Several years ago, I remember anxiously rambling my way through a job interview. Just as the end was in sight, the interviewer dropped that infamous question, “What is your greatest weakness?”

You're probably familiar with this scenario and how it works. Your answer is supposed to be a positive trait, ever so slightly disguised as a flaw. For many of us, perfectionism is the obvious answer.

My standards are just too high, you say. Sometimes I spend too much time on something because I want it to be the best it can possibly be.

If it sounds like I'm mocking perfectionists, I promise you I'm not. Perfectionist and proud right here. Well, most of the time.

WITH GREAT POWER...

In reality, perfectionism can be both amazing and terrible. It's probably both my greatest strength and weakness. I'm sure I'm not alone here. Many of us passionate and creative people struggle with the two sides of the perfectionism coin.

We all fall somewhere within that spectrum, which—for both simplicity and rhyming's sake—I'll say ranges from lazy to crazy. Figuring out where I naturally fell (which is way more toward the crazy end) helped me identify my own perfectionist tendencies, and separate my awesome habits from the destructive ones. Hopefully I can help you do the same.

“Don't judge a book by its cover.” We're all too familiar with this saying. But let's say you're wandering around Barnes & Noble, searching for that next paperback to sink your teeth into.

What gets your attention? What makes one book stand out on the shelf over all the others? Sure, you may page through and read a few excerpts before you decide to purchase, but what makes you pick that book up in the first place?

Exactly.

Don't Judge a Brand by Its... Oh Wait

Your logo is to your brand what a cover is to a book. It's the face of your business. It's often the first thing your customers will encounter—making that first impression, which decides if they're going to dig deeper or move along.

Your logo is the first crucial step on the way to gaining another loyal customer. It's the key to making that next sale and so many to follow. So it's essential that it makes an amazing impression.

About a month ago, Sam (my husband) and I were car shopping. Upon pulling up to one of the dealerships that made the cut, a salesman immediately set his sights on us and proceeded to swoop in. We saw him racing toward us and I cringed. “Vultures,” Sam grimaced.

This guy didn't even let us get inside. He headed us off in the parking lot and proceeded to weave his pretentious and relentless web of a pitch. The rest of our experience with him was more of the same—arrogant, pushy, and frustrating.

THE NIGHTMARE OF SELLING

I'm sure this scenario sounds familiar. The sleazy car salesman is what comes to mind when most of us think of selling. Even the word “selling” makes you shudder a little bit, doesn't it? Well it doesn't have to.

Welcome to the next installment of Defining Your Brand of Professionalism! During Part 1, I focused on the benefits of expressing yourself through your brand. After all, when you're able to embrace your style and share your unique wisdom, we all benefit. When it comes to becoming the creative professional you're meant to be though, that's only the beginning.

Mind the Mindset

I believe the most important evidence of creative professionalism transcends how you dress or where you work. While those factors definitely contribute to our confidence and contentment, real professionalism comes down to your mindset, what you do, and how you treat others.

When I think of “professionalism” in the traditional sense, I think of working 9-5 in a cubicle wearing some combination of black dress pants and a button-up shirt. Most likely there's a cardigan involved.

Don't get me wrong. I love a good cardigan, but I discovered early on that a career in corporate America just wasn't for me. So what should professionalism look like for a creative entrepreneur?

You've decided it's time for something about your brand to change. Maybe it's your logo, website, or even your social media strategy. Whatever it is, you know it's time to level up and invest in your brand.

TO SHARE OR NOT TO SHARE

It's embarrassing to admit that something isn't working. If it were up to any of us, we'd love to only launch perfect things, but realistically that would mean never releasing anything at all. The journey of building a brand is messy and far from perfect. The question remains, how much should you be sharing?

Maybe your name is too difficult for people to remember. Or is it too common to stand out? And what about using your own name versus a creative company name for your brand?

THE STRUGGLE IS REAL

I completely understand what a challenge naming can be, and that's exactly what Daniel (one of my awesome subscribers) has been struggling with. He asks,

“I have a really common and boring name, so my plan was to come up with a new brand or pseudonym that suits me and is explainable, until now I had no idea or kinda bad ideas.. so how do you go at it? And what do you think about it? Good/bad idea? In short: how to create a personal identity when your name sucks”

I feel your pain, Daniel. 

We've all been there—continually tapping the home button on our phones, refreshing our inboxes, and waiting for people to engage with us. The reality is that engagement is a game of give and take, and there are things you can start doing right now to foster that flame. So listen up.

Make Yourself Known

Your dream clients won't find you if you're huddled in a cave waiting for them. You have to give them ways to discover and connect with you—I'm talking a trail of brand bread crumbs here. Just think of the last time you had to find an amazing architect or florist or custom jeweler or whatever. There are countless options, and the search can be overwhelming.

To your customers, researching brands and finding the right fit can be a complex maze—no end in sight, walls so high they can barely see the sky. Make this process less terrible for them by making it easier to discover you. How do you do this?

Rebranding is a tough business—trust me, I know. In June, I tied the knot on one of the best days of my life. Since then, I've been making the slow transition of legally changing my name from Melissa Ginsiorsky to Melissa Yeager (seriously, I'm pretty sure I'll be at this for years). With this monumental life change, it became very clear that a personal rebrand was in order.

My rebrand meant more than reinventing my visual identity. It meant changing the name by which quite literally everyone knew me—no small task. We'll delve into the challenge of changing your brand name in a future post, but for now let's focus on identifying the right time for a rebrand.