Does what you wear suit what you do?

3/1/11

Does what you wear really matter? is a question I wish I were asked more often because yes, it does – a great deal more than you might think.

Should it? Probably not. But then a great number of shops and designer labels would be out of business if clothes didn’t matter! So yes, what you wear to your chapter meetings and workshops does matter. Now I’m not suggesting that we all start wearing suits everywhere that we go, but you should be wearing what represents your business. And, if you are in the trades, that’s a nice clean set of overalls, not those that you would climb around under the floor in.

Why? Because every time we meet fellow members, and visitors, we are in fact in two totally, but equally important, situations. One is obvious: we are selling ourselves. But, at the same time we are being interviewed! So, the answer as to what you should wear is simple. whatever you would be happy wearing either when selling or going for an interview.

Let’s face it, in both of those situations we would want to look our best: washed hair, clean hands, and clothes to suit the job.

Now you might be thinking: but my fellow members know me, I’ve got better things to do than worry about what I look like! That may be true, but you’re missing the point. You would make the effort for a sales meeting or an interview, and if you want the best from your fellow chapter members, and please don’t forget your weekly visitors and the members you don’t know that you meet at workshops, they have to be given the same respect. Every single time!

At the end of the day it’s about personal branding and a great number of the things that we react to are both visual and subconscious. The question is, are you making your brand easy to refer?

It’s all about confidence and the right ‘buying’ signs. About being comfortable.

I visited a chapter recently and met a member who was something big in finance, he was dressed like he was going to a summer BBQ, and that didn’t fit the image of someone big in finance stored in my mind. What did it matter? He sounded good. But, in fact it mattered a great deal! I was unsure if I would be happy to refer him. My loss, you may be thinking. True. But, what’s more important is that it was his loss. All I know is that he is something big in finance – nothing more. Short sighted of me? Maybe. But, competition is tough and if I can find someone that makes things easier for me, that is where I will ‘buy’.

So, image is really important, make sure that yours matches what you do, and you will be helping people to refer you.