An Opportunity to make second impression

The saying "you don't have a second chance to create a good first impression" has probably been heard by you. What if there was a way to set up a situation where that initial first impression could be changed? A marketing research company gets in touch with me every six months or so. I began visiting this site a few years ago to do research on subjects like underarm deodorant, men's television viewing patterns, and tea shops. Since then, I've been given the in-home camera interview. I described in detail how the Centrum multivitamin manufacturer should be more inventive in their marketing efforts six months ago. What if Centrum could be condensed inside the body and embark on a journey similar to the ship in the 1960s film "Fantastic Voyage," I said as I stared directly into the camera?

I guess I did well with the first impression. This time, a four-person interview crew was dispatched to conduct a research on men's jeans. I was accompanied by a videographer, an interviewer, and two "observers," who may have served as mental health assessors. We spoke about the features I look for in men's jeans and how I buy them. I continued reading the questions despite some of them being a touch too narrow-minded for my tastes. Well, getting paid for the study also contributed to the drive to continue. The entire team demanded a tour of my little closet after asking me questions for over one hour. It's fortunate that my mother taught me to organize my closet. To draw travelers during the off-season, I described the clothing in my closet—their origins and how they are organized—as if I were hosting a travel show. I then had to take all of my casual clothing out and lay it on the bed. The "team" sought to get them on camera and gather everything together. Well, I thought I was famous.

One of the women who was watching me urged me to dress like I would for a first appointment with a customer. I was unaware that in addition to the closet invasion, I also had to put on a fashion display. I put on one of my brand-new suits, a pristine blue shirt, and a gray sweater. Both a still camera and a video camera continued to operate. I started to suspect that this group was an elaborate cover for "America's Ultimate Clothing Makeover." The next step was for me to dress in a way that would be appropriate for a second or third client session. If they asked me to put on my pajamas, I would kick them out of the home even though I had no idea where this was headed. I don a new set of pants and a button-down shirt. The cameras never stopped. We need to get over to the nearby Gap and Banana Republic stores quickly to do some "on the fly" shopping before the study's completion, the team stated, taking a quick glance at the clock.

I was wondering when my video clip will appear on YouTube or another website as I was in route to the store. Since I was a member of my high school's modeling club, I haven't had this much fun being in front of the camera. I was videotaped back then promoting an umbrella. Before it could fully revolve around my arm as I twirled it, I hit myself in the face. A little while later, I opened it, but I couldn't see where I was going, so I stumbled and fell on the ground. Once everyone else was permitted to go out in public, I was then ordered to create amusing modeling films. They requested me to recount the full event as we entered the Banana Republic through the front doors. I chose to speak invisibly because I felt like the "crew" and I weren't drawing enough attention from the public.

Following a visit to Banana Republic and a disappointingly renovated Gap, we sat down at a nearby Starbucks where I was instructed to play the game "identify the clothes brand." They must have been too caffeinated to realize that I was a former retail executive with the "holy grail" recipe for the greatest men's casual jeans. I made some educated guesses about the clothing I observed, but I was completely off. I learned that Dockers was the manufacturer of this trendy new apparel. I was in awe! I envision Dockers as a general brand of men's pants that are worn to the office on casual days. I even went so far as to suggest that the term Dockers reminded me of those sailing shoes, Docksiders. Dockworkers are not either a fashion icon.

Afterwards it was revealed that the two bystanders were executives from Dockers, one of them was the Director of Retailing. Someone questioned my willingness to give Dockers another shot. In retrospect, I should have also requested a free pair of pants. I was first amazed that firm representatives preferred to interact with the public rather to wait behind closed doors for the marketing research study. These executives were directly hearing from me and hundreds of other folks all throughout the nation. Second, they appeared to appreciate my views and be serious. They listened intently and posed thoughtful questions. While they could always watch the film and yell insults at me while I was away, there was not even a hint of defensiveness. I was interested by Dockers' new 'style' enough by what I saw in the images that I placed them on my list of stores to visit for my upcoming purchase of casual trousers.

How can you alter the first impression that you give? We frequently draw on the lessons learned by the Dockers executives when I coach CEOs on how to give effective presentations. You should take the following actions if you have a poor first impression or wish to dramatically enhance the one you already have:

(1) Meet in person to show your clients, potential clients, or even friends that you value them.

(2) Ask intelligent questions to demonstrate that your effort was well thought out. Some feel more valuable when they put more effort into preparation.

(3) Listen without passing judgment - we must listen without passing judgment in order to properly respect another person's perspective.

(4) In order for others to respect you, you must be able to present a constant front. You should also.

(5) be patient since it takes time to change a person's first impression. It can take a few weeks or several years.

The bosses at Dockers are incredibly patient. To alter the original perception of their brand, they predict it will take five years. We get the best outcomes over a long period of time when I help CEOs hone their presenting abilities. Instead of the "quick fix" mindset that frequently permeates corporate America, this leads to long-lasting reforms. The next time you blunder and create a horrible first impression take heart. You will get a second chance to make a good first impression if you keep meeting in person, ask intelligent questions, listen without passing judgment, show a united front, and are patient.

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