My favorite colors are black and gray. When worn in in jackets and outerwear it gives me comfort and very easy to mix and match with other colors. However, when photographed wearing these colors, I look dreadful. Wearing reds and bright colors will always photograph well. How do I counteract this, is to wear brighter makeup and a bold lipstick?  I have many dull pictures of myself in these dark colors and learned a bold lipstick with make my skin look alive.

Apple, Nordstrom, Warby Parker, and Kohl’s rarely disappoint in their service. Just yesterday, I needed a consultation on a replacement connector for my MacBook Air. I made a reservation with Apple, the service person was on time, and the item was replaced. Last week, due to an update on my iPhone 6S, my anna@personalimagesinc.com address was not receiving emails. I called Apple support and they were able to walk me through the steps to get Microsoft emails to work. Nordstrom provides consistently good delivery service and easy exchanges, as does Kohl’s with their curbside pickup or returns.

A signature brand can be a color that is recognized as belonging to an item or person. Take McDonalds, for example. McDonalds’ signature colors are red and yellow. Apple’s signature is the apple with a bite missing. For Anna Wintour of Vogue, it is her hair cut. Eyewear has now become an easy way to make a statement and be a brand. For Simon Sinek, it is his colorless eye frames. Consider choosing a color or jewelry pieces that can be worn constantly.

Humor goes a long way towards helping to relax difficult situations and to put everyone at ease. I am by nature a serious person, but I find adding a dash of humor makes the day and a meeting easier. Humor is not always about telling jokes; it is also smiling and looking at the lighter side of things. A laugh once a day makes life a lot easier. “Humor is mankind’s greatest blessing,” said author Mark Twain.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg served as a United States Supreme Court Justice from 1933 until her recent death. She was the second women to serve. Ginsburg was a small woman in stature. Her statement collar necklace became famous. It served in many ways as a tie for the men in the court. A necklace collar is one that surrounds and lays on the collarbone like a collar. It can be of cloth or metal and have stones or jewels on it. In a recent Brother to Brother episode (Drew and Jonathan Scott Show on HGTV), the judge wore a collared necklace of metal, bones, and a pendant. It was a statement piece. The necklace drew the attention to her face. A word of caution, the statement collars adds to one’s image. It is not the only image.

Statement necklaces are coming back into style. In virtual meetings, the statement necklace draws the eye to the face and gives a brand statement. A statement necklace is a necklace that represents the person wearing it. It is a piece of jewelry that has versatility. It can be worn time and again with many different shirts and tops. A statement necklace can be made of gold or silver metal or semi-precious stones or gems. It never looks cheap and it has a way of catching the eye. A statement necklace is elegant and timeless.

Years ago, it was said that too much hand movement when speaking could be annoying and distract from the speaker. Today, in our virtual society, hand movements have become our body language, as we are seen from the shoulders up on the screen. In a recent interview, Bill Gates commented about the pandemic. He tried to walk a fine line without causing too much political damage. Gates attempted to be diplomatic, but his hand movements and tone of voice showed he was angry about the state of affairs and troubled about the future ahead with the pandemic. Visual cues will always make an impact.

Recently published photos of female CEOs wearing sleeveless dresses have made a statement. Jan Field, president of McDonald’s USA 2012, and Madeline McIntosh, chief executive of Penguin Random House, were recently featured in the New York Times Sunday Business section. Both work in male-dominated industries. Both were wearing sleeveless dresses. Madeline McIntosh was also wearing a statement necklace. It was understated but had impact. Businesswomen, such as these, confirm they are women and leaders in their own right. How they dress makes a statement. A sleeveless dress, a bold move away from a suit, is a power dress.

In virtual meetings and on FaceTime, grooming is more important than ever, as the camera enhances flaws. Using a bit of lipstick and blush goes a long way. To enhance engagement virtually, individuals must be able to see the best in you. Do a quick check up before the meeting begins to see that everything is in place. I remember seeing my hair on the back of my head sticking up and it caused me to be distracted throughout the meeting.

Here are some of the “don’ts” to avoid when promoting virtually and working to engage the audience. Some of the speakers running for office missed the mark at the Toastmasters International annual meeting. The issues included:

• A background that washed out the visual appearance of speaker.
• Having a lack of engaging facial expression.
• Using a very serious, dry tone of voice.
• Visual technical problems.
• Audio technical problems.
• Making clothing choices that did not enhance the speaker’s appearance. For, women, their appearances were too plain at times. For men, the jacket and tie combinations appeared stiff and intimidating at times.
• Using a negative pitch.
• Using generalized challenges.
• Keeping these “do’s” and “don’ts” in mind when presenting virtually can help you to capture your audience’s attention and help your pitch be successful.
• Telling personal story that rambled and was a bit too long.
• Using a negative pitch.
• Using generalized challenges.

  Keeping these “do’s” and “don’ts” in mind when presenting virtually can help you to capture your audience’s attention and help your pitch be successful.