Roger Ailes, no matter your political leanings, is best known for making and wrecking reputations.  In his book,  You are the Message, he is effectively able to articulate how the first three seconds can make or break us.  For many years, I taught a communications course to business folks and used this book as fodder — because one thing Ailes knows for sure is the importance of image and how image = reputation and how reputation = longevity and ultimate success.  Worth noting, is that Mr. Ailes is still among us — long after many key public figures are in the otherwise known as the deep annals of google. So how to be remembered for what we do right, rather than what as buried us.  Or candidly, how to not be John Edwards…

So, Why the little black dress?  Simply, when you locate the right one, it gets you from breakfast through evening, across time zones and climates and leaves an (albeit basic) but reassuring mark on those with whom you have interacted. You will have offended no one in your trajectory (unless it was too short, too low, too tight or dirty and black does not generally show dirt) and you will be recalled without malice.  On our best day of creating an image, we can only hope for such an impact.  On our worst day, the black dress is basic enough that it will soon be thought of as classic and safe. Again, attributes that politicians and brands can hope to garner.

We, as people,as companies, as nonprofit firms, as government leaders and as brands — like it or not– have to constantly consider our impact.  Our impact is not immediately measured, but is over time, cumulative.  Our products, comments and attributes will be measured day in and day out and ultimately the public-at-large will give us their vote — or not.  So our question is “How do I behave to ensure that people buy me, use me and recommend me?” and “what is my greatest chance to ensure success,” and “in this economy does it even matter?”  The short answer is that is matters more than ever, as people now place a greater premium on time and know that their decisions are for the long haul.

This blog will continue to expound on how you can best position yourself, your firm, your company and your brand.  You may seek to reach only one or one million.  You may seek to be stealth, but effective.  Whatever it is you seek — take the time to determine what kind of black dress it is that gets you through — what fabric goes the distance? What best represents you and best achieves your message? And, when the going gets tough, what will continue to represent you in the best possible light.

Roger Ailes has articulated that when the chips are down the public pulls for those with whom they feel affinity and those whom they trust.  TMG can work with you to be that person. No matter the economy, or especially the economy, reputation management is the one quotient that matters across time — and maybe the only one.

Yours in Basic Black

Jennifer