Tim Finnen and Kim Dow role play.

…well, you definitely missed something to talk about. A speaker cancellation led to a quick replacement that was…um…perhaps not best-suited (pun intended, if you were there) to our group. That said, the event was well-attended, encouraged a lot of audience participation and made an impression (which is really what personal branding is all about, right?). A few points worth sharing:

DURING INTERVIEWS

• Don’t chew gum and do take off your sunglasses (this means you, Tim Finnen)
• Don’t swear and use slang (Eddie Araya…who knew you had acting chops…or that you swore?)
• Don’t talk on the phone to your boyfriend (Erin Biles, even if you are the interviewer)
• Don’t stare with your mouth open (Kim Dow!)
• Come prepared and if you’re not, don’t rat out your partner (this means you again, Tim)

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

• When you make a pitch or presentation, statistics say that the listeners judge you on the following:
  • How you look: 55%
  • How you speak: 38%
  • What you say: 7%
• Spend a few more dollars on that outfit you love (even if you’ve had it awhile) and have it tailored so that it fits your body well. Tailoring says, “I care about me so I can care about you” and can be done by a professional tailor or at your local dry cleaners.
• Take advantage of today’s technology. If you’re not sure how you look for a big pitch or an interview, snap of photo of yourself, text it to a friend and get an outside opinion (caveat: it has to be a friend who will be honest).
• A jacket always steps up the level of formality, even with jeans (Tobin Lehman will forevermore be known as the creator of the fashion look: “People I Know”).
• Leaning forward slightly (but not quite into personal space) improves the reception of your message.
  Do your research prior to your meeting and match your environment in dress and conversation style. It’s better to come overdressed in layers that you can take off than to be underdressed without a way to dress “up.”

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