The multi million pound cosmetics industry is acutely aware



of the value of packaging. You'll know this if you've ever

bought anything from those glamorous ladies whose counters

are always just inside the front door of Department Stores.

However, from time to time we're presented with surveys

about the creams we rub on our bodies which take years off

our age and make our skin as soft as a baby's bottie. The

surveys tell us "Buy the cheap stuff or the own label one

from the supermarket, 'cause they're all the same."

But do we? Of course we don't. Human beings are driven by

emotions not logic and never more so when spending their

money.

People buy with their eyes, we love packaging. The

marketing and merchandising experts have it down to a fine

art and know the colours and shapes that we're most likely

to buy. They then design their packaging accordingly and

make sure it grabs our attention.

The product in the packaging has to do what it says it'll

do, however if it looks like it can do the business, then

we're more likely to believe it can.

It's just the same with people. Whether we like it or not,

people are likely to make judgements about us by our body

image, the way we're packaged.

They'll then decide whether they like us,whether they'll

give us a job or even just believe what we say.

This seems to be so obvious. Yet I've seen professional

speakers with scuffed shoes, business leaders with outdated

suits and politicians wearing clothes that don't fit them or

suit their shape.

A few months ago I attended a function where an accountant

was invited to speak about his business. He told the

assembled audience how efficient his business was and about

their attention to detail. However his tie was undone and

his shirt looked like he was breaking it in for a smaller

friend. His suit, though probably expensive, wasn't the

right colour for him and merely drew attention to the fact

that its wearer liked his food.

All of the things he was saying were totally contradicted by

his body image.

Lawyers, accountants, plumbers or software engineers; it

doesn't matter what you do, other people are very liable to

make a judgement about your abilities by how you're

packaged.

Your colleagues and your boss will all make decisions about

the quality of your work and your promotion prospects by

your dress and body image.

There's the famous story about the 1960's pre-election

television debates between John F. Kennedy and Richard

Nixon. These debates were also heard on radio, which was

much more popular at the time. After the debates a poll was

taken of how TV and radio audiences had reacted to the two

participants. The radio audience voted for Nixon, however

the TV audience voted overwhelmingly for Kennedy. The TV

audience liked the look of Kennedy better than Nixon - they

liked the packaging.

We also tend to make decisions very quickly about people we

come into contact with. Psychologists have established that

we subconsciously make around eleven decisions about other

people within the first six seconds of meeting them.

Personnel managers have admitted in surveys to making a

decision about a job applicant within the first thirty

seconds of an interview, these decisions being made

primarily on how the people looked and carried themselves.

How we look will confirm or contradict what we say.

First impressions are also lasting impressions and

take a lot of changing.

Okay, so we can't all have the perfect looks or the perfect

body, what ever that is. It doesn't matter what shape you

are but it does matter how you package that shape, if you

want to make an impact on other people.

How you package yourself can also make a huge difference to

your self-confidence. Have you ever noticed how confident

and self-assured you feel when you dress in something you

feel good in? Particularly when someone genuinely

compliments you.

How you dress can have a huge impact on how

you carry yourself and project to other people.

The problem is that many of us don't have a clue as to what

really suits us and compliments our shape. This is why so

many business people are turning to an image consultant to

improve their personal impact.

This may seem like a costly luxury however consider the

cost of restricting your career or possibly not winning a

new account.

So what do you do? Well you could ask your nearest and

dearest to be honest with you and tell you what they really

think about what you wear. The thing is, you really need to

listen and take heed of what they say.

Buy some of the fashion magazines and keep up to date on the

latest fashion. It can also help to find a good clothes

store where the sales assistants will give unbiased advice.

It's also important to look after the details. Do your

spectacles suit your face? Are you in need of a more modern

haircut? What does that cheap plastic watch say about you?

Men need to be careful about novelty ties and fancy socks

with a business suit. Women need to take care with make-up,

colours and perfume.

You may have a lot more to offer than a jar of anti wrinkle

cream or a packet of cornflakes; however no one is going to

pick you off the shelf if they don't like your packaging.