Blog
Make an Impression That Sticks
photo credit: milomingo
How Do You Make an Impression?
PR is more than press releases, it’s very much how we interact with others. Getting people to remember us by making an impression is one of all our daily business challenges. What is it that differentiates us? What makes us ‘memorable’?
- How we look?
- How we speak?
- What we say?
- How we behave?
- What we do?
The answer of course is all of the above.
We had a couple of recent brief meeting experiences at Cosmoprof that made two people ‘memorable’ for us. Perhaps you can use our experience to your benefit.
Tim Wilson Made Us Feel … Valued
Tim Wilson stood way out from the crowd because he said something that made us feel wonderful. In a loud voice from across the aisle he said, “You changed my life!”
He then shared how several things we offered in one of our ‘PR Power’ programs at an American Board of Certified Haircolorists “Educational Summit” a few years back helped him change some things he was doing in his professional life and how that made a real difference for him.
He had our full attention. He validated what we do. He made us feel valued.
How could we forget Tim? He was among the first people we sent a Facebook friend request to when we returned home after the show.
Sherri Jessee Made Us Feel … Remembered
We were introduced to Sherri Jessee (here’s her blog) as we were leaving the press room at the show. She was dressed well, looked beautiful, and was completely charming upon meeting. As important as those things were, they didn’t quite ‘flip her over’ into the very memorable after the show category.
What made her totally stand out was what she did after the show. Not long ago we wrote on the importance of doing this.
She sent a little handwritten note. Nothing fancy, just a brief message:
“Dear Alexander,
So nice meeting you in Vegas.
Sincerely, Sherri”.
We immediately sent her a friend request on Facebook and LinkedIn. We didn’t want to lose touch.
The Moral of This Little Story
It’s the simple things that most people don’t do that work the hardest to make you memorable.
This is a link to my video. I am a finalist in the Joico head to head contest. please view it and support me. cheers
Good Luck, Angela! That was a beautiful piece of work.
I have been deep into a thought this week that seems to fit with your thoughts about making an impression. I love to visit with people and find out how they are or just wish them a good day. If I pass a person while I’m out and about I almost always say hello and or at least smile at them. I recently began to notice how many people there are who don’t smile when I pass them and nearly no one says hello unless I do so first. It seems strange to me that there are so many people who can walk by another person and not even look at them. I’m not talking about saying hi to every person I pass in large crowds, I’m referring to passing one or a couple of people on the street or in a hall way. Is there is a difference between a friendly person and one who is just polite? Friendliness has a connection with kindness and politeness doesn’t always.
Sherri also made a memorable impression with me at NAHA. I felt she was genuinely “friendly”! She smiled at me as I approach her; she engaged in conversation, she walked with me as we headed back to our rooms.
Thank you Sherri! 🙂
Right after I posted this I went out and about for my usual Monday off errands. First stop was my favorite fabric store and as I went down the velvet isle a DARLING little boy looks right at me and says “Hi how ya doing”! His Grandma was right behind him grinning from ear to ear! For fun my reply was “thank you, I’m doing really good today – you handsome human bean”! His eyes light up and he squealed “human bean!” He laughed out loud and said “Grandma, did you hear that”!
Becci, that was clearly a very ‘sticky’ young man. 🙂 He will live in your thoughts for as long as you hold him now and be a wonderful reminder of how important it is to be ‘out there’.
Many will not be, and that is for them. Too bad.
Unfortunately, being a small child, your wonderful “human bean” line only lives until his next distraction. But, if you were to run into him again I’ll bet he would remember you and perhaps even say something silly involving human ‘bean’.
Well done, Becci. Don’t lose faith. Don’t let the world’s frown influence yours too much … and having followed you here and on Facebook, I know you don’t 😉
Alexander,
I appreciate being mentioned in your blog! I am forever amazed how the simplest things can make a big difference like following up, being considerate, and using common sense. 😉
Becci,
Thank you for your kind words. It was so nice to finally meet you in person! 🙂