In my last condo, they had a security guard who was a woman, about five feet tall who weighed about 300 pounds. Obviously her health situation made it difficult to get out of a chair, and she would have been hard-pressed to chase down an intruder or subdue an attacker. Yet she still was able to do an effective job as a guard. Once I even saw her control a 6’3” inebriated guy. Why?
The uniform and badge she wore.
In my gym the other day, I saw a trim guy with a nice physique taking instructions from a trainer who was 40 pounds overweight with a beer belly. Why?
Probably because that guy was wearing a polo shirt that said “Personal Trainer” on the back.
A pilot can be a complete idiot, but if he comes out to the boarding gate and picks up the microphone – everything will go quiet immediately and people will pay rapt attention. Why?
Because he has those four epaulets on his shoulder.
There are lots of situations when we give people a certain status, trustworthiness, or credibility, even though they may not deserve it – simply because of the packaging they are presenting to the world.
It works the other way as well…
Audience members will be more impacted by a male speaker in a matching suit than they will with one wearing a blue sport jacket with tan pants. They’ll be more impacted by a woman speaker in a business pantsuit than one wearing a cocktail dress. The fact is, a speaker on the platform in a power business look will command more respect and have a better chance to actually get the audience members to act on their information than one dressed casually.
Unless that speaker is doing a session on travel photography – then he should be dressed like a CNN war correspondent.
Or that speaker is doing a program on creativity and innovation – then she should be dressed like a rock star.
Some other examples I find fascinating…
You’re tweeting out links promising the secret to getting thousands of Twitter followers, but you only have 400 yourself?
You teach prosperity seminars, but drive a 15-year-old Honda?
You’re a rep for a wellness company, but you’re smoking in the hotel bar afterward?
You do relationship workshops, but you’ve been divorced five times?
You’re an online marketing guru, but your website isn’t mobile enabled?
Yes it’s true that you can’t judge a book by its cover, but people judge you by your packaging every day. So here’s the real question:
What is it about your packaging that is holding you back from the impact you want to have?
– RG
Randy Gage is the author of nine international bestsellers on success, including, Risky Is the New Safe. He’s currently on sabbatical, writing his next book, but posts occasionally here. If you find these postcards helpful, please share them.
Reader interactions
19 Replies to “The Power of Your Packaging”
since April Apple plays around with me…
I am respectfully agree with you and this is the way that I am trying to do everyday.thank you for sharing us your experiences.
I think it is more about what someone has realized, then how he/she is dressed. At least, thats what i think when i take some advice.
For example : Look how steve jobs was dressed … But when he was on stage, the crowd was listening. And so where his employees.
Packaging is changing. Not only are people hiring overweight personal trainers but they overweight aerobic instructors have no problem filling up their classes. The same goes for marketing seminars where the keynote speaker is wearing khaki pants and a untuck oversize button down shirt. I was the only one sitting there thinking to myself “What the f*ck is he wearing?*. The keynote speaker is a known millionaire in the field so I gave him a pass but it appears that people are getting extremely lazy. So much so that they are willing to believe anyone regardless of their packaging.
Packaging is changing. Not only are people hiring overweight personal
trainers but the overweight aerobic instructors have no problem filling
up their classes. The same goes for marketing seminars where the
keynote speaker is wearing khaki pants and a untuck button down
shirt. I was the only one sitting there thinking to myself “What the
f*ck is he wearing?*. The keynote speaker is a known millionaire in the
field so I gave him a pass but it appears that people are getting
extremely lazy. So much so that they are willing to believe anyone
regardless of their packaging.
@docakilah I agree. Almost every product sold is focused on ease. Doing anything worthwhile takes effort, and you could still fail.
This isn’t good, as some products are potentially harmful.
However, this sort of thinking is why people are dumb, sick, and broke. (Plugging Randy here. hehehe)
million dollar Yes, but Steve Jobs cultivated a look too. Apple’s always been associated with being different. More casual, but still able to get things done.
He had this casual look. However, he was well-groomed, and the clothing fit him well.
It fit the audience. You are right in one regard- he knew how to communicate well with other people.
i really agree with randy rands, if you are well packaged,pple buy into you and your ideas easily…am seriously working on mine..
ThomasMrak million dollar There are actually more examples. Look at Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, and so on … Times are changing.
million dollar ThomasMrak Exactly!
They dress for comfort and to build rapport with their employees and their customers. They see themselves as Leaders who are approachable and friendly, not as someone who only gives orders that hides in the darkness of an executive suite.
Far too many people today are distrusting of business people. They’ve forgotten that money is only a tool, and it is the actions of people that are good or evil. That may have something to do with it as well.
I have also observed if they do wear formal dress, it is for special events. I have heard stories that Sir Richard Branson’s wife has had to convince him to dress better at times. lol
This is the way I would go about things.
million dollar ThomasMrak Part of the trend as well is a lot of newer companies or older ones reinventing themselves are doing things more casually, but with a classy edge.
In fast food for example- the biggest hits lately have been Noodles and Company, Chipotle, and Panera Bread. It’s fast food combined with a pleasant atmosphere, and prices which while higher than regular fast food, provide a good value.
There are also many new or newer companies which focus on doing creative things- like web design, app development, games, audio/visual and other technology.
These tend to be more casual environments.
I don’t see the Financial or Banking sectors go away from formal business attire any time soon, but as we move towards a more creative economy instead of one where people are providing a commoditized product or service, the dress codes of business may become more casual.
Right on!
Times are
changing really fast. Dress code is being revolutionised.
I prefer Randy Gage
casually dressed.
Lots of people and I mean lots of people have tattoos and
pierces. I still cannot get used to it. Well with clothing you can quickly
change that.
My daughter
said to me the other day that she cannot wait to get a tattoo. You bet I can.
Plan-Do-
Review- Adjust in a progressive manner and I could care less what you are
wearing.
Teach
people to THINK it is a profound skill and I could care less what you are
wearing
Help to
make this world a better place living in abundance and I could care less what
you are wearing
Make a
contribution to this message and I can care less what you are wearing.
Hi, its a good idea if the package is well planned because most people prefer first impression than the content, the content comes later in the minds of very many people. Therefore, Psychologically if someone’s attitude is captured at the first site, it means he/she will in most cases accept all you offer to him or her, I strongly concur with you that smartly dressed colleagues win people’s attention.
So true and so obvious, Randy 🙂 Great insights!
Could not agree more!
A different, relevant (I believe) way of looking at this topic is “Speak your future into existence”. ie: “future speak” is what I was mentored before discovering your work RG.
as one expands their consciousness; they are more capable of “walking their talk”.. its also Unlearning non-impactful, incongruent behviour as well.
Wouldn’t you agree?
PeterGHorrill That’s not quite the same as what I’m looking at here, but I do agree with the principle of speaking your future into existence.
maybe it is our mindset about our packaging…
what we believe about our packaging…
we can use it for good or not
we can choose to see it as a gift or a regret
to learn or not
we all begin somewhere…
and we can grow…
either we are growing & advancing or we are stagnant or gong negative
so if a person has 400 followers today what was their follower count last week? or when they started using the product?