Why first impressions can make or break you
YOU may have heard the saying “First impressions are lasting impressions”. What does it actually mean?
An impression is created from the senses, mind or emotions. Something that sets an engraved mark or figure in a person’s mind. It gives the person a snap judgement on you. It is only at the first encounter that a face makes its full impression on us.
No matter who you are, you have at some point in time purchased products based on their brand; items such as shoes, bags, clothes, electronics and even food to name a few.
In other words, you have made decisions among competing brands while ultimately choosing some brands over others because of an impression even before an actual experience.
What does this all mean? As an individual, you must acknowledge that you are a brand. And who better to market your personal brand than you. This means that at the end of the day, the success of your personal brand lies in your hands.
Even though your appearance is a part of your impression it is not the only thing, which matters. Your impression means your overall personality and it consists of the following: The way you carry yourself, The way you dress, The way you express yourself, Your mannerism or etiquette, Your behaviour, Your communication, and the way you treat others.
We will cover Point 1 to 3 in this first part of the article.
The way you carry yourself
We are “read” unconsciously by people around us. We convey our attitude through our nonverbal signals much more powerfully than we do through our speech.
How do you walk into a room, out of a meeting or onto a stage? How you carry yourself is more important and subtler than just standing or sitting straight.
You need to get a sense of your personal presence, you need to understand that your physical actions and presence are what conveys YOU i.e. your personality to the world. Example, if you want to be perceived as confident, would you talk soft or loud? Is talking fast or slow are perceived as confident? The way you dress You are what you dress. This is not only a mere saying but is a proven study and research concluded by experts. Clothing has a significant effect on selfesteem and confidence.
In a study at a university, a group of students were asked some to wear a superman Tshirt. Researchers wanted to know if heroic clothing would change how students thought.
Surprisingly, they found that not only did it make them more confident, but it also made them think they were physically stronger.
In another test, women were asked to do a math test in a swimsuit or wearing a sweater, with the latter group performing better.
Now, we are not going to start wearing Superhero shirt like Superman or Wonder Woman to office etc.
From this, we understand that there is a systematic influence that clothes have on the wearer’s psychological processes. This means what your clothes are saying to you, not about you and how they make you feel.
It is interesting to see why clothes are so revealing of our personalities, what messages they are sending and how you can use your wardrobe to change how others perceive you—and even how you think about yourself.
The way you express yourself
Be able to express yourself does not mean talking nonstop to people, assuming that they find what you are saying fascinating.
It is as much about being able to concentrate on what others are saying and listening to them properly without letting your mind wander elsewhere — what food on the buffet or cocktail table.
Do you struggle to find the right words? Do you feel uncomfortable in social situations and dread to speak in public?
One of the key essential strengths to personal branding is to be able to express yourself effectively.
There are many ways we can polish this. One of the easiest is to find different ways to communicate.
Pick up the phone instead of sending an e-mail, speak to the shop assistant you normally ignore, join in conversations at work.
Interact with friends, family, colleagues and the world around you. Make sure your voice is heard.
Social media is now considered one of the most important outlets of establishing a brand. It is also the most treacherous way to establish your brand.
One wrong step of expressing yourself through social media and you could ruin your reputation and damage your brand. But do it right and you’ll be reaping the rewards.
If you are not utilizing the power of social media, you are doing your business and or yourself a disservice. Social media has the power to cement your brand in your audience’s mind.
Remember you only get one chance to make a first impression.
On average, people tend to make a judgment about you in less than five seconds! That is how long you have to WOW them; or not!
Every time you interact with someone or say something in public, you are establishing your brand.
Stay tune to Part 2 next week for more on how to BUILD A LASTING FIRST IMPRESSION.
For inquiries on personal or corporate branding, email Pamela Phui at pamela@ brandimageconsultancy.com OR check out the websites www. brandimageinstitute.com/www. brandimageconsultancy.com