By Roz Morris, Managing Director TV News London Ltd

Do you know how the visual economy works? What is the visual economy?

The answer is it’s what we are all living in right now.

Until the start of the 21st century, reading and writing dominated professional communications in industrialised societies. But now, businesses, governments, police forces, terrorist groups, and even the British royal family make announcements in videos on social media.

New developments in leisure and communications like the growth of gaming and the metaverse are visual and there have never been so many tools available for creating visually appealing graphic designs for presentations and marketing. We are in the middle of a visual revolution which demands new skills from everyone in business and professional life.

All these visual developments mean we now live in a world where appearance matters more than ever and that’s why I’ve devoted a whole chapter to this in my new book The Visual Revolution Guidebook.

There are so many variables you can get wrong when appearing on screen. What looks smart in real life can look scruffy on screen.  And looking even slightly untidy or unkempt can distract people from listening to you. We all mentally tidy people up when we see them on screen. And while we’re doing that, we’re not listening to you.  Also, we may be forming an overall negative impression of you. And that can affect your career in the future.

Here’s a checklist from my book, The Visual Revolution Guidebook, to get you thinking about how to look your best.

Your on-screen appearance checklist:

Clothes – are they distracting? Check colours, patterns, frills, etc.

Clothes – are your clothes creased, ill-fitting or stained?

Jewellery and badges – have you removed any puzzling items?

Make-up – are you wearing any? Is it neatly applied?

Hair – is it neat and tidy? Is long hair behind your shoulders or fixed up?

Hair – Can you avoid any hair falling across your face?

Hair – do you need to use some hairspray?

Hair – have you brushed your shoulders to remove any stray hairs?

Jacket – buttoned or unbuttoned?

Chair – is it comfortable, at a good height for you, without a headrest, and not squeaking?

Want to know more about how to look professional when you’re on screen? There’s lots more advice in my book ‘The Visual Revolution Guidebook’.

You can click the link below to order the book now or download it on Kindle.  Here’s a link to a special offer.

When you buy The Visual Revolution Guidebook and leave a review on Amazon we have a very valuable special offer for you.

Click here for details.