37. The Secret to Standing Out: Originality and AI in Modern Marketing with Belle Rape
Have you ever felt like your brand’s missing something—but you can’t put your finger on what it is? Maybe you’ve got the logo, the colors, the website, but you’re still not standing out the way you’d hoped. Today, I’m excited to welcome Belle Rape, a branding expert with over two decades of experience, who helps entrepreneurs go beyond the surface of branding to create a truly magnetic identity.
Belle breaks down the common pitfalls of “visual-first” branding and teaches us what makes a brand unforgettable. If you’re ready to bring real personality into your brand and create something that resonates, this episode is for you.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
[00:00] The Power of Personal Branding:
Belle shares insights into branding as the foundation of a business, from understanding your mission to defining your audience, rather than just focusing on visuals like logos or fonts.[02:17] Avoiding the Common Branding Trap:
Why so many entrepreneurs get stuck on trendy visuals and overlook the importance of building a solid brand identity first.[04:00] Making Your Product or Service Stand Out:
Belle reminds us that it’s your personality and unique perspective that attract people to your brand, not necessarily the product or service alone.[08:25] Key to Authenticity on Instagram:
We discuss why it’s essential to show up as your true self on social media, and how it helps attract your ideal audience.[10:05] Leveraging AI in Marketing:
Belle shares her experience using AI for efficiency and why keeping up with AI trends is essential for staying competitive.[17:32] Building Confidence in Your Appearance (The ABCs of Branding):
Belle’s simple but powerful approach to branding—appearance, behavior, and communication—and how each plays a crucial role in showing up confidently in your business.[24:00] Entrepreneurial Style Tips:
Practical advice for entrepreneurs who may be hesitant to invest in a stylist, and the power of creating a wardrobe that reflects your brand.[29:10] Staying True to Yourself in a Trend-Obsessed World:
Belle shares her tips on how to avoid the pressure of trends and stay grounded in your personal brand vision.
Key Takeaways:
Go Beyond Visuals – Building a memorable brand is about more than just a logo or colors; it’s about connecting deeply with your mission and audience.
Embrace Authenticity – Showing up as your true self on Instagram isn’t just refreshing; it attracts your ideal clients who resonate with the real you.
Use AI as a Tool, Not a Crutch – AI can streamline content creation, but remember that it should complement, not replace, your unique voice and personality.
Focus on the ABCs of Branding – Appearance, Behavior, and Communication are foundational to creating a confident, cohesive brand.
Avoid Trends; Stay True to Your Vision – While trends come and go, grounding yourself in your authentic brand identity will keep your brand timeless and magnetic.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Find links to Belle’s work below.
Website: https://www.blueprintbybelle.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belle.darden/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellerape/
FREEBIE: 3 Wardrobe Essentials
Signature Service: Brand Social Session
Quote
“Your product isn’t special because there are thousands like it. What makes it shine is you—the person and the personality behind the brand.”
S3 Ep37 Transcript: The Secret to Standing Out: Originality and AI in Modern Marketing with Belle Rape
00:00
Today I'm sitting down with Belle Rape, a branding expert with over two decades of experience working with iconic brands like Tiffany & Company, Pepsi and Google. Bell shares with us why building a strong personal brand goes way beyond your product or offer suite. We also discuss how AI is reshaping marketing and surprising ways that your unique style can boost your confidence and success as an entrepreneur.
00:26
So get ready to be inspired and show up as your unapologetic, authentic self on social media and beyond. This conversation is really all about embracing your originality and making your mark. Are you ready? Let's do it. Welcome to Struttit.
00:46
A podcast about creating bold visibility on social media with zero apologies. I'm Elizabeth Marberry, your host and Instagram marketing coach. I help small business owners get seen on Instagram and monetize their offers so they can make more money doing their sole-led work. If you're tired of spinning your wheels on Instagram and you're seeking simple, proven Instagram marketing strategies that actually work, you're in the right place. Let's dive in.
01:23
Welcome back to the show. I am super thrilled and excited for you, my beloved listener, because today we have the most special guest ever. Her name is Belle Rape, and she is coming to us with over two decades of expertise in the marketing industry. She brings a wealth of experience in navigating, wait for it, get ready, multi-million dollar accounts and leading teams to success. Her portfolio is
01:51
So robust, she's done collaborations with renowned brands such as Tiffany and Company, Pepsi and Google, as well as high profile events like the Superbowl and clients in the sports world, including the NBA and NFL. As a corporate dropout turned entrepreneur, Belle is on a mission to revolutionize personal branding with faith and fashion. Her industry experience has granted her speaking opportunities from MLM.
02:19
top producers to corporate offices, empowering diverse audiences to elevate their brand presence and impact. So I hope you are ready to get inspired and gain these insights from a true industry trailblazer. Welcome, Belle, to the show. Da, da, da, da, da. I feel like I should be walking down the aisle. Like, I just got selected to be on the prices, right? Ha, ha, ha. Seriously, I know. $1. Ha, ha.
02:49
Oh my gosh, I'm so excited. Well, Belle, so we are gonna be diving into so many different topics today, but I wanna start with what I know is like totally your bread and butter, which is branding. And I feel like branding is one of those things that as entrepreneurs, business owners, we hear about it all the time, but I feel like there's been kind of some.
03:13
confusion around like what actually is a brand, what is a personal brand, what defines a brand. So can we start at ground zero and what are your thoughts on what exactly is branding? Girl, you set me up just right. I love it, I love it. Branding is the absolute foundation of who you are. It's your mission, vision, values, goals, who you serve, so your audience.
03:42
Once you have your foundation right, like think about it as building a house. That is the strong foundation that you build on solid rock that then you can go and do all the marketing things with. So people get branding and marketing confused. Marketing is the beautiful things like your logo, your font, your colors, your photography, your website. Like those are the fun things that people see.
04:08
but you need to start with your branding. You need to have that foundation before you can even get to those things, because otherwise all those things are just gonna be changing. It's like trying to figure out what color paint do I want to put in this room of my house, in this room? And I'm like, okay, what are your overall objectives? What does the color look like in your overall house? What does the furniture look like? Like you have to make all those things come together before you can even say like, oh, well, this is the color that I want.
04:36
So we put all of those mission, vision, values, goals to solidify a great foundation before you dive into putting that coat of paint on it to make it look pretty. Yeah. So do you find that a lot of business owners kind of make the mistake of kind of focusing on the logos and the colors and all of that first before they kind of do their homework as to their target market audience and all of that?
05:05
Yeah, I do. And like I cringe because sometimes when my clients come to me, they're like, oh, I got it. I've got my website. I've got like all the foundational verbiage is already done. And I'm like, OK, let's talk about that, especially entrepreneurs where they're running their own business and their identity is tied to their business. They just didn't put much thought into how their personality, their own personal brand was tied to the business. I'm like, you're the face of the business.
05:35
How does this reflect on you? How is your personal brand a reflection of your business? So it's disheartening sometimes because they think that they have it all done and sometimes they land on it correctly. Like they know enough to land on it correctly. I'm like, that's great. We're gonna use this. We're gonna run with it. But most of the time, like nine times out of 10, it's not right. So it never really feels good to them. So they're constantly redoing a website and copy
06:04
Oh, I need a new font. This new font's out here. Like they're chasing that trendy thing. It's a trend for a reason. It's gonna change. And not to say that your brand can't change also because you're gonna morph and grow, but it shouldn't be changing every day. Like that's exhausting, right? That is so exhausting. Please don't do that. Well, I think it's interesting when I think about my journey as an entrepreneur, because I've been an entrepreneur for 14 years.
06:33
And I've made all, of course, all of the mistakes. I think I know what I've experienced and what I've seen other people do is they tend to focus on what it is they're selling, right? So they focus on their product or their service, but then, you know, because they're passionate about it or they wanna help, or they have the most incredible customized picture frame that people are gonna want, but then they're kind of stuck, right? There's like a disconnect. So...
07:01
how does branding help connect those dots for people and like build that bridge? Absolutely. Well, first of all, you've got to think about your product or service is not that special. Hate to break it to you, it's not that special. It's just not. Because there are hundreds if not thousands of other people out there selling the same service, the same products that you are. Like, look, there's other personal brand strategists out there. I'm not kidding myself.
07:30
There are other image consultants out there who do what I do really, really well. The fact is, my clients are attracted to me because of my personality, because of how I offer it, because of the vehicle that I use to get them the information, the product or service, which is what we're talking about, that they want. So people are attracted to other people.
07:55
We want to feel like we're connected to a tribe. I mean, think about it, this goes way back, like, caveman drawings, these people were part of a tribe. If you weren't part of a tribe, you were basically dead. So, we all want to be connected. We want to feel seen, known, heard, loved, and remembered. So that's what your product or service does for these people. That's what your personal brand really does. People are attracted to you because they're like,
08:24
Well, I needed this widget or this coaching, but I like the way that this person over here does it. So I like the way Belle does it. I like the way Elizabeth does it. So I'm attracted to her because of that. So that's what you've got to really build on. Yes, exactly. Yes. I mean, of course, on this podcast, I'm talking a lot about Instagram. And that's one of the things I'm always teaching people is that you're...
08:54
It factor is like how you're going to stand out on Instagram, right? Like it's not that you're going to just share the most compelling fact that I've never heard of in my life and that's why I'm going to follow you. I'm going to follow you because I love your vibe. I love what you stand for. I love how you show up, right? And so the more you can bring through your authentic self, the more your ideal people are going to be attracted to you. Yes.
09:21
Absolutely, without a doubt. Okay, think about it this way. You can have Betty White or maybe another celebrity, Will Ferrell, Will Ferrell. They could say, so Betty White and Will Ferrell, they could say the exact same thing, but the way they say it, how they say it, the body language that they use is gonna be so different and you're gonna be more attracted to one or the other. They're saying the same thing, they might be giving you the same product. Let's say they're selling s'mores.
09:51
Like, girl, I will run after somebody with s'mores in their hands, 100%. I'm like, give me that. I need it. But the way Betty White says it or the way Will Ferrell says it or sells it, like, I'm attracted to one or more than the other. So that's who I'm going to go after. Oh, my gosh. So true. So true. What are some beginning steps or tips that you have for an entrepreneur who's listening and they're like, OK, wow, I think I need to dial in my branding.
10:18
What is a good tip or first step for them in really moving forward with that process? Oh, the first step. I'm like, where do we start? Schedule your consultation call with me. That's number one so that we can get to know each other and realize and try and figure out, would we be a good match with each other? And I say match very intentionally because
10:44
A match, if you think about it, like we wanna be matched together, but a match, you could ignite something amazing inside of each other if you're coupled with the right people, the right person, the right tribe. So schedule your consultation call with me. But I talk to my clients about their ABCs. I keep it very simple. So I talk to them about their appearance, behavior, and communication. Appearance is number one because...
11:11
You have less than a tenth of a second, a tenth of a second. Girl, our brain's processing so fast. You have less than a tenth of a second to make a first impression on someone. Now, judge a book by its cover. Tell me you don't, because I know you do. Everybody does, I do it too. We all judge a book by its cover, and you have a tenth of a second to make that first impression before you even open your mouth.
11:38
So I love to talk to my clients about, hey, what is your body language saying about you? What is your clothing saying about you? What is your hair, your makeup, your jewelry that you have on saying about you? People don't think about these things, or they don't want to. It's not that important to them. And I tell them, well, that shade of blue that you're wearing today, or green, or yellow, is a psychological effect that could turn your next client on or turn your next client off to you.
12:08
super quickly within a tenth of a second. So with that first step of appearance, cause I definitely want to get into your ABCs, a lot of my clients come to me because they're afraid of being seen. Showing up on Instagram, it's very vulnerable. It's very like, oh my gosh, I'm awkward on camera, or I don't feel my best right now, or I just had the surgery and it's like, I haven't been able to move my body for six months, or whatever it is. So,
12:37
How would you speak to someone who is like, they have this like secret desire to go out there, maybe on social media or on their website or wherever and be the face of their company, but they have the story going that they don't look the right way to be accepted or that they're gonna be so cringe and awkward and that's gonna be horrible. So I'm just not gonna do it. Right, and that is really hard because I hear the same thing too. My clients are like, I'm not confident to show up on camera. I think I can do it,
13:07
I didn't put my lipstick on today or my makeup and I'm like, I don't care, show me that because I want to see you as your authentic self, blubber your way through it and see you figure out how to get confident on camera. You just have to start. I think you'll love this. Your listeners will love this too. Do you follow the Savannah Bananas baseball team? No. Oh my gosh. Their social media is so funny. They're kind of like,
13:36
Harlem Globetrotters, like a modern day Harlem Globetrotters, but they're baseball. And so I saw this video of their social media manager talking about how he really elevated their presence on social media. He said, we just went out there and had to start. Social media is one of the best places to start because the lifeline of it is not that long. I mean, it can, posts can stay in your feed for a really long time, but people want the next, the next, the next. So they're like,
14:05
We just had to go out and try stuff to see what our audience really, really loved. So it's like, it's getting out there, just do it. It is okay. And if someone makes fun of you, send them my way. Send them my way. Oh my God, I love it. And I'm like, you just put yourself out there. It is great. Just do it and see what sticks, see what works for your audience. We are all cringe when we first start out, trust. Oh yes.
14:35
So cringe. That is so true. Yes. I mean, my iPhone update and I was looking through, you know, it was just like showing me my photos in a different place. So I was kind of like poking through the years and I found this video of me speaking at a conference five years ago. And I remember at that time, I didn't have a ton of like keynote speaking experience, but I knew at that moment I was wanting to improve. But it was one of my first ever like speaking engagements and I was on a panel.
15:04
I was just so awkward. Like I'm just such a better speaker now, but I had to start there, right? I mean, I remember when I would first get on stories and I would just be like, why am I gonna say anything? Like, why does anyone even care what I have to say? And then here I am, you know, fast forward, I have this top rated podcast and I'm doing all of these keynote speeches and it's just like, oh my gosh, thank God.
15:31
that I just kept pushing past that little voice in my head that said, you know, no one's going to care what you have to say. You have to really push past that and you have to be really rooted in like who it is you're serving. It kind of goes back to the beginning of our conversation. If you're really clear on your mission and your values and like the who, the who it is that you are here to help and transform their life with your product or service.
15:56
to me that always helps me get out of my own way. It like roots me back into my why and my purpose. Yeah, 100% hands down. And I'm a very faithful person. I follow Jesus and the days where I am just tired and I am stuck myself and I have, I still say those things. Like, why will this matter? Whatever I have to say to anyone.
16:22
whether it is talking about my favorite flavor of Waterloo coffee, which is all day rosé, by the way. And we talked about this. So I'm like, why will anybody care? Because that just may be the thing that changes the trajectory of someone's day. If I can go on and post this story that talks about a brand that I love, which is it's still related to my content because I'm talking about a brand that I love, but it's also something else that I really love too. And someone else.
16:50
may resonate with that and they see that and they're like, oh, well, that was so simple, but I could never do that. I'm like, what is something that's so simple in your life? You were created to have something, a gifting, a calling in your life that was so simple. It seems so simple to you. Talk about that. Go and talk about that. Yeah. Yeah. And you know what it just came to me when you were saying that in your story, you might talk about your favorite
17:19
people, not products or services. Don't you agree? It's like people want to connect human to human. And like you said, so many of us offer similar products and services, but it's the energetics of who we are, the things we have in common, the way that we teach things, the way that we curate information is really what is gonna really activate someone and have them hopefully take that next step with you and purchase your product or service.
17:48
Yes, yeah. So two points to that. Bigger companies are starting to see that now. They realize that their employees have followings. So they want their employees to talk about the product that they are selling because that's getting more eyeballs on their product. It's giving more behind the scenes of the product and why they love it. Also, another point to that is look at bigger accounts. So Rihanna has Fenty Beauty and her own account.
18:17
Her own account has more followers than Fenty Beauty because I mean, people know that Fenty Beauty is hers. They wanna see how she's applying it. And also think about the Kardashian clan. I mean, they have Skims, they have what other brand out there that they have. I mean, they have so many other brands, but their own personal accounts have more followings than the actual product because people want to follow the person behind it. They're attracted to the person, then they're like, oh, they use that makeup, oh.
18:46
let me go by that, because I wanna emulate that person. This is someone that I could look up to, or I want to be like. It goes back to that tribe factor. You're absolutely right, hands down. People want to be connected to a person. And this is why your audience loves you so much, because you have so much personality in your Instagram account. And for that, yes. Oh, thank you.
19:12
Yeah, it's interesting. I get, you know, I'm just being myself, you know, which is very cheesy at times or silly or bubbly or I do try to show all aspects of who I am because of course, I'm not always like sunshine and rainbows. But I get that a lot is people are just like, oh my gosh, I just love your energy. And I want to learn how to be bold on social media like you. And I'm just like, am I being bold? I'm just like being myself, you know.
19:39
when your essence can really come through. And that's actually one of the reasons why I love video so much is of course your essence can still come through with photography. Absolutely. But I love video because, and the opportunity of reels and Tik Toks and all the different forms that we can use for video. I noticed that you have this like absolutely epic video on your website, which I, when I went to your website, I was like, Oh my gosh, look at this video. It's such a vibe, you know,
20:06
which of course is so intentional. So everyone go watch the video and see what she did there. But when you watch her video, you get like a vibe for like who she is and her style and like lux high level, you know, curation, like all these things that just came through from just watching that video without even the messaging. So I just love that as marketers, we have so many different tools that we can access to really get that message across. And I appreciate you sharing with me
20:35
about how like big companies do it. Cause I've, I've been curious about that. I don't work with Coca-Cola or Tiffany and company. Like you've worked with some really big brands. So I was really curious about like how, like one of my clients right now is a record store owner. He owned a vinyl record store. That's like over 20 years old. And it's like, how do businesses like that tap into the whole like personal branding, the power of a personal brand? Hmm. Well, and it depends on how he's marketing.
21:04
Is he the face of the record store? Does he put his face out there if he's too scared to? Or, you know, and there's so many great faceless accounts now where you actually, you highlight the product and music evokes so much emotion anyway. You know, if it's vinyl, what was the last best album that came out? I'm like, what's the word album? Yeah.
21:33
anymore because people seek actual songs. So that's more probably of his clientele, like who is seeking a full album? Why do you want the full album? Does the vinyl have a full sleeve over it that you open up and it has this gorgeous presentation with all of the lyrics written into it that you scour every single word? And like on vinyl, you can actually hear the...
21:57
Rackling of the instruments that are coming through it's it's raw It's much more raw than when sound is coming through a soundboard Through your radio in your car through your phone on Spotify or Apple music whatever you're listening to So that's how you can help like whatever you can to evoke that emotion out of people and that feeling Yeah, you don't necessarily have to show your face every day Mm-hmm
22:22
Use that. What is that feeling that you can help produce from whatever product or service that you have? Yeah. Oh, I love that. That's such a great tip. So I want to switch gears a little bit into the power of AI and modern marketing. I was telling you before we hit record that I recently did a four part mini series on how to use AI with marketing and it was so popular. Everyone, of course, this is a very hot topic. So I would love to hear from you.
22:51
Like how are you using AI in your marketing or in supporting your clients with their marketing? Yeah, well first of all, I would like to just pause and do a commercial. We're gonna do a little commercial break in here and just say that if your audience does not listen to that four part series, they really need to because it was so good, so good. Hands down, really good. Link to that in the show notes. Here's some editing for your team. Link to that in the show notes. I mean, I listened to it. I was learning amazing things from it too.
23:21
And I love the power of AI, but let me back up a second and just say if you are not keeping up with AI right now, you are probably gonna be left behind. To me, the culmination and the onset really of AI, as we know it right now, I can equate that to learning how to use Twitter, use Instagram, use Facebook, I mean years ago.
23:48
So I was working at an ad agency years ago and really Facebook opened up to the public. You know, it used to be just for college students. Facebook opened up to the public and then Twitter was public. And we had an agency staff meeting discussing it and what that really meant for the public, for us as individuals, but also for us as a company and for us with our clients that we were trying to give them the best service.
24:16
And what did that really mean? And at the end of the day, we're like, no, companies are really never going to use Twitter. Really? Really? Let me pause for a minute and let's say what company is probably not is not on Twitter. Really? Like it was absolutely used for business. So open your mind. Don't be afraid of that either. Start doing a little bit of research because it really acts like AI is going to act like compound interest. The more you own it and know it now.
24:45
you will be so much further ahead of the people that are not using it, are not researching it. You don't have to be an expert in it. There are experts out there. Just know something about it. Don't be afraid to explore it and use it at all. I love that. I'm gonna let you answer the question, but I just wanna interject and say, I totally love that because I think that there's some fear that people have around AI or like resistance or.
25:11
Oh my gosh, I'm going to be replaced by AI or these robots are going to run our lives or I don't know. Like there's, I actually did a whole episode on like misconceptions around using AI, but as we were talking about before we aired and I, I wish I knew I didn't come up with this quote. I had heard it somewhere, but I don't know who originally said it. I wish I could quote them, but it's this idea of you're not going to be replaced by AI, but you may be replaced by someone who knows how to use it. So
25:40
You can think of AI as just your personal assistant. It's a tool. It's bringing on another person to your team to help you out. And why would you not want more help? Exactly, look, there are only very defined number of hours and minutes and seconds in a day. You could not create any more of that. Regardless, unless you're God or Jesus, you're not creating any more time in a day. You cannot make the sun stand still. Not gonna happen.
26:07
So we need to be as efficient as we possibly can with our time. And that's exactly what I'm using it for. You know, I have over two decades of marketing experience and it is very scary for me to think that AI is writing so well that what are my friends who are copywriters doing right now? There probably is a lot of fear for them in AI and the culmination of AI and the onset of AI. But you know what, I was on a call recently and there were, it was two women
26:37
They are copywriters, they have a business, and they said, look, AI is making us more efficient so that we can serve more clients better. Absolutely, and AI is not 100% accurate. It is absolutely not. AI gets bored with itself. I read an article this morning that while AI was in a meeting and it was trying to write something you could see it coding, it took a break to go over to Google and it started searching, I think like landscape.
27:05
Oh my God. We probably are because we're human. Okay, I have to stop. This is so funny. I was actually working with Chad GBT this morning. I'm putting together a whole slide deck and the way I'm using it right now in Chad GBT is essentially like I'll write something and then I'll put it into Chad GBT and be like, here's what I have. Here's what I'm really trying to say. Like, is there a more succinct way of saying this? Or, you know, things like that. So I was going back and forth with Chad GBT this morning.
27:32
And then at one point it just like stopped and it was like, should I keep going? Or like, and I'm just like, yes, like playing robot. Yeah, it will, it will do that. And so it's learning from the inputs that you're putting into it. And I use it for my business. I make no bones about that with my client. It makes me more efficient. I can work better with my clients in real time. I sit there and show them what I'm doing. I share my screen. I'm like, you don't really like this. This isn't.
28:01
100% what you're looking for. Let's go workshop this and we do it real time. That also makes my clients more invested in the delivery, the final delivery that I give to them because we've done it together. I am not here to just dictate someone's brand to them. It's not my brand. It is not my brand. My clients own their brand and they need to take ownership of it. So we workshop it together. But I definitely use the power of AI to create personas for my clients so that when
28:31
We have continued work with one another. I don't have to start from scratch every time or I don't have to like jog my memory and like, where did we leave off on that? What was their tone of voice that we used? You know, what was the sentiment that we landed on for their tone of voice? I don't have to recreate that every single time. It's there. So it helps me be more efficient and just a better employee for my clients who hired me.
28:55
I love that. So are you primarily using chat GPT right now? Or do you have other like tools that you recommend? Yeah, I go back and forth primarily between chat GPT and Claude. I use it more for copy. I haven't really gotten into it for the design work of it yet. I'm a design snob. I'm not a designer by trade, but I know how to look at something be like, no, that's not the caliber of what I want or what I would send to my client.
29:24
Not to say that it doesn't produce good work, it's just not elevated enough for how I would think it's acceptable to myself or my clients. So yeah, chat dbt and clod are my go-tos for right now. Yes, one of my favorite ways of using AI and specifically chat dbt right now is I obviously invest a lot of time and energy into this podcast, right? And prepping for these shows.
29:53
writing scripts, being clear on my talking points, teaching points, all these things, right? And so what I do, it's really cool, is I take the whole transcript of my episodes and I have it, it's trained now on my personal brand and my audience and my voice and all of that. And I'll put the transcript in and say, you know, help me write an email to my list announcing this podcast episode.
30:22
And it's so nice because even if that would have only taken me 30 minutes, now it can take me five minutes to do. And I just, you know, I can make some quick little edits. I do always end up editing it because there's always like something where I'm like, no, I wouldn't say it that way. Or, but like, I love to do that type of thing, or I'll, I'll take a podcast transcript and I will say, okay, I want to create a series of five direct to camera reels.
30:50
where I'm speaking on these five topics. That's one of my favorite ways of using it is essentially once I've already done the work, like I've written the piece, then I'm like, okay, make this piece of content go further faster with the same level of like potency and effectiveness and all of that. Exactly, exactly. And then once it's out there, you can then look at the data and feedback that you're getting from it and finesse even further. I'm like you, I'm like,
31:19
Always read what it gives you, finesse it, put it in your own tone, put it in your own words, and it'll keep learning. Absolutely. Yeah, I love that. So I wanna talk about this whole idea of crafting your unique entrepreneurial style. And I know you had mentioned you have an ABC method, and we talked about appearance, but we haven't talked about the other two facets of that. So talk to me about what...
31:46
What do you even mean by entrepreneurial style? Because yeah, when I hear that, I'm seeing a visual. I'm seeing you and your pearls and your actual fashion style, which obviously is part of your, I mean, you are so glam on this interview. It's so good. Let's rewind and talk about your ABC method and why it's important and really how that ties into personal branding. Yeah. Whether you think you do or you don't,
32:14
don't have a personal style, the answer is you do, you do. You have things that you are attracted to within the fashion industry. And I've worked with people who are like, I don't care what it is, I wear a t-shirt and jeans every day. I'm like, excuse me, there's your answer right there. That's your style, you have t-shirt and jeans. Like Steve Jobs wore black turtleneck and jeans every day. Vera Wang wears black every day. She wears a variation of a top and jeans or a dress every day. It's a look, it's a style.
32:44
that people have. Like I don't wear a button down every single day. I don't wear my pearls every single day, but I have things that are in my closet that are consistent for me. The whole point is when I help my clients create a look for them so that they don't have to think about it. You have, you are 20% of the items that are in your closet. 20%, like the other 80% is hanging out in your closet going, loo.
33:09
You remember when you wore me into that date and we had that really great kiss with that guy? Are you ever gonna wear me again? Ever, ever. My poor letterman jacket from high school girl is hanging out in my closet going, are you gonna wear me? Please wear me. I can't get rid of it. But I have a very well curated closet that I call your reach, grab and go. You reach in, you are gonna love what you put on every single day and.
33:37
put it on and you head out the door to go and do what God designed you to do. I don't want my clients to have to put so much thought into what they are wearing every day. That's your appearance. Your behavior is when someone looks at you, what is your posture saying about you? If you're just kind of slumped over and you're like this, someone could translate that very differently, then you might just be in a thought about something. That's different if you're sitting in a coffee shop, probably okay.
34:05
But if you were at a networking event and you have that posture, no one is gonna talk to you. They are gonna be like, that girl is not the social butterfly that I wanna connect with. So that's an example of behavior. I love it. On, you have a keynote speaking engagement and you're probably gonna go to a networking event afterwards. You're gonna be exhausted. Let's talk about ways that you can pep yourself up, whether it's going back to your room for five minutes, refreshing your lip gloss and coming back down.
34:32
whatever that is so that you can have your energy that you need to be in your best self and your best posture that you can to meet your next potential client, right? Your next potential client that could change the trajectory of your life could be in that room, in that room. So then we can talk about your communication. And this really is your outward communication with other people, whether you're in public, it doesn't matter who you are talking to, you can be talking to...
34:59
the garbage man, the doorman, you could be talking to the president of the United States, which is a hot topic right now. So that's why I can't talk about that. I know, we won't, it's okay. So that is really, I know, I know. But I'm like, who are you talking to? Like, what is your communication style? Your communication style is probably a little bit different when you're filming a reel for social media than when you're giving a keynote speaking engagement. It's gonna be a little bit different because I'm constrained.
35:27
Reels are much shorter, so what are you trying to produce in that time constraint versus a keynote speaking engagement where you can be funny, serious, emotional, all in the same speech, same thing. So I get to address all of those things with my client that transforms them to be the best self that they possibly can be. And we do all of that without being daunting. That's why I call it ABCs. It is that simple. Well, let me say, it's that simple for my client.
35:56
I take on the heavy lifting, the hard work, and we make it fun. We make it enjoyable. I don't want it to be hard for them. That's why they hired me. Let's go. Yeah. Yeah, no, I love that. I love that. So the people that come to work with you, obviously they're wanting to connect all the dots in terms of their branding, how they're showing up, how they're showing up on their website, on social media, whether it's, like you said, a speaking engagement or all the different ways.
36:25
I'm curious how, like if you have a story around a client who even made like a small shift in their appearance or made a small shift in their behavior. And it's funny when you say behavior, the way you described it, is it really body language? Is it like how you're carrying yourself, like your body language? Most of your behavior is your body language and how you are, it's like a silent communication factor.
36:54
Because people serve other people from a networking event across the room and decide, like, am I going to speak with that person or not? It's even you driving in your car. And I live in a city where we have very big sports teams. We have major sports teams. And it's not unknown for me to walk into a grocery store and see one of our NFL players in the grocery store. He's buying groceries like I am. And I'm like, what is he communicating? He's all like, stay away from me, girl.
37:24
Um. You put that phone away, paparazzi.
37:31
Yeah, so I'm like, what is he communicating? While he is there just trying to pick up a loaf of bread like everybody else. Yeah, or is he saying like, yeah, I'm approachable. You can talk to me in the grocery stores. I'm like, here's this bag of apples that I need today. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like going back to my question, do you have a story about someone who, when they did the shift, a small tweak in their appearance or how they showed up differently at a networking event and like.
37:57
What kind of transformation is possible for people when they do that, when they start to do this kind of work? Oh man, yes. So a client that I have, she does not have a problem showing up on camera. She is a phenomenal speaker. She is great with her clients. She's in the real estate industry.
38:16
So she meets new people all the time. So one thing that she really, really wanted to work on on her personal brand, we've solidified her personal brand, we've updated her social media, whatever, what that looks like. But what she really wanted to work on was her appearance. She said, I am an, I mean, think about real estate agents. They could go from dropping their kids off in the morning to showing a house, to having a meeting with their team, to a networking event that evening. And I'm like, okay, we got you ready for the day.
38:45
So let's go. Here's all the things that you need to bring with you throughout the day. But her main thing is she is showing up more confidently in what she's wearing because of all of the different tasks that she is charged with each day. Like she could be on a new construction site, which could be muddy, dusty, dirty, but she needs to wear the same outfit to meet with another client who is going to look at a house and it's the first time that she's meeting with them. You don't get a second chance to make a first impression. So what is she wearing? How is she showing up?
39:14
for her, her wardrobe has been super impactful. The change has been super impactful so that she's comfortable and functional all day long. All day long. I love that. Yeah, that makes such a big difference when you feel comfortable in your clothes and totally impacts how you show up. And I'm just curious if someone is listening and they're not in a place to invest in working with you or like a personal stylist, is there like a tip that you can share with us right now to help us?
39:44
as professional people with our wardrobes? Like, is there one question or one tip that you could share? Absolutely. So people ask me, what are the essentials that you need to have in your wardrobe? And I'll send you a link for this because I have a free download for it that has visuals. And when you're talking about clothing, visuals are extremely important. I definitely say have a good button down, a blazer and a great pair of denim. If you are traveling,
40:12
if you are, you know, just if you have a casual day or, you know, whatever scenario you were in, these three items I truly feel will help you not feel embarrassed because you can be casual, but that blazer is gonna elevate your look just a little bit more, no matter what setting you're in. And also like if it gets cold, you're gonna need a layer to put on. Gentlemen.
40:38
I promise you having a blazer is clutch when you are on a date because restaurants, most public places are freezing cold and if you pull out your blazer and have your knight in shining armor move and offer your blazer to your girl, clutch, butch. Yeah, I work with my clients to determine the colors that work best on them. A good navy or black blazer go a long way. Great pair of denim that doesn't have holes in it, just classic pair of denim.
41:05
and a white or even a button down like I have on. I have had this button down for years. J. Crew, hands down, it has carried me miles and miles and miles. That's amazing. I love it when you find a piece like that that you can just rinse and repeat over and over. It's your classic go-to. Yes. It's not full of logos. It's not something trendy that is going to go out of style. It's just, it's classic. OK, I want to close with one question.
41:33
How do you stay original and authentic in a world that constantly chases the trends? Oh, such a good question, such a good question. It really goes back to knowing my own personal brand and who I am and what I stand for. And there are times where I have to remind myself of the foundations of my personal brand. Like what are the visions, mission, values, and goals that...
41:59
that I've aligned for myself, that I've outlined for myself, that I want to achieve. If something else comes up that's outside of that, am I gonna allow myself to get derailed from it? Can I change? Is this something that I feel like I need to shift and pivot and work towards? We have a choice to do that. Just because the world is dictating who you should be doesn't mean that you have to. Trends change, trends come and go.
42:28
accept some of them, but you don't have to accept all of them. Like know your foundation and be super solid on it. Super solid on it. Oh, so beautiful. I love that. I love that. What a beautiful way to to close our conversation. I know that everyone is going to want to go check out all your stuff, so we're going to make sure we link your website and your socials and everything. But tell us where people can go if they want to work with you or learn more about your services.
42:55
Absolutely, the easiest place to go is my Instagram account, which is at Bell Rape. You can find me on LinkedIn at Bell Rape also. But my website is blueprintbybell.com. So you can go there also. And I would love to work with your audience. I feel like our audiences are probably so similar because of our personalities, yeah. We're a vibe. I just have to tell you one funny thing. When you were, cause I'm...
43:23
I'm wondering if some of our listeners can relate to this. So when you were describing like your appearance and you know, we all have our like go-to outfits. I seriously like my go-to outfits are like yoga pants and like a tank top and like a sweatshirt. That's what I live in like every day because I'm a former professional dancer and so like workout clothes, like yoga clothes are my life. Like it's like what I live in. And so it's really funny because like…
43:49
blazer or like jeans, my girlfriend and I, we call them like hard pants because we're like they're so uncomfortable. But it's really funny because that's why, you know, for me, I've looked at investing in like a personal stylist and things like that before too because when you're someone like me who just wants to live in Lululemon all day, when you get a keynote speaking gig, you're like, oh shoot, like I need to actually look like the professional businesswoman that I am.
44:16
And so anyways, I was just dying laughing inside because you're like, you know, it's like what you mostly wear. And I'm like, well, it'd be sweatpants and a sweatshirt. And absolutely, I love it. But that's how your brain is wired to think and create and do the work that you do so that you can best serve your clients, too. I mean, look, if you have people with Instagram accounts or whatever, their social media is they're walking around in ballgowns all day. I super, super question that because I can guarantee my makeup is not always done. Absolutely not.
44:46
No, my hair is always done, my pearls aren't on. No, no. Yes, yes. So as you walk away from this episode, just know that full permission to be unapologetically you. And also, we just invite you to take some time and really go back to the values of your company, your goals, your mission, and be really rooted in that, because everything will stem from that.
45:13
We are cheering you on as you continue to just show up as your unapologetic self. And I hope that you will go check out Belle's stuff. She is awesome. Her Instagram is Fire. So definitely go follow her over there. And we will see you back here next week. Yeah, thank you, thank you.
45:35
Thank you for listening to Strut It. If you're ready to start leveraging Instagram to grow your business, then you're gonna wanna grab my free Monetize Your IG Guide, where you'll learn seven simple and proven ways to finally make money on Instagram.
45:51
You can grab your guide at elizabethmarberry.com slash freebies. That's elizabethmarberry.com slash freebies to get my monetize your IG guide. If you've got some incredible value from today's episode, be sure to leave a review and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform. And I cannot wait to start it with you again next week.