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© by Bonnie Budzowski, President of InCredible Messages, LP. 
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Choose a Presentation Image to Strengthen Your Credibility

By Bonnie Budzowski
President, InCredible Messages, LP

Meg, my eleven-year-old daughter, has silky brown hair. One day, when working on a math problem with her teacher, Meg did or said something “spacey.” The teacher (male), jokingly said, “Meg, you should die your hair blonde.”

Meg’s immediate response was, “Hey, I’m not dumb!”

The teacher apologized, and he told my husband and me about the incident in our parent/teacher conference. “I don’t know what made me say that,” he said. “I just blurted it out.”

Women-owned businesses represent a strong and vibrant sector of our economy. Yet, the dumb blonde/inferior woman myth continues, even if it remains, for the most part, below the conscious level. A professional woman needs to deliberately manage her image, especially when she is making a presentation. Author Diane Parente puts it this way:

Your image is talking even when you’re not. You and your business may have all the substance in the world, but if you don’t project a strong professional image to go with it, people aren’t going to respond the way you want them to.

To back up your image, you…need a good product, extensive knowledge, and strong communication skills. Your image creates the expectation. Your substance confirms it.

For your next presentation, follow these guidelines to project an image that enhances your credibility:

Wear an Outfit that Makes You Look and Feel Your Best

When you dress in attractive, well-tailored, and comfortable clothes, your self-confidence goes up. When you feel confident, it shows. Dawn Waldrop, author of the article Are You Aware of What You Wear? A Subtle Yet Power Presentation Tool, explains it well:

As humans we get different energies from our attire, which affects our communication. Just as you feel the difference when you wear certain clothing, so does your audience.

Think about those days when you get dressed and feel great in your clothes. You feel confident, and people interact with you in a positive manner. When you feel most comfortable in your clothes you are at your presentation best.

In a presentation situation, you are the center of attention. The audience watches you closely. You know this, of course, and the knowledge magnifies any concern you have about clothing, hairstyle, or makeup.

For your presentation image, buy the highest quality clothing that you can afford. Choose colors that complement your skin tone and a style that make you feel your best. Choose clothing that allows you to move freely, so that you don’t have to tug at the sweater if you want to lift your arms. Choose blouses or tops that stay nicely tucked into your skirt or slacks. Choose clothing that makes you feel confident and energized so that you can concentrate on the substance of your presentation.

Wear an Outfit that Matches the Occasion

The general rule among professional presenters is to dress one step above the formality level of audience members. Your choice of clothing should demonstrate that you take the presentation seriously, but not that you are out of touch with this audience.

Match your clothing style to the industry involved. For example, if your presentation is to a group of bankers, dress somewhat conservatively. If your presentation is to a group of designers or artists, feel free to express the artistic side of yourself in clothing. In either case, however, avoid an outfit that upstages the substance of your presentation.

Match your clothing style and color to the size of the audience. If you are speaking to a small group in a small room, wear soothing colors (and keep your gestures in balance with the room). If your presentation is given from a platform to hundreds of people, choose a bolder color blouse, sweater, or jacket. In this situation, also add more makeup to make a stronger impression.

Wear an Outfit that Passes the Distractibility Test

Take a good look at your entire outfit, including jewelry and other accessories. Put each element in the outfit to the test: Will this element distract the audience or preoccupy their attention? Avoid any color, collar, jewelry, or scarf that will distract audience attention from the substance of your presentation.

Here are some particular things to avoid:

• Dangling-style earrings that swing when you move your head
• Jangling bracelets
• Extreme hairstyles
• A hairstyle that obstructs your face or eyes
• Extreme nail polish
• Plunging necklines
• Excessively short skirts
• Shoes that are lighter than your slacks or skirt

You should certainly be a blonde if you want to be, whether it comes to you naturally or from a box. Your hair color is just one element in the image you bring to a presentation. Create an image that leads the audience to expect substance. Deliver on that expectation, and you can take your blonde (or brown, or gray) hair to the bank.
 

Permission is granted to reprint this article when the following contact information is included: © 2008 by Bonnie Budzowski, President of InCredible Messages, LP. For more free articles, go to www.IncredibleMessages.com or contact Bonnie at info@IncredibleMessages.com.

Imagine yourself in a situation in which one professional shows you how to incorporate the insights of three perspectives into your business communication:  marketing, persuasion, and visual design. 

Imagine an interactive session with an entertaining and inspiring speaker.  Do you like what you see?  You’ve just envisioned working with Bonnie Budzowski, President of inCredible Messages, LP.

Contact Bonnie to learn more about how she can guide you and your team to create compelling business messages or call 412-361-1490. 

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