PERSONAL APPEARANCE is the way that you dress and take care of your general appearance.

Much as we may hate the idea that appearances matter, this is an important factor in personal presentation. Whether you like it or not, others will make judgements about you based on how you look, which includes how you dress and your accessories. It is therefore worth taking time to think about what messages you are sending to others in the way that you dress.

Your personal appearance is closely related to the body language, gestures, and other non-verbal messages that you use.

Many people are unaware of how they are affected by body language, and how they are affecting others. By being aware of positive and negative non-verbal signals, you can improve your image and the way people perceive you.

Verbal Communication and Effective Speaking What you say and how you say it are both important aspects of how you are perceived by others. Verbal communication is all about the words that you choose. Those who are good at verbal communication understand the impact of their choice of words and choose the right words for the situation and the audience. They are skilled at getting their message across to others and ensuring that it has been received.

Good communicators also use their voices effectively to convey their feelings, and to influence their audience. Your voice says a lot about you and learning how to use it more effectively has many benefits. There are several aspects to your voice, including accent, tone, pitch, and volume. Some of these are easier to change than others, but it is worth thinking about how each of these affects your audience, so that you can learn to use your voice more effectively.

Behavior

How you behave, and not just how you speak, will leave a strong impression on others.

For example, if you are habitually late, you may give other people the impression that you do not value their time. Good time management skills can therefore be helpful in giving the right impression—as well as enabling you to work more efficiently.

More crucially, our general politeness—to everyone, and not just people who ‘matter’— will create an important impression about how we value others. This is an essential element of personal presentation.

“Choose you self-presentations carefully, for what starts out as a mask may become your face.”

Erving Goffman