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Presentation - The Key To A Winning First Impression
You've no doubt heard the key phrase "It's all in the presentation!" Well, that's a truism. Presentation is key. Something that is appealing to the eyes or attractive to the senses guarantees acceptance and cultivates meaningful encounters. The best presentations flow smoothly; they connect from head to toe and incorporate complimenting elements. They reflect credibility. They are true to your style; appropriate to the function; aware of the time of day, the location and theme of the gathering. It registers strongly on the radar of awareness. I recall an episode of The Cosby show when Vanessa sprung her fiancé, Dabnus, on her family when she brought him home for the first time for dinner. Her dad, Dr. Huxtable, illustrated a very important point about presentation. He asked Dabnus what if he had invited him over for a fine steak dinner with all the trimmings and then went out to the backyard and got the garbage can lid and proceeded to serve him that fine dinner on that garbage can lid. How appetizing would that be? Dabnus responded that it wouldn't at all be appetizing. Then Dr. Huxtable exclaimed that that's how Vanessa had brought him there. For all they knew he could?ve been a fine steak dinner, but because of how he was presented all of his worth had been undermined. That's the reality and importance of the presentation. Your presentation must match who you are and what you're selling. A positive first impression can get you on base with the person or group you're meeting. It smooths the way for you to conduct your business at hand. It gives you validity; it facilitates trust and promotes influence. What are some of the keys of a great presentation? You should present who you are. Be genuine, honest, relaxed and be open. You'll be much more successful if you project a certain degree of confidence and competency with ease. Take an objective look at yourself. You want to take an awareness inventory, and in this examination ask yourself these questions:
- Who am I?
- What is my objective here?
- What am I trying to communicate?
- Is this important to me?
- Have I prepared myself?
And lastly: - Am I missing it; and if so where?
It's the most worthwhile dialog you'll ever have. An unattractive appearance can render you out of the game. Much of what you have to offer will be lost in translation. You must understand and then negotiate the obstacles that can often sabotage a 'first impression' because you only get one chance. Therefore, you've got to master the keys; you've got to master the presentation. Regardless of your social standing, profession, education or bank balance, in the time it takes you to say ?Hi, my name is ?? you?ve been judged, appraised, assessed, scrutinized, evaluated, signed, sealed, delivered, tried, and sometimes even convicted. Sometimes... you haven't even said a word. Sometimes... this split-second scrutiny is taking place from across the room and it takes in not only what you're wearing (the cut, the color, the cost) but how you're wearing it and the confidence you're displaying. You've either passed or failed the first impression test. And... you've set the tone of your relationship. Good, bad, right or wrong, if your presentation falls short so do you, and you might never overcome that negative 'first impression'. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression, so? make your ?first impression? your best impression. (c) 2006 KEH & ASSOCIATES
This article courtesy of http://www.fashion-hq.com.
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