Dress for Success: What Salespeople Should Wear
You only get one chance to make a good first impression, and what you wear has a lot to do with the impression you create.
In this age of increasingly casual workplaces, it's easy to cross the line and lose credibility — or even a sale — because of what you're wearing.
Here's an example.
A salesperson was giving a sales presentation to a small group of engineers who were all very casually dressed: no jackets, shirts with open collars, and no ties. The salesperson was dressed just as casually.
Everything was going well until the company president, whom the salesperson had never met, joined the meeting.
He entered the room wearing a business suit and tie.
The visual mismatch between the person giving the sales presentation and the person who would ultimately be making the buying decision was obvious. The salesperson suddenly found himself at a situational disadvantage.
What do you think the president's first impression was?
Was it:
"Here's a casual-looking, laid-back guy I'd like to spend several thousand dollars with."
Or was it:
"How serious is this guy?"
You be the judge.
Even if the president had entered the meeting wearing casual attire, he might still have looked at the salesperson and thought:
How serious is this guy?
How Seriously Do You Want to Be Taken?
If you want to be taken seriously, you need to look the part.
Dressing appropriately doesn't just affect how seriously some people will take you. It can also influence your credibility with the prospect.
Think about it from the customer's perspective.
How much credibility would you give a financial advisor who showed up driving a rusted-out car and dressed in torn jeans?
That's an extreme example, but the point is important.
The image you present is part of the starting point for establishing credibility in your prospect's mind.
Your appearance isn't going to win the sale for you.
But inappropriate appearance can certainly make the sale harder.
Underdressed or Overdressed?
If you're going to err toward one end of the scale or the other, it's generally safer to err slightly on the side of overdressing — but obviously not to an extreme.
You wouldn't wear a suit and tie if you're going into an industrial environment where everyone is wearing work clothes.
On the other hand, you probably shouldn't wear cargo pants and a polo shirt if you're calling on senior management.
You need to dress appropriately for the customer, the environment, and the situation.
Casual and business-casual attire have become increasingly acceptable in many workplaces. It's common, for example, to wear a business suit without a tie or to replace a traditional business outfit with a more relaxed combination of jacket and open-collar shirt.
But there's an important difference between casual and sloppy.
Looking relaxed is one thing.
Looking like you didn't make an effort is something else entirely.
Sales Attire: Dress Like Your Prospect
Salespeople need to be particularly aware of their attire because they're constantly moving between different customers, industries, and environments.
You can often get away with being somewhat casual as long as you're not more casual than your prospect.
A rule I learned many years ago still applies:
Salespeople should dress equal to or slightly above what their prospect is wearing.
Another useful rule is:
Dress like someone your prospect would go to for advice.
Either of these guidelines will help keep you out of trouble.
And remember: you can always dress down.
You can remove a tie.
You can take off your jacket.
But you can't dress up if your tie and jacket are still hanging at home.
When in doubt, be prepared.
Dress for the Occasion
What do you do when you're invited to an event by a prospect or client?
It's always wise to ask what the dress code will be.
Even then, business dress codes can sometimes be more confusing than the Da Vinci Code.
Here are some general definitions that may help you navigate the clothing maze.
Casual
Polo shirts, blouses, khakis, jeans, and other relaxed clothing.
Smart Casual
Slacks, sweaters, and shirts with collars. Jackets and blazers are optional.
Dressy Casual
Dress shoes and higher-quality fabrics than you might typically associate with smart casual attire.
Business Casual
A more tailored look than casual or smart casual. Depending on the organization and setting, this might include blazers, slacks, dresses, or even suits. Ties are generally optional.
General Business Attire
Traditional professional business clothing, such as suits, dress shirts, ties, dresses, or other formal professional attire.
Corporate Professional
Sometimes described as "power dressing." This traditionally means more formal professional attire, such as a dark-colored suit and, where appropriate, a tie.
Of course, dress codes vary considerably by company, industry, geography, and event.
When you're unsure, ask.
There's nothing wrong with asking your customer or host what people will be wearing.
Be Prepared
As a salesperson doing business-to-business selling, it's probably a good idea to treat a jacket like an American Express card:
Don't leave home without it.
You may not use it.
But it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
The same principle applies to other situations.
If you're traveling to meet a new customer, think ahead.
What's the industry?
Who are you meeting?
Where is the meeting taking place?
Is it a plant, an office, a restaurant, a conference, or a formal event?
The more you know about the situation, the easier it is to make an appropriate choice.
Corporate Attire
In some businesses, it's appropriate to wear clothing bearing the company logo.
Monogrammed shirts, polos, jackets, and outerwear can all be appropriate depending on your marketplace and the level of the people you normally deal with.
The important rule here is simple:
Make sure the clothing is clean, professional, and appropriate for the environment.
Your company logo shouldn't become an excuse to look less professional.
Look Good, Feel Good
There's another reason to pay attention to what you wear.
When you look professional, you often feel more prepared and confident.
And confidence matters in sales.
Your clothing isn't a substitute for preparation, product knowledge, good questioning, or strong sales skills.
But it is part of the package you present to the customer.
As a professional salesperson, it's worth taking a few minutes before every important meeting to consider the impression you're about to make.
Dress for the customer. Dress for the situation. Dress for the level of conversation you're about to have.
Don't let something as simple as what you're wearing get in the way of being the best salesperson you can be.
Originally published in the Targets newsletter.
Authored by Brian Jeffrey, co-founder of SalesForce Training.
