It sounds pretty shallow, but when you are presenting your audience will form an almost instant impression of you.
This will be based largely on what they see and hear and the reality is that it is only when they feel you look and sound like you know what you are talking about that they will pay attention to what you are saying.
First impressions are formed almost instantly and then, in the subsequent few minutes, the audience will be looking for proof that the initial assessment is correct. This is called confirmation bias and everyone is susceptible to it.
Our presentation training will help you communicate with confidence, cohesion and clarity, but there is a lot you can do yourself to get your personal branding, and that first impression, right.
Think about how you want to be perceived.
Do you want to be seen as someone who is knowledgeable, professional and experienced? Or someone who has integrity, is approachable and trustworthy? Maybe a combination of all these qualities?
The audience will tend to assume that what they see is a reflection of your state of mind. So it’s vital to consider the tone you want to set and reflect that in your dress.
As the speaker, you want to be about 10 per cent smarter than your audience.
You can then dial up either authority or personal engagement accordingly. So, if you want to convey that you are a strong leader and your strategy is clearly defined, you can reflect that in your dress by being visually crisp and smart.
It is worth taking a look at the way TV newsreaders achieve both authority and personal engagement in their appearance.
Male newsreaders are clean shaven and wear a plain well-ironed shirt, pulled down so there are no wrinkles showing, and a richly coloured tie done up well at the neck. For a more informal occasion where you want to dial up personal engagement rather than authority, you can lose the tie and can wear a plain, coloured shirt or a bold striped shirt. For even more informality, roll sleeves up to just below the elbow, rather than wearing a short-sleeved shirt or a polo shirt.
Female newsreaders will be well groomed with brushed hair, some make-up, jewellery – earrings/necklace, a defined shoulder line, generally in plain, bright clothes. The effect is sharpness, professionalism and personality.
To soften the impact, but still retain the professional look, consider wearing a pattern on your blouse or jacket. A smart cardigan over a dress, rather than a jacket, or the addition of a scarf would have the same effect. This can be helpful if you’ve been given feedback that you come across as overly assertive.
You may also find some of the advice in our blog ‘What to wear on television’ useful.
So, to sum up, for both men and women, consider the impression you want to create and dress accordingly.
Dressing for presentations checklist:
*Formality / informality of the occasion (you want to be 10% smarter than audience).
*Contrast with your background.
*Sit on jacket tails to keep shoulder line smooth.
*If wearing a tie, tighten it at the neck.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with over 30 years of experience. We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
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