LEADERSHIP | In today’s increasingly competitive business world, merely being knowledgeable about your area of expertise or having impeccable academic qualifications are often inadequate to guarantee success.

How you portray and present yourself – Brand You – to other people can often determine whether a job is secured or lost; a business deal is won or lost; a career is made or destroyed; and a promotion gained or denied.

According to a study conducted by the University of Connecticut, first impressions turn out to be 67 percent accurate. Furthermore, first impressions are often lasting impressions. It’s easier to make a positive first impression than to correct a negative one.