Appearance Matters

Does your appearance matter when you are in Sales? The painful truth is yes. We live in a superficial world, and depending on the industry, those superficial qualities can make a difference in your sales numbers. No matter the industry, your appearance does matter. No, I am not saying you have to be the most attractive to succeed. I am telling you that you must make yourself presentable to succeed.

When visiting a customer for the first time, you should always strive to look your best. Make sure the outfit is well put together, you are well-groomed, and you have paid attention to the details of your look. Why is that important? Remember, you are the physical manifestation of the product or service you are trying to sell. Imagine how they will perceive your product if you are not put together, especially in that first meeting. The appearance extends beyond what you are wearing or your haircut. It goes to your car as well. If you are taking a client out to lunch and there is trash all over your vehicle or your check engine light is on, that can lead to a lousy perception.

Depending on the industry, you can get over the perception as well. While in the real estate industry, for example, having a more expensive car or showing off a more expensive lifestyle can support your sales and show people you are the best in your industry. If you work in a construction field and show up in a overprice sports car, that can also have a negative perception. Someone can say, “Am I overpaying for this product or service?”

How can your appearance affect your management style? Well, no pun intended there, but how you look is essential as a manager. No, not your physical attractiveness, but similar to sales, if you aren’t dressed appropriately for work and do not have yourself in a presentable fashion, it will affect your employees’ perception. It may create a lack of respect for you and give people the perception that you don’t care about your look but do care about your work. It could also indicate that you aren’t taking good care of yourself, which can affect your job performance. The other thing that a lack of appearance could cause in the workplace will set an expectation for how the office attire is supposed to be. If you present as a lousy example, the whole office could suddenly follow suit. Then beyond the employees, what if suppliers or customers visit and you are not appropriately dressed for an office environment? You can give a perception of a less than desirable service. While office environments have relaxed their dress codes and the pandemic has people used to wearing casual wear while working at home, the office dress code does need to remain appropriate.

This week you should try and lay out your outfits for the week. Preparing for the week will ensure you have your looks set up for the week. Choose your attire based on the work environment you are currently a part of. If you like what you are reading, please subscribe, connect with me on LinkedIn, and follow me on Twitter.