Maria (00:00.15)
Okay. So hello, Sarah. And welcome to the My Local Marketer podcast. Hello. Thank you. so excited to be here. I know. to have you here. So excited. Obviously we've already spoken for like two hours, but I can never get enough of talking to you. So I've been really looking forward to this. So thank you very much for coming on. My pleasure. So to jump straight in, could you tell us...

obviously I know you very well, could you please tell our listeners a little bit about yourself and about our image? Yes, so I am a personal stylist and I work with ladies and some men, you know predominantly with ladies and I help them gain confidence through what they're wearing, through their style, through elevating their style and to make them feel comfortable so they can walk into any room.

and just feel great. And I did my training 10 years ago with Colour Me Beautiful, which is fantastic organisation. We're not franchised, we're all individual, independence. And I say, yeah, for 10 years, this has been my passion, always wanted to do it and just love it. amazing. Now, obviously, we are filming this in your beautiful, beautiful home. So as everyone can see, if they are watching the...

video version that we have some beautiful dresses behind us which I'm sure will come up at some point but you live just outside of Reddick I'd say so you're very familiar with Reading what do you like about Reading? I love the location

I am very much into, I love going into London. I work a lot in London. I take my clients shopping in London. I network in London, but I love the fact half an hour you're in London, half an hour you're in the middle of the country. We've got everything. We're so lucky for the location that we're in. I love living here. I've lived both sides of the river.

Maria (01:56.696)
there's a big thing in Reading it's like so I first moved here when I got married when I was 21 and so I'm now 58 so it's quite a long time you can do the maths and I lived in Lower Early then Early then Caversham and now Canend and you know there's no part of Reading that isn't inclusive.

I think every part of Reading's got a different aspect, doesn't it? I didn't know you'd lived in Lower Early and Early before. So yeah, you've done both sides of the river. Well, they were perfect because when I had my children, you know, it was, it was really great. We had loads of friends there with children as well. And there's loads of places to take them and parks and, you know, be social in a different way. And now they're grown and gone. Makes it very different to be over here. Yeah. Now you are a colour and image stylist. That's how you say it, isn't it?

There's lots of different words to call it, but yes, essentially. So you are a color and image stylist. Could you expand on that, explain to people a little bit about what that actually is? Yes, so the color part is showing you what colors suit you. So we want to bring harmony and balance between the colors that you wear and your own coloring. We don't want colors to overpower you. We don't want them to make you look insipid. We don't want them to make you look washed out.

So I can show you all the colors that you can wear that's going to make you look vibrant and youthful and energetic. And it really does make a massive difference when you know your best colors, but that's only one part of it. The other part is understanding yourself, understanding your body shape, understanding your proportions, knowing how you want to dress in your own unique style. It's not about trying to mimic anybody else. And I go through lots of processes.

physical and mindset to get my clients there. I think that's wonderful. Now, one of the, when we met, one of the things that really drew me to you was how you talk about brand because obviously I'm a marketer. So when I come up brand, I think of brand as to do with

Maria (04:01.986)
colours and maybe fonts and logos and then how it makes you feel and things like that but I never thought that you could dress as your brand so this really drew my attention. So could you expand a little bit for other people who haven't heard this before maybe unmute this concept of dressing to reflect your brand? Absolutely and it's not dressing you know if you've got brown colours I need to dress in those brown colours because that's not what it's about it's about

thinking about your brand values and representing those in your physical appearance. Some people have this amazing digital appearance, your branding, you've paid for your logo, you've paid for your colors and your fonts and all these things. You turn up to something in person or online and there's a disparity between you and your brand.

And it's difficult for people to find which is the real you. So it takes longer to build that trust. So it's really important that your physical appearance also represents your brand, but it's not a sort of a direct, you know, I'm, I've got those colors, I have to wear those colors. It's so much deeper than that. And that's how people are going to get to know you. First appearances are vital.

If you walk into a networking group and you see somebody you're like, want to go, she looks welcoming. She looks like somebody who wants to go to, I work mainly with women. I would sit next to her because she looks like she'll look after me. Other than the person who's sat there who maybe you think, I don't know, I don't want to work that hard to talk to maybe. So it's really important that you portray outwardly how you're portraying digitally as well. I think that's a really lovely way to conceive it. Like it's not so literal as...

these are your colors, dress your colors. you said, is translating the feel into how you look, which I don't think is always, always comes across. So thank you for identifying that. So could you give us a case study maybe? Cause I think it's easier to see things when you actually see an example of it. So could you give a case study example of how you've helped someone go from start to, I went to finish, there's never a finish, but whatever their current angle was for that particular session.

Maria (06:12.286)
Yeah, you're absolutely right. So there's no destination. It's a journey and the journey is the exciting part. So working with somebody on their personal branding, can be very much maybe they're at the beginning of their brand or maybe they're wanting to, you know, they've been very much online and they're wanting to get out there. So I will work with clients to make them so that again, they will turn up and people will look at them congruent to their brand.

I will talk about the colours that they can wear that will go with their brand. So if they have photos taken, maybe they're having a brand photo shoot, they will then, if they then have their image on their website, it will go with their website. It's not sticking out as, she doesn't look like this fits. If you're in the wellness industry and you have beautiful blues or greens and you're wearing bright red, it's just not going to work. So first of all, we'll talk about colour, but then we'll talk about who you are.

who you're talking to. So are you networking with other people? So say you're networking in a high net worth environment, you need to show your respect to the people that you're with by dressing in that way. You have to dress for how you want to be perceived, not just how you want to be comfortable. So yes, I work with clients, but also I work with them to help them get the right opportunities. So what you put out there is the opportunities that will come your way.

But also very much about body image. I had a client just last week who I turned up and she would not show any of her body off. It was really sad because she had an amazing figure. So I worked on her mindset. I didn't work on her mindset. I just talked to her and said, we eventually we went from her wearing really, really overpowering clothes that we couldn't see her at all in. She gave no personality through what she was wearing.

looking refined, looking smart, looking exactly how she wanted to and the image she wanted to give off. So that's how you want to feel, but then that's how you want to be perceived. I think that makes a big difference, doesn't it? Because like you said, it's not, it's about showing up at the whole point of networking or even if you're in business, you need to deal with other people. Yes, at some point. So when you show up, just dressing a certain way will give you the confidence. People associate you

Maria (08:35.116)
just by seeing you, okay, that's someone like you said that I can work with or, know, how you look, we do make judgements. We do. all do. We may say we're not judgmental, but we all make a judgment within a few seconds of seeing someone. So I think we need to acknowledge that and appreciate that. How, you know, if people see us for two seconds, what do we want to compare? So that's... Yeah. And also that comes into how you hold yourself. If you feel there's a posture. if you feel good in what you're wearing,

and you feel comfortable and you feel like it's representing you, you will stand with much better posture, you'll sit with better posture. And people will be drawn so that is your body language as well as the physicality of the clothes that you're wearing. That will come across too. Fascinating. Now that was a really interesting case study that you just mentioned because one of the things that I find particularly interesting about what you do is that where you must come across people who really want to make a change.

but they can't, whether it's because they don't like how they're, you know, the shape of their body or they don't like their eyes or they don't like their nose or they don't like something about them. So how do you, I know you said that you work a bit in mindset, but could you go into detail a little bit about how you work with someone to get over things which you think you probably need several years and a therapist to get through? Just a day with me is fine. I don't need to make you love your body.

but I can show you how to wear clothes that make you feel really good, make you feel confident. And I can help you see yourself through my eyes. So I will very often take photos throughout the process. So, you know, if I've got a client who hates to show her legs or doesn't want her arms out, but she's got great ones, I'll show her through my eyes. I'll take a photo and I'll say, look, this is what I'm seeing.

And by the end they're like, take a photo of me, I look great, I like this outfit. But it's about what you're wearing. We don't have to love our bodies. I like what I look like in my clothes. I like my body because I know the best bits. So instead of trying to hide the bits I don't like, I emphasise the bits I do like. By doing that, the bits I don't like just have no bearing on anything.

Maria (10:50.242)
very happy with my décolletage area and my knee to my ankle is nice. So those areas, I'm very happy to show off. So if I can show my client the areas that are really good, bring attention to those and then suddenly they see themselves through my eyes. I think that's a very valid point because at the end of the day, no one will ever be happy with every single thing about themselves. And even in life, are some parts...

that you enjoy, some parts you don't enjoy. Yeah, so I think just accepting things and just working with them. I think that's so important. It's really important. And I do work with a lot with a lot of female entrepreneurs. I work with any woman that wants some help, it's from 17, actually from 12, you know, up to 80, 90. But very much women become entrepreneurs after in a career. So it's very much between say 40 to

to 60 that people will start at that age and our bodies are changing and we get to a stage where we're like I don't understand this body this isn't the body I had when I was 20. So helping people just dressing their changing body is really really important you know that it's easy to go into the mode where you just hide everything because you've suddenly got a bit of a tummy so you just hide the whole lot which is such a shame.

Right, you offer such a valuable service as a marketer. One of the things I find fascinating is how different businesses, different issues, different people market what they do, how they get it out into the world to tell people about the amazing services and products that they offer. So could you go a little bit into what you do, what your marketing strategies are, how you market your wonderful service?

Absolutely. So networking is massive in my world. Up until last year, I did have a networking business, which was a franchise, and I had seven groups, five in person, two online. So I know a lot about marketing and networking. And if you work your network, if you work your net, it's going to work for you. So you have to be proactive in networking. You can't just turn up and expect things to come your way. So you have to do your follow -ups.

Maria (13:00.928)
And social media, obviously I'm in an image industry. It's vital that I am visible on social media. But a strategy is the important part. You can't just do a scatter gun approach. There has to be a strategy involved. You have to do your three P's, positional, promotional and personality. And I try and give a bit of everything in that. So those are the two main, but we'll say collaborations with people you meet at networking is fantastic.

And opportunities like, you know, we met, you know, in a roundabout random way. And we're here today doing a podcast. So these are the opportunities. You have to be open to everything. Say yes, then work out how to do it. think Richard Branson said that. So yeah, that's quite a nice quote to leave people on them though. So yeah, as you said, we met at Networking and because of you, that's when I started to get a little bit more into networking. And I totally read the...

The people that you meet are so wonderful. The opportunities that can come from the most random connections. That's what I really like about networking. But you're absolutely right. I thought, because I can talk to people, I can get on with people, then it's going to be easy. But like you said, I've been surprised by how you, I'm not saying it's a job job, but you do have to put the work into it. You can't just rock up, send someone a message and that's it, forget about them. You do have to work at it and make those connections.

get other connections, connect people. So there is an element of work to it. And I know you had Debbie Atkins on your podcast. sure people can look back at that. That's a really good podcast for networking. You can't just turn up and expect it to work. This is business. Yes, you can make friends with people, but you have to keep those connections. So the minute you meet someone, you add them on LinkedIn or whatever platform you're on.

And then you have to just stay in their mind's eye until they're ready to work with you. It could be two years down the line. They could just never ever comment or like on anything that you do. But you have to keep doing it and then they'll come back and they go, I've been following you for the last two years. And then they'll go, I'm ready. So you have to keep at it. Resilience is everything. I mean, I don't need to tell you marketing, but resilience and keeping going and it will come back and you'll just keep giving and giving.

Maria (15:23.542)
and eventually it comes back to you. So do you actively, to your question, do you actually actively reach out to people then who are on your, who've made it to your list just to touch base every now and then? Or is it a case of because you are on social, you know, that they may see you, it's the connections that, do you do both? I have a newsletter as well. So I have a newsletter which is, it goes out for my styling, but I also run events called stylish socials.

So I like networking on a different level as well. So socialising, getting to know people. And then once you've done that, just keep looking at their social media. Are they doing something? that looks amazing. You will be amazed if you comment or share something from somebody, they will do that for you. But if you just stay silent in the background, they're going to forget about you. So just every so often and just be friendly, just be nice. You know, that's what attracts people to you.

I think that makes such a difference. Now, if anyone's listening to this or watching this and thinks, okay, I think I, you know, I have maybe let myself down on, you know, I've worked really hard on the brand, but I haven't really thought about my parents or how I show up to places or, you know, networking and how that how would you recommend they start and take a first step if they don't know their colors or they don't know anything about Webster?

Absolutely. think, think about, so the two questions, and I always ask these in my consultations as well, is how do you want to feel in your clothes? Think of words, think of phrases. You might say professional, you might say quirky, you might say, know, chic, I want to be elegant, I just want to look well put together, I want to feel comfortable. And you might want to be perceived as, you know, somebody trustworthy and honest, or you might want somebody to look at you as individual and unique.

I would be gutted. I want to feel comfortable in my clothes, but if somebody said, she always looks comfortable, I'd be really upset. I think what's really important is to think what's unique about you. What is in your brand? What is your brand value? And think about how you can bring that into how you portray your appearance. If you want to look professional, you need clean shoes. You need to look well put together. You need to think about nice, you know, it can be small jewelry, but you need to think about

Maria (17:41.794)
your overall appearance, but be unique, be authentic. That's what people want to see about you. And be, I love this word, I love being congruent with your brand. You have to give off the right vibe and your vibe attracts your tribe. I find your newsletters very informative. And actually that is the reason I chose, if you can't see what I'm wearing for you, just listen to your devotion. I'm wearing a brown.

dress and that's because Sarah's recent newsletter was talking about how we need to start dressing to do with autumnal colours so that's why I'm wearing brown. and the nice thing is you don't have to keep changing you don't have to have a set of clothes for autumn, a set of clothes for this and that it's nice to sort of bring them in and adapt clothes. Yes, definitely different days you may feel different. Yes and it's so true and it's important to have clothes in your wardrobe that work really they have to earn their place in your wardrobe you have to be able to wear them on different occasions.

You need to be able to wear them with different things to dress them up, dress them down and be versatile. And then you'll always have something to suit your mood and suit your occasion that you're current and appropriate in. Yeah. And I've also been to one of your stylish socials. So if anyone's listening and looking to do one, then they are amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed that. I'm actually still using the notepad that you gave. Well, the last one is for the last one, which was the summer soiree. Everybody got a rose in a little

water thing and the thank you cards were on seeded paper. So very much about sustainability and you know, we don't want loads of waste talking about and that's the same with clothes. But I think this is just a key point to say about networking. You do the personal touches. Anyone who comes to you, it doesn't feel like a cookie cutter thing. You go to one stylish social, it's very different to another one. You've always got different touches, different ideas.

different people so keep it fresh that's the thing we get we get bored easily we live in a world where our minds need constant stimulation and so who wants to be boring let's let's mix it all up now obviously just to point out for everyone as well if you are watching any of the video clips that we have some beautiful red dresses in the background that's because Sarah's color is surprise surprise red

Maria (19:56.682)
out of her colours. So if you see Sarah in a lovely red dress then she is dressing as her brand, quite literally in that case. So is there anything that you'd like to leave our listeners with, any key takeaways? Yeah I think that you need to, I've said it several times, authenticity is really really important but also elevation. Now it is a journey, try something new. If you see something and you think I'm not going to even try that because it's not going to work on me, you won't know until you try.

When I take my clients shopping, I take them slightly outside their comfort zone. Some things they won't like, but that's fine because they won't try it again. And other things they will be amazed at. it just, we want to feel good. It's looking good, but more than anything else, it's about feeling good, walking out, being confident. Yes. So if you're listening to this now, I want you to go put something on that makes you feel good and then take a picture.

share it with me, share it with us if you're actually doing that online. thank you, Sarah. I so enjoy talking to you every time. So thank you so much for coming on the podcast. I'll definitely have to catch up with you again at some point. And yeah, for anyone listening, then hope you've enjoyed this. Let us know what you thought and look forward to seeing you next time.