10 Rules Of Dressing For Sales Success
Today, I welcomed an audience comprising professionals from sales, insurance, property, oil and gas and secretarial services.
Regardless of the industry you may be in, the chief motivation is to make a sale. Selling is a process that all of us engage in many times in our lives…yet we take it for granted. We are doing this daily – selling our products, services, ideas, concepts and in the process of it all, ourselves.
The point I want to highlight is that anyone in business, can “sell” yourself far more successfully than you can ever have imagined.
Do not lose a sale because your appearance conveys silent messages that you are not likeable, not trustworthy, not honest and not even sincere.
Welcome to my 10 rules of dressing for sales success.
It need not be branded. But your clothes must look expensive, well-coordinated and most importantly, fit you to a T.
Rule #2: Always be clean.
It is not necessary to be obsessively neat without a single crease line. But it is imperative to be clean.
Rule #3: Always be over-dressed, rather than under-dressed.
This is especially so if you are uncertain of the event. It is better to err on the safe side.
Remember, people form their first impression of you within seconds after meeting. If you are selling an expensive item but your clothes look like you got them from the karung guni man, you can immediately kiss the sale goodbye.
Shoes are often seen as the finishing touch. But it is a pity many only choose to pay attention to their clothes and neglect their shoes. A properly put together attire with a pair of dirty, soiled shoes is not going to score you brownie points. In fact, it’s going to be the start of your nightmare.
Remember, less is more. Always decide on only one statement piece.
There is no typhoon nor tornado in this part of Asia. Neither are you preparing for the next getai challenge. Go easy on your hair products and your hair follicles will thank you for it.
Pairing a school-bag or cheap-looking haversack with executive wear cheapens your entire look. And excuse me, are you still schooling?
Remember, you are a sales professional.
Your perfume or cologne is supposed to make you smell better as it gives off a light scent. Whether it is a woody, musky or floral scent, that is good enough. Some of us have sensitive noses, so there is no need to over-spray.
Vain as it sounds, this is really a no-brainer. You will be surprised to see how many possible flaws you can find. Common examples include hair out of place, tie not properly done, stain on your shirt, zip undone.