Orientation is a sea of judgment. It’s exciting and equally nerve-wracking; all the would-be titleholders showing up with their best foot forward to prove themselves as the winner.
In this episode, I’ll teach you how to show up to your orientation as the actual winner. I want my girls mistaken for the reigning titleholder because this is the first impression you’ll give to the pageant director and to the other girls. You want to be sure it is accurate, inviting, and respectable.
The best way I know to prepare a girl for orientation is to use what I call the “Next Year” test. It’s simple. Imagine if you were to win, next year you’ll have to attend the orientation for the incoming competition class. I want you to imagine how you will be then…and be that now!
The impression you leave on others is based on how you are perceived – from your look to how you make others feel. I made it easy for you to recall the 4 specific areas of a first impression.
First is your picture.
You’ve seen some girls go to pageant orientations looking totally crazy! I know, I’ve seen them too. They want to ‘stand out’ so they wear florescent pink or do some crazy hair-do. This is annoying. – if someone took a picture of you right now – wherever you are, by yourself and handed it to someone, how would that person describe you? Do you look energetic, happy, tired, proud, thoughtful, crazy? These adjectives are used based on how a person is dressed, your posture, your make up, hair, and accessories. How do you want to come off? Next year, when you’re giving up your title – what will you wear? This year, wear that! Everything about that outfit! This is who you most want to be, so be her starting now.
The second to consider is your moving picture: your video.
If someone filmed you, without sound, how would you be described? Silly, Bratty, Shy, Generous, Outgoing, Annoying, Fun, Attention-seeking, Secretive, Scared? Next year, when you give up your title, how do you want to be seen? As the titleholder, you’ll likely be buzzing around humbly answering questions, graciously meeting the other girls and building up their confidence, participating with enthusiasm in the corny icebreakers, smiling a lot and giving credit where credit is due. So this year, do that!
Third is your audio
If someone recorded just 30-seconds of you talking today, how would you come off? Confident, confused, empowering, shy, mean, grateful, kind? At pageant orientation, just like in media interviews and on-stage question, you only have a short amount of time to make a powerful and positive impression. To do that, you have to be clear about what you’re after and who you are. Speak in sound bites – don’t over talk a subject. All my clients are trained on their personal brands and platforms so that no matter the topic, they are able to communicate their essence. Next year, after a year of practicing your message you’ll have this so down that you’ll be naturally doing it at orientation. But, to win, you have to do that this year. Got it?
The fourth are you need to be aware of is your presence.
This is the actually feeling others get just by being in the same room as you. If you walked into a room full of strangers right now, how would your energy feel to those around you? Would they describe you as illuminating, passionate, overwhelming, negative, captivating. What feeling to you want to give others next year when you give up your title? How will people feel when you are introduced on stage as the titleholder? That’s the energy you want to bring now.
Now that you’re fully aware of yourself and how others view you, I have a little challenge for you. I want you to choose one day within the next week to be your day as the future titleholder. No matter what you have to do that day, whether it’s go to the gym, the office, Biology class, pick up dry cleaning, shoe shop – whatever it is, I want you to spend the whole day being the exact person you want to be as the titleholder – All day! As the winner, what will your day look like? How will you interact with others on the street? How will you treat your server, your boss, or your friends? Do this and see how well it fits.
You’ll know that you are fully ready to win the pageant when you can be this person in full congruence every single day – with or without a crown.
Because, that, ladies is how you win a pageant.
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