I subscribe to several branding and marketing email newsletters. This one rolled into my in box this morning from Marcia Yudkin of The Marketing Minute. I thought. Wow. Simple and effective.

Behavioral Branding
The impression people have of you as someone to do business with comes only partially from carefully orchestrated sources like your web site, appearances on stage and writings.  It derives just as much from informal settings and interactions.

Use these questions to assess whether you are coming across in a way that highlights your values, skills, character and distinctive strengths:

If someone happened to look at the 2-5 posts showing today on the front page of your blog, would they understand why fans avidly refer business to you?

If someone looked at your most recent 20 tweets, would they get what you’re about or think you’re a lightweight complainer, a hypercritical heavy drinker or something else unflattering?

The same goes for your newsletter.  Are there patterns in what you write about (and how) that suggest a skewed picture of your temperament or priorities?

Other points to audit are how you answer questions from potential clients, how you debate with colleagues and how you sound in your voice mail.

Today’s let-your-hair-down business environment might be encouraging you to sell yourself short.

Some very good food for thought.