Matt Michel, author of Comanche Marketing and CEO of the Service Roundtable, pens an article titled “Creating Positive Imprints on the Self-Image.” Matt tells a story about how Lanny Bassham, an Olympic athlete created positive imprints on his self-image and went from a silver to gold medal performance.

We’ve spoken quite a bit here about how important our physical image is. Matt provides a different perspective on image, one which is every bit as important. Place yourself into Matt’s story. Think about the action and process you will take to produce an enhancement in your own game, the game of the professional technician.

Lenny’s company is called Mental Management Systems. Check it out when you have a chance.

Also, keep this story in the back of your mind. In the future I am going to write about ideas to help you along in the process of making that desired self-image come true.

Bob is as honest as the day is long. He cares about his work and he cares about doing a good job for his customers. Bob has a family and goes to church on more Sundays in the year than he doesn’t. Bob didn’t used to have it so well. His family wore leather jackets, had hardcore tattoos, traveled about on two-wheeled machines and often woke up in beds behind bars. Twenty years didn’t erase Bob’s tattoos, his long hair, five o’clock shadow or the thick ring of gold he wore in his ear. Bob still looked the part…and so did the owner of his company.

Bob doesn’t see himself as those who do not look like him, see him. When women customers turn their nose to him and slam doors in his face, he thinks, I wonder what’s up with her or what’s her problem?

Most of us are like Bob on the inside. We care about our work and our customers. A few of us are like Bob on the outside. Some even worse, wearing dirty clothes that are in disrepair. The thing is, our customers (or prospective employers) don’t get to see the inside first. Would it be okay with your Mom if someone looking like Bob showed up at her front door to perform service? Would it be okay with you?

Don't Even Think About it!

Actually, this is when it matters more than ever. This is when you separate yourself from Average Joe technician. Because Average Joe is going to think it won’t matter if he lets his appearance go one day. And when no one comments to Average Joe that day, he’ll think (and we use the term think liberally), jeeeze, what’s the big deal? But people notice, they notice more than you realize. They make a little negative mental note about you and file it away. Rest assured, when you least expect it, they’ll bring it back up and slap it all over you.

Don’t give in. Don’t give up. Be a relentless warrior and fight for what you know is right. If you do, no one will ever think of you as Average Joe.

Image from Bryan Z on Flickr

KFC -  fried chicken

Fed-Ex – overnight delivery

Wal-Mart – cheap prices

Oscar-Meyer – hot dogs

When someone mentions the name of a well known company to you, chances are an image or word will pop into your head. These images can be good or bad. What comes to mind when I say Enron? See?

Right now, if someone were to mention your name to a coworker or customer, an image or words will fill the movie screen in their mind. If you’re a hard working, conscientious person, that image will come up. If you are a slacker, that will come up too. The beauty of this is that you have a say in what images or words are associated with you. You don’t have total control, but you do have a say.

So if you want a customer to call your company back and ask for you again, (you do want customers asking for you, right?), you are going to behave in a certain manner around that customer. It’s sort of like dating. You go out with a girl who you really like a lot and you want to go out with her again. Everything you do on that date, you’ll do with the thought of going out with her again. That leaves a mark, doesn’t it?

See how this can work in a positive way for you?

Lets say you want to be known as the go to welder in your company. Right now however, you only have a year’s worth of experience. Start small. While you are building your welding skills, build you. No matter how talented you are, people will not want to deal with you if you are a butt head. Start small. Be respectful and nice to everyone who you come in contact with. Everyone. Never ever vary from this course. Stay on this track and you will be in demand for more than you can imagine. When the welding skill and experience kicks in, you will be the person everyone associates when the word welder is mentioned by your coworkers or customers.

Personal hygiene is the basic concept of cleaning, grooming and caring for your body.  Not only will you look and feel better, others will feel better about you.

Remember, take small steps to improve.  Do the following to maintain good personal hygiene and to look and feel better:

• Take a shower or bathe before going to work
• Use deodorant
• Brush and floss your teeth everyday
• Use breath mints
• Comb your hair (even if you wear a hat)
• Wear a ponytail band if your hair is long
• Keep your nails trim
• Keep facial hair trim
• Use a good sunscreen
• Utilize surgical gloves
• Use a hand and skin moisturizer (Yes gentlemen, this means you!)
• Wash hands prior to writing up every work order

Most of these practices do not take much extra time.  (You can always trim your finger nails while watching TV).

This is really important.  There will be times when you feel like wearing something else, like a tee shirt or jeans.  Don’t do it!  Let’s say that you go to a certain restaurant all the time because you love the way they cook your steak.  How do you suppose your steak that you ordered medium well would taste if the chef said to himself, “I don’t feel like cooking this medium well, I’ll make it well done.”   You’d be disappointed because you had come to expect it cooked a certain way.  This is how others will feel if they see you dressing in something other than your uniform.

When you are consistent with your image you begin to create reliability.  Your customers, employer and peers begin to know what to expect from you.  And they begin to get a feeling that they can count on you.

Along with characteristics like cleanliness, consistency is another spoke in the wheel.  Take a few spokes out and the wheel becomes out of balance.  You need all of the spokes to succeed.

To be consistent with your image means to always present yourself the same way all of the time.  Never let a customer or your manager see you in dirty or torn clothes.  Never let them see you in the wrong kind of shoes, hat or not well groomed.

Be consistent.

• Take a shower before you go to work
• Comb your hair
• Keep your beard or mustache trim; no stubble
• Use breath fresheners
• Wear shoe covers in the house
• Shine safety shoes (if applicable)
• Start off the day wearing a clean, pressed uniform
• Wear surgical gloves
• Keep a spare uniform or two in the truck and use if needed
• Wash up after each service call (use a waterless cleaner)

Mike is in his early forties.  His full head of black hair reaches midway down his back.  Mike wears jeans, tennis shoes and a tee shirt to work.  He keeps his hair in a neat ponytail.  If Mike gets his tee shirt dirty halfway through the day, which he always does, he puts a clean one on.

Mike works within a culture that is in total acceptance of him.

Mike’s image works for him.  He has about as much business as he can handle and has made a commitment to not hire anyone on.

If Mike were to go to start off working in another part of the state much less the country, there’s a good chance he wouldn’t be received as well.  We can debate whether or not this is right or wrong until the cows come home.  It doesn’t matter.  It is what it is.

We’re not here to judge Mike.  We’re here to help you and give you the best possible chance to succeed.  Most of you will follow a company uniform policy.  If you do have the option, we recommend that you wear a uniform, a company identification badge, safety-rated regular work shoes and keep your hair short – for safety reasons.

Perception is everything.  You might be a decent technician.  But if you wear dirty clothes, are unkempt, not well groomed and have firing breathing dragon breath, you’ve just made it more difficult for your customer to know.

Where to begin – If you work for a company make sure that you follow its dress code.  Just do it, please*.  In the future we’ll talk about the various ways in which you can tune your appearance.  Maybe you’re not a senior technician yet, but you’ll sure look like one.

Culture – Read about Mike.

*If you cannot come to terms with your company’s uniform policy, you should not work there.