I am sure you have heard the ubiquitous phrase ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression’. It’s used so often that it has become a bit of a cliché. We hear it. We nod and say ‘yes how true’ yet we forget to check what sort of an impression we are giving in those all important first 20 seconds. Even before you have said a word your fate in a sale could be sealed by some small detail.
An interesting show on TV called “Style by Jury” confirms strongly just how powerful first impressions are. Not my normal TV viewing but I have to say it was fascinating!
Here they had a woman visible to an audience through a two way mirror. She had no idea who was looking at her or what they were saying. The sort of comments that came from there jury were:
- “Oh my god”
- “do people walk around like that?”
- “what is on her head”
- “looks like a cat”
- “she looks homeless to me”
- “looks like people donated clothing to her”
- “I don’t think she is very happy”
- “she looks sad”
The amusing thing is that the woman is a fashion designer, the jury are shocked, her appearance is telling a totally different story to what the fashion designer had anticipated.
The fashion designer gets a makeover and afterwards the responses are:
- “she reminds me of Sharon Stone”
- “lovely smile”
- “confident”
- “friend of the public eye”
It does not matter who you are, People make judgements about your abilities based on things as subtle as the way you dress, the content of your nails, or whether you arrive early or late. If you want people to take you seriously or if you want people to relate to you it’s important to dress appropriately and to be on top of your game. People buy you before they buy your products and services.
I have found getting feedback from an independent image consultant money well spent. You need someone not only to tell you what is not right but how to put it right. Sometimes friends and colleagues are a bit too polite or they are giving you THEIR opinion. What you want is the impression you make on your target audience or people who you are counting on to give you referrals. Think of it as an investment and an insurance policy rolled into one!
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on Sep 4th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
What first impression do you make? – I am sure you have heard the ubiquitous phrase You never get a second chance t… http://ow.ly/15NIR5
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
on Jan 18th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
That’s great advice. Get an image consultant to see how I “come across” and find out what I should change. I’m reluctant to take it for fear of what I’d discover!
And also, what kind of changes would I have to make?
Since I’m a business coach, I would not only have to take my own advice, I’d have to advise clients similarly. One business coach tells me: I have a tee-shirt which says: “Take My Advice, I’m Not Using It.”
Is my concern related to hypocracy?
This is getting worse and worse.
Perhaps crawling under a rock would be a good solution…
And, to make it even worse, I invite clients to explore their own self-knowledge, and to push into their own fear of the unknown, because that’s what entrepreneurs do. Entrepreneurs “make their bones” by taking risk. How can I honor my own reluctance?
I cite the ancient Greeks. They were also curious about how we should go forward as human beings.
They cite: Ethos, Pathos, Logos in that order. T
First, Ethos: establish your ethics/integrity. Most of us can be read in 10 seconds (which is the focus of this counsel.)
Second, Pathos: deal with emotion first. If people, (like me), don’t deal first with their emotional concerns, they’ll never take action!
Third, and last, Logos: Think, reason, plan, choose, act.
You and I will notice that most relationships are addressed at the Logos level, and yet are fundamentally successful, or not, at the Ethos and Pathos levels. But thinking, arguing, persuading, remain our tools of choice.
(Ah, when you have only a hammer, every problem looks like a nail!)
OK, Dammit – I’ll find myself an image wizard.
Thanks for the coaching.
Craig Jennings