Page 56 - ConvinceThemFlip

convince them in 90 seconds or less
meet someone for the first time, how can you tell if you
trust them?” (By zero context I mean that if you’re in a sta-
tion, you can ask questions about trains, or in a pharmacy,
about headache pills. Those are all questions that are
safe and sensible in those locales. But if I had done that,
it would have been phony, and the person would sense it
and keep the shield up. I wanted my question to be intrigu-
ing, non-threatening, and appropriate to the situation.)
Before I set out, I packaged myself carefully to appear
honest, vibrant, and healthy. My look works for me. You
must find your own signature look (more on this on page
154). What works for me is:
Authority from the waist up. Double-breasted blazer
with expensive brass buttons; starched white button-
down-collar shirt.
Approachability from the waist down. Clean, new
black jeans. They are less formal than dress pants,
and I like them. Bright red, shiny, expensive leather
shoes—a little offbeat, showing I don’t take myself
too seriously.
Here’s what I did (and what you can do) to make a great
first impression:
• First, as I’ve mentioned, I was dressed in a calculated
combination of authority and approachability.
48