As you rise to shake hands with an interviewer, approach a podium, or greet an audience from a television set, you are being judged based on your appearance. These few seconds can mean the difference between making a vital connection with a person or audience and losing a job, viewers, or the respect you deserve.

In this no-nonsense, definitive sourcebook, Lillian Brown, the expert’s expert, distills over forty years of “insider” experience as a consultant for countless familiar faces, including Diane Sawyer, Dan Rather, and six U.S. presidents beginning with John F. Kennedy, to help you at any stage of your career and life with personal appearance, voice improvement, public speaking, handling the media, and appearing on television.

Plus, she answers the most frequently asked questions, including:

• What kinds of clothes should I wear when I’m giving a speech, making a business presentation, or appearing on television?
• What colors are best to wear when I’m in public?
• Can I change my voice (lower the pitch or get rid of a regional accent, for example)?
• When I’m giving a talk or lecture, how can I organize my thoughts so that I don’t ramble?
• What can I do to avoid stage fright?