FIRST IMPRESSION

It is often said that books should not be judged by their cover but a fact remains that if the book cover is not inviting, who would want to read?.

An impression is an effect produced on the senses, mind or emotions. Something that denotes an engraved mark or figure.

So I’m just like everybody, I listen to MUSIC but I’m not like everyone when it comes to my taste in music. I’m the LYRICAL guy. I don’t really care about the beat (funny though as I seem to be at least a decent dancer) but the LYRICS. Give me a good music with amazing lyrics and you just see what follows. Guess that’s why I’m into Westlife, One Direction, Gavin DeGraw, Aunty Bukky (ASA), Adele etc., (though one or twice they deviate but at least 80% goes).

So my cousin asked me; “Egbon do you have XYZ song by ABC on your system” and I told him I don’t. What followed was simply hilarious. He told me the song was the latest and “hottest” (according to him) in town, he explained that virtually everybody was listening and singing it. But I was not, in fact I was not interested. Why? Because of the singer. I’ve actually listened to her song before and it was crap (well, according to me). I even gave her the benefit of the doubt and listened to another by her and same result. SO I’M OF THE IMPRESSION THAT SHE’S NOT MY TYPE OF SINGER/ARTIST.

That’s how I gave a friend of mine who’s a tailor money (just N1,100) to sew a cloth for me, but the end result is that both the money and the cloth are nowhere to be found except the friend which I still see till this day. So there was an opportunity to sew a bigger cloth (Ade mi once called it flowing Agbada) and I just went to a stranger who actually did well not minding the fact that he collected N6,000 from me. My friend saw it and complained of taking his money outside. “Why didn’t you give it to me to sew” He asked. I told him because he didn’t do the previous one well, in fact, he didn’t do it at all. SO I’M OF THE IMPRESSION THAT HE'S NOT MY TYPE OF TAILOR.

Have you ever travelled with a total stranger and pray you meet such person again? Have you ever met someone in a mall and you wish you accidentally jam the person again? Have you ever attended a conference with a person and the image of that person still lingers in your head? That’s how important first impression is. First impression is what other people see in you, what they think of you till you at least give them the reason to think otherwise. It is the image of yourself you give out to people. First impressions are lasting impressions and can actually last a long, longer than Hausa perfume.

As an individual, you must acknowledge that you are a brand. And who better to market your personal brand than you. This means that at the end of the day, the success of your personal brand lies in your hands.

People see you the way you presented yourself the first time you meet or first conversation. They could even save your contact due to the impression they have of you, I’ve seen something like NIYI MOUTH, WALE PARROT, FEMI GENTLE etc.

How are you treating those customers/people in your place of work? What are you always talking about that could exalt or bring shame to you? Are you the type of person that people don’t really know when you are serious or telling the truth because you always sugar-coat your words? You jokes/lies a lot that people don’t really know your truth again? You don’t actually know who is seeing you, hearing you, meeting you for the first time, so what first impression are you given them?

You never get a second chance when it comes to making a first impression.

REMEMBER, EVEN IF THE MUD DOES NOT STICK TO THE WALL, IT AT LEAST LEAVE A MARK.