Personal Appearance
How to dress to impress for your next presentation.
What a speaker looks like should never over-shadow what he or she has to say. A speaker’s appearance, however, can help make the message more convincing. Keep these points in mind as you prepare for a public appearance.
- Dress conservatively.
- Wear a dark suit with a solid color shirt or blouse (preferably light blue). White tends to reflect light onto the face of the person wearing it.
- Socks for men should be knee length. Hoisery for women should be seamless, with nude toe and heel.
- Do not wear flashy jewelry.
- Keep jacket or dress free of lapel buttons or pins.
- There should be no bulky items in pocket.
- For major appearances use powder, professionally applied. A dusting of powder on your face will help avoid shine often caused by bright lights. It will also mask any tendency men have toward “five o’clock shadow.”
- Do not wear light sensitive glasses or sunglasses.
- When seated, keep jacket buttoned but pulled straight to avoid wrinkles.
- Make sure collar and tie are straight, shirt tucked in, blouse neat.
Where in the World is Anthony?
Spoke this afternoon in Chicago at a financial managers conference. Business development tip no. 1 for all my many construction clients: THE two most important people to winning new projects are your PM and Superintendent. But are you preparing them effectively for interviews?
Spoke all day today at an insurance conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. Presenting tip 30: Half your audience, at any given time, is mentally engaged in a deep personal thought. More if you're boring. Learn how to snap them back.
Spoke this morning at a credit union conference in Destin, Florida. News media tip 6: Don't waste a reporter's time by being unprepared. Facts+good quote=win for you.
Worked all day today with contractors in Lexington, Kentucky. Presenting tip 19: Don't let a mistake derail your entire presentation. Recover and move past it quickly and your audience will forgive and forget.
Gave opening keynote this morning at a tech conference in Boise, ID Communications tip 23: Your primary goal in every presentation, meeting, etc. is not to inform. It's to PERSUADE. Stop spewing content & instead convince your audience to pay attention & retain key information.