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You're Wearing That?
March 01, 2007
Casual attire is sending the wrong message to your clients
By Rebecca Aronauer
A study from the American Journal of Medicine proves what sharp dressers knew all along: Clothes make the man. The study found that more than 75 percent of patients favored doctors in white jackets, and patients' trust was significantly associated with their preferences in attire.
Salespeople may not be saving lives, but like doctors, their appearance matters. With the growing popularity of business casual clothing and jeans on Friday, it may seem that no one is dressing up for work anymore. But looking too casual at the office may leave your clients with a bad impression, warns Linda Thomas, a corporate image adviser at Powerful Appearance, an image consulting firm based in Lake Dallas, Texas.
If your clothes are sloppy, prospects will think your work will be, too. "Clients look at you and think, 'If that's how you take care of yourself, how are you going to care of my business?' " Thomas says. You may be more comfortable with your shirt untucked, but your clients might think you're just lazy.
Men and women deviate from standard business attire in their own ways, but both can easily end up looking inappropriate for work, Thomas believes. "The men can look homeless and the women look like they're ready for happy hour to start any minute," she says. The homeless and the happy hour look both come off as unprofessional, and can inadvertently send a bad message to clients or prospects.
Sales is a personal service where appearance matters, and what you wear makes a difference. "When it comes to your image, you're either reaffirming that your client is making the right choice or you're casting doubt," Thomas says. And fortunately, when it comes to image, reassuring clients can be as easy as putting on a tie.
Sales & Marketing Management Magazine
This article is brought to you by Sales & Marketing Management, the leading authority for executives in the sales and marketing field.
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