What is your Product’s Packaging Projecting?

March 2007

Whether you realize it or not, YOU are really the Product you are trying to sell not the item or service you are actually selling! First thing people see when they meet you for the first time is the Packaging of Your Product! And they form an opinion about that packaging whether we like it or not—we do it all they time no matter how enlightened we try and make ourselves! We notice people’s teeth, body language and clothes and we instantaneously make quick calls about people—they are confident, they have poor hygiene or they are rich—just by looking at their packaging!

So just how is the Packaging of the Product of You? Does it project what you want your Customers to see or does it confuse them? If you are a lawyer and wear T-shirts and jeans all the time or outdated suits, customers aren’t likely to take you seriously at first contact and may have to be convinced otherwise to remove that first initial impression! As you can see the Packaging of a Product is very Important!

So to effectively sell the Product of You, you must make sure the packaging is consistent with what you would like to Project to the customer! So the first action item is to really look at what DO you want to Project to your customers? Who are you, what would make you memorable and unique and want customers to buy from you? What would make you stand out in a crowd of other lawyers, real estate agents or interviewees for a job?

Think about this and list out the wonderful attributes of you! Ask your co-workers or friends to help you with this list, you might be touched what great things they tell you about you or/and you might be surprised by some things you didn’t realize you didn’t intend to project! All of it is great feedback! Circle the ones that you like and from the circled items, pick 3 attributes that really call to you as to who You are and what you want your customers to know about you! We will call this Your Brand. Some examples: a Witty, Driven, Lawyer or a Savy, Creative, Software Developer.

Now look at that Brand and see what there is to do to make your Packaging or Image consistent with your Brand? Perhaps a new hair style is in order, or updated suits or shoes…maybe even new business cards, a new car or new voice message on your answering machine? If you just have no idea about what there is to do, outside input could be what you need to move you into action! Ask an Image savy friend or hire an impartial Image Consultant/Coach who will not be afraid to tell it like it is and get you to where you really want to be…which is People Purchasing the Product of YOU!

Happy Packaging and Projecting!