How do you dress when you meet a client ? Is Image a big deal ?

Business casual is always good. A navy blue golf shirt, or long sleeve button down and a pair of casual dress pants never hurt any one. Casual dress shoes...

Not the only way, but its safest to go middle of the road if you are unsure.

Wear whatever you want though, thats the beauty of being in biz for yourself, as long as you provide a good service, you can be whoever you want to be.

Its not like there arent more prospects if someone doesnt like your appearance... we have a very successful offliner around here somewhere who I love to read about that has pink hair... and thats part of her persona... Dang I cant think of her name offhand, should know it by heart.

Yes! "NewbiesDiary"... man thats an amazing story right there. If that person doesnt inspire you nothing will.

Somewhere around here she talks about her first 70k year in "Offline Marketing"... really great story. I cant find it though.

When meeting clients face to face i would say to come across as professional.
If they are giving you money they want to know that it has gone to the right person who will do a good job.

Your appearance can say alot. Take no effort in your appearance then people will start to think thats the approach you would take in your work.

I suppose think about who you would want to meet to give them work....the scruffy individual who seems to make no effort, or the professional smart looking person.

You can be individual in your style and still look professional!

Quick Responses,

Yeah i agree with allot of what has been said, this was not necessarily for me but for many people i know, who are 1hour from a meeting thinking "What the fudge am i going to wear ?"

I Always thought it was common sense to at least look presentable but now if anyone was wondering, this Thread is here

I wear a button down dress shirt with my company logo on it.
Along with dress slacks and dress shoes.
(You can get this done at Queensboro.com)

Depending, I will wash my car as well.

When I sold as a contractor I dressed like a contractor, when I sold farm equipment I dressed like a farmer, when I sold to small businesses I dressed like a business man.

Definitely dress professional. YOU ARE a professional working with professional people. You will be taken much more serious and with more respect right out of the gate. Works great for me. I will wear a tie if I really want to wow clients and get sales... other days just a sharp dress shirt and business slacks and shoes also works fine. No jeans, hats etc

I very nice and subtle touch would be a cuff linked shirt with understated cuff links. If your a younger man it will communicate that you have some success, class, and taste. keep in mind understated cuff links like smoke colored metal. Just classy enough to be noticed but not over noticed.

EDIT: I just Google cuff links and to my suprise!

http://www.cufflinks.com/communications.html

Sweetness! The QR Code links rock! HAHA Don't forget the 4GB USB links too! = )

I remember seeing or reading Dan Kennedy talking about this and he was saying to dress the opposite. For instance, meeting a corporate client in a company of suits? Dress business casual, no tie. Meeting with a automotive repair shop? Business suit and tie.

I can't find the link though. Damn.

I had been meaning to make a post about this opposite technique 'cuz I didn't really understand exactly why, but never got around to it.

Hoodie, T and walk shorts/boardies or jeans if its cold and always a fresh pair of shoes (normally AF1's).

I don't sell to people I just work with them and help them decide where they want to go, I don't really need an amazing suit because at the end of the day I'm there to see if I can connect well with the business owner and most business owners tell me that half the people in the suits that try to peddle marketing services aren't even qualified or know their stuff in the real world.

If a business has a problem with how I dress then that's cool, I will just work with the next one in line, I have the degree + street knowledge to figure out how things work and I'm not really going to get myself into a working relationship with someone who's going to make decisions based solely on clothing.

I keep my suits for moot courts at uni - I hate wearing them.

But hey I'm Gen Y and I'm good at what I do and I don't mind if people have problems with how I dress.

On a side note, if I was going to a corporate event or a big corporate client I'd dress in professional attire... but I stick to the small the medium businesses and mainly micro businesses specialising in services.

-Josh.

Hi Ivan,

Great post. I do the same....

If I taking the client to lunch, I'll get my car detailed that morning. If just a meeting at their office, I'll dress somewhere business casual with possibly a sports coat.

I usually leave a pen and some flyers during the meeting.

Image is everything, and while I don't need suit for most of my clients, I wear it for some attorneys.

Dress for success - it really works.

Brian

Don't forget the nice pen!

It all depends on what type of business you have, really. I used to be an insurance agent and would wear a tie. I shared office space with a friend of mine that runs a delivery business and he would wear whatever he wanted.

Forget those cheap Bic pens.......go spend some money and get something slick!

Dress in what you think is comfortable and best represents "you". Everyone has a different opinion on how to dress, but what matters most is that you are on top of your game and comfortable in your appearance. If wearing a top dollar suit gives you confidence then do it. If you want to wear shorts and sandals, you might give the impression that you don't need to "impress" your client because you are that good. I wouldn't want a web designer that is in a suit. I want the hippie looking dude that sits in front of a computer all day

If you sell SEO services or anything associated with online marketing, then you don't need to wear suits and ties. Most of the business owners think you're some type of a hacker and don't expect you to wear Armanis...

You want to look like an "insider" who can do some "special things" for his clients, not
like a Yellow Pages salesman...

On the other hand, if you sell group health insurance, investments, equipment, venture capital or corporate tax services, wearing a suit would be highly expected.


Thomas

In all my years of selling to "people" either business or consumer there is one theme I noticed throughout the whole time.

People want to be associated with success, and want to do business with people who are successful in what they do.

Some of you will not agree with me but and that is OK, but it is fact because it's in our human nature to want to be associated with successful business's and people.

Plain and simple, dress as if you are successful and you will be viewed that way.

It does not matter what "you" think of it or your "perceptions" these are you own mental walls and they have nothing to do with other peoples desires.

PS: Armani suites are not required, just look nice and polished like you care about your image and how you present yourself to your prospect.

Suits are out......this isn't Glen Gary / Glen Ross!! I met with a CPA from a large firm the other day. He wore a blue blazer and no tie.

I wore similar attire!

I think formal wear is a must, especially here in the UK where small business's are most sceptical.

I think the car keyring could just be a personal thing, just makes you feel more confident but the pen can be pretty useful incase they lose your contact info.

Also im no sure I'd had the car cleaned unless they actually see it - just my opinion.

Black trousers, business shirt, no tie, jacket dependent on weather. I don't drive much, so my car is an old, beat up Alfa Romeo. That said, I'd rather be turning up in a 911.

Tomorrow I will be driving 25 miles to meet some financial planners looking for a new website. During the appointment setting phone call I asked if this was a fact finding appointment or are they ready to get something sorted out. I'm done visiting businesses to have my brains picked - it's 4 hours out of my day, so barring cock ups, that will be another client on board.

Back on thread, I don't think it matters what you wear if you are confident in your abilities (think Frank Kern), but being respectful to the business norms of the market sector that you're targeting is just a no brainer.

Tony