It’s commonly said that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. That may be a cliché, but I’ve found it to be very true in the business world, especially in sales. How you present yourself in your initial meeting with a client goes a long way towards determining whether you’ll get the deal or not. The contents of your presentation and sales pitch may be the central focus of these meetings, but I’ve found that the way you dress contributes in a big way to the impression you give to the client.
Years ago I met with a client who said that when he awarded sales bonuses to his top sales reps, he always gave them in the form of a new suit, dress shirt and tie. He said that handling the bonuses this way was beneficial for both the salespeople and the company – the sales reps got a confidence boost from the sharp new suit which helped them improve their interactions with clients and the company developed a more professional atmosphere and public image.
Another legendary example of dressing for success was IBM. They took the computer world by storm through major investment in training their employees on their presentation skills. What did they always wear to these presentations, which became the benchmark for the industry? Blue suits. These suits became so closely associated with IBM’s image that IBM became known as the “Big Blue.”
I had a friend who was a decision maker for a company that needed to place a large order to purchase computers. He brought in representatives from 5 different companies to do presentations about their products to help him make his decision. Four of the groups did a decent job technically and were dressed similarly in open collar shirts and khakis. The team from IBM was dressed in meticulously-pressed, top-of-the-line blue suits, white shirts and ties. They made a lasting impression on my friend based on the way they presented themselves.
When the bids came in, he called his contact from IBM and asked him to explain the rather substantial price difference between IBM and the next-highest bid. The IBM confidently replied that the difference was “because we are the Big Blue,” and the way that they do business and serve their clients created value for the clients that more than made up the price difference from the competitors. Ultimately, my friend chose IBM for his company’s computer order.
In my earlier days in the industry, I went to an appointment with a young sales trainee from McShea and we ran into his wife as we left our office building. A week later, he came into work wearing a brand new suit and thanked me for getting it for him. I asked him how I had done that and he explained that after seeing me wearing a nice, tailored suit that day his wife went right out and bought him the new suit. She said that he needed to upgrade his wardrobe if he was going to make it in this profession. Sure enough, this sales trainee later became a big-time producer in our industry.
In this age of short attention spans, perception often ends up becoming reality. When it comes to investing in your appearance, don’t sell yourself short. The investments you make now could make a big difference for you in the long run.
Have a great weekend,
Ro
The photo this week is of my beautiful wife of 36 years and I on our way to a recent charity gala. She agrees that a beautiful dress or a nice suit can give the wearer a huge confidence boost in any situation!