discourage sales or it can have a calming or energizing effect on an audience. Yet, many entrepreneurs do not give it a second thought when choosing their business colours or the ones that they wear when meeting clients. They will pick a favourite colour for their logo instead of analysing their business attributes and choosing a colour that fits the psychology of their brand.

Linking one’s business to a colour has a lot more impact now that we all have a Web presence. Colours have different meanings to different cultures and if you are planning to bring your business to an international level or tapping into a multicultural niche, you should be very careful about the colours that you will use to promote your business. For example, in our Western culture, white is associated with purity and peace (peace dove, white flag, wedding dress) but in most Asian cultures white is the colour representing death. So a lot of thought has to be put into using white if you are going to promote your products to Asian cultures as it may not have the desired impact.

When you present yourself to potential clients, attend a networking event or give a presentation, the colour that you wear will also have an impact on the image that you are sending to your audience.

Here is a quick overview of some colours and their impact.

BLACK ■■■■■■■■■■■■

• Powerful, mysterious, classic and elegant.
• Associated with strength, authority, and stability.
• Colour of choice of formal events and influential people (black tie attire and tuxedos, graduation robes, lawyer and judge robes).
• Too much of it creates distance and detachment, or an occult and mysterious feeling (Goths, black magic, darkness).
• When worn, since it absorbs light rather than reflecting it, it has a thinning effect, thus the popularity of the little black dress.

WHITE □□□□□□□□□□□□

• Compression of all colours of the spectrum, it is a powerful hue to use.
• Commands respect because it is high maintenance (don’t touch or it will soil).
• Associated with purity and cleanliness (wedding and baptismal gowns, health care professionals’ overcoats, hygienic environments) and is bright and visible.
• Also associated with efficiency and clarity.
• When worn, white reflects light and therefore will highlight everything. You cannot hide behind white.

RED ■■■■■■■■■■■■

• Dynamic, provocative and aggressive. If you want to get noticed, use red.
• Warm colour associated with passion and life (love, red roses, fire, blood), with danger and urgency (stop signs, red traffic lights, red flags, fire trucks) and with energy, movement and excitement.
• Because of its extremely high level of vibrational energy, red can quickly become aggressive and confrontational if overused.
• Better used as an accent colour than as the base colour.
• Stimulates a person’s response and makes them more prone to act on impulse.
• When worn, red will give you energy but if worn over a long period of time, it can also drain you.

BLUE ■■■■■■■■■■■■

• Has a large spectrum of associations. It has a calming effect, while stimulating thought process (ideas coming “out of the blue”) but can also calm you to the point of feeling depressed (feeling “blue”) if overused.
• Favourite colour of the majority of people on the planet probably because much of our natural surroundings are blue – the sky, the ocean, even the glaciers.
• Cold hue associated with loyalty and credibility (blue uniforms – army, police – political groups, flags).
• When worn, the darker shades of blue convey success and power. It has a happy and grounded disposition. Certain hues can seem unfriendly, rigid and arrogant (royal blue).

YELLOW ■■■■■■■■■■■■

• Optimistic and creative and has a high impact.
• The most visible hue of the chromatic spectrum and as such, is often used to attract attention (ambulance, yield sign, school bus, yellow pages).
• Warm colour associated with the sun, happiness and leisure.
• Conveys innovation, well-being and creativity.
• Too bright, in too much quantity or paired with black, it can be perceived as aggressive (nuclear warning sign, hornet).
• Not many people can wear pure yellow in a flattering way. It is better to use its lighter or golden variations.

Every single other colour is derived from these three primary colours, and each hue will have its own impact on your professional image. Therefore, before choosing your brand colours, your professional outfits and accessories, ask yourself what impact you want to make, which type of clientele you are trying to attract, and what lasting impression you want people to have of you and your company. Most importantly, discover your brand attributes and pick the colours that will support your brand and marketing strategies in the most efficient way.

What are your colours saying about you?

Make sure to take advantage of our Special Offer (see details under News).

 

 

Did you know that your environment has an impact on your moods, and that subsequently, your moods reflect on your physical image? If you live or work in an environment that is, at best disorganised, at worst chaotic, your moods will likely be stronger in nature and will gravitate around stress, nervousness, anger, impatience, guilt and shame. Your whole body, your facial expressions, your eyes and your actions will reflect those moods and affect your image and the perception people will have of you. It is therefore important to make sure that your private and work spaces are designed and decorated in such a way that you feel grounded, energized and happy when you are evolving in those environments.

One way to achieve this is by uncluttering. Let’s be honest, here. We all dream of an office or a home where everything is in its place, in which we can evolve without feeling stressed and of which we are proud. But often the task at hand seems so huge that the mere thought of clearing things up is enough to make us abandon the idea altogether. So we continue to pile up stuff to “sort through later”, to pick up one piece of paper just to place it a few inches from where it laid before, to keep an old garment to wear again when we’ve lost the weight or in case it comes back in style, and to open our drawer just to shut it immediately with a sigh. Days, weeks and months go by and we start to feel overwhelmed, without really knowing the reason why.

Uncluttering is not an easy task. You will probably need a professional to assist you, especially during your initial efforts when you need to get excited about throwing out stuff. And make no mistake about it. When you start throwing stuff away, you won’t be able to stop! There is this liberating feeling that accompanies the disposal of your unused items that is addictive. As difficult as it is to begin, once you’re really into it, it’s hard to stop. You will feel lighter, emotionally and physically and this will reflect on your appearance, demeanour and relationships. You will look and feel vibrant, happy and you will exude attractive energy. You will unconsciously be making room for something new to enter your life, so do not be surprised if you suddenly see new opportunities, offers, and people showing up unexpectedly.

If you feel that you are at a cross-road in your career or personal life, think about uncluttering. If you feel negative, have no exciting goals, feel exhausted or feel that you lost your sense of self, consider uncluttering. If you don’t like the way you look and feel, start clearing stuff! Holding on to the past is no way to walk towards your future.

When we think about uncluttering, we immediately think about objects. However, we also hold on to negative relationships, activities and habits. Uncluttering will help you focus and prioritize your professional choices and actions. Uncluttering will help you project a self-confident image because you will more efficient, focussed and happy! What do you need to purge in order to move on?

---

Make sure to check the right column of my blog for Kathleen Recommends to find out more about Viviane Bastien, professional organisor.

Note: I encourage feedback but will never publish comments that arrive through spam.

As 2010 is preparing to make its final bow and graciously leave the stage to new hopes and dreams, we ponder our achievements and struggles, our happy and not so happy moments and open the blank page of the New Year ahead. We are often hard on ourselves for not having, or partly having accomplished the desired goals, for having procrastinated in getting that project going, or simply for having ignored our instincts and missed out on some good opportunities. That attitude brings our spirit down and we end the year feeling disappointed.

No matter under what circumstances you are ending this year, I invite you to join me in being grateful for: 

1. Having accumulated new experiences – whether good or not so good, they are still experiences from which we can learn
2. Having acquired a new perspective on life from all that we’ve heard, read and learned during this past year
3. Having touched someone’s life with a smile, a word of appreciation or a simple recognition
4. Having shared our knowledge with people who were interested in hearing what we had to say
5. Being richer for new acquaintances and well established friendships
6. Having received unexpected acts of kindness or gifts
7. Living in a part of the world where we are still safe
8. Having food on the table
9. Having laughed with friends
10. Simply being alive

Before we allow ourselves to get consumed by the negative thoughts that come with what we perceive as problems or pitfalls, let us remember that we have so much more for which to be thankful.

As we end this business year, I wish to thank all my clients, networking colleagues and friends for their business, support, encouragement and appreciation of my work. I am grateful for each and single one of you and wish you success, happiness and good health as we welcome a new year of new possibilities, accomplishments and great connections.

Happy Holidays!

Client # 1
Claire Jobin, Real Estate Agent

Goal
For her return to Remax, Claire wanted a more professional feel to her card. She wanted to look experienced, yet dynamic enough to attract one of her target client groups: young families.

Considerations
Claire had to respect certain guidelines required by her broker, for example, she had to use the Remax balloon (available in several formats and colours) and insert mandatory information.

All pictures published with client permission.

The “before” card

                                                        

• Too many bright colours – the eye does not know where to look.
• The card design crushes Claire’s head and she seems confined to a corner which takes away her “power”.
• Neither her name nor her company’s name is highlighted.
• Claire’s outfit does not make her stand out and her shoulders look slouched which fails to convey self-confidence.

 

The “after” card

                                                                               

• Claire’s picture is one of the first elements that people see when looking at her card. We needed to work on her visual image in terms of colours worn, accessories, hair style and posture. 
• We highlighted Claire’s hair to give it more shine and a youthful look.  
• We chose colours that complement her natural complexion rather than deenergize her. 
• We chose accessories that relate to her features. 
• We chose the picture background colour to complement her outfit. 
• We chose the Remax balloon to fit her card design without taking over the visuals. 
• We made her name stand out, while keeping a balance with the logo and company name. 

Results
Claire conveys a more accessible, credible and powerful image. She inspires trust and credibility.

 

Client # 2
Allan Macdonald, Wealth Management Expert

Goal
Allan’s service offerings had evolved over the last decade and he wanted to convey a more modern look to his logo and card design to attract a larger segment of the population and be in line with his competition.

Considerations
Allan wanted to keep the crest since it is part of his brand and clients recognize him through it. He also wanted to keep the same colours and the gold foil element.

(Note: all yellow elements are actually gold foil on the cards)

All pictures published with client permission.

The “before” card

                                   

• Old fashioned look and feel.
• Name of company is lost in the crest and doesn’t stand out.
• The “M” in Allan’s logo is hardly visible in the crest.
• The tree, which is also part of Allan’s logo, is difficult to “see”.
• Font is difficult to read.

 

 

 The “after” card       
                                                                       

• The logo is modernized, yet recognizable to Allan’s clients. 
• The “M” and the tree are easier to identify.  
• The name of the company is clear. 
• The absence of serifs in the font makes it easier to read, even on a small font size. 

Results
Allan’s card has a greater visual impact and is a little bolder in its statement.  Its more modern look remains in sync with the images that are part of Allan’s brand and that he wanted to retain.

Conclusion
Handing out a business card that has an immediate impact puts you in a favorable situation in the mind of your client or potential client.  You will be more easily remembered if your card is unique or if it is in harmony with your personality and your company’s image. Never forget that your business card is your representative when you are not physically present!