| Contrary to popular belief, having to wear a suit | | | | not bathe daily and utilize deodorant, but rather |
| and tie to the office every day does not always | | | | that a first impression will be a lasting one. If I |
| prove to make the big deals happen. If you look | | | | wear a suit that is to flashy and all my client or |
| at the major trends of today, business owners | | | | prospective customer remembers is my suit and |
| are becoming younger. The focus is no longer | | | | nothing I presented, I obviously missed the mark |
| how long you have been in business, but rather if | | | | for why I was there in the first place. My |
| you are in business and are you comfortable | | | | emphasis must be on how I present myself along |
| being who you are. | | | | with why I am there in the first place |
| With demographics changing, so are wardrobes | | | | The young professional desires to make an |
| and how we view what a professional is supposed | | | | impact. They desire to be themselves, as well as |
| to look like. I recently read a statistic that | | | | make a great impression and close the deal. The |
| mentioned that when the average salesperson | | | | question most professionals have today, can this |
| wore a suit while making a presentation, closings | | | | be done? I firmly believe that it can. |
| were an average of 43% higher than those who | | | | Recently on the television show The Celebrity |
| would wear a sleeved shirt with a tie, but those | | | | Apprentice, Stephen Baldwin was in the board |
| who wore slacks and a polo were 60% higher | | | | room in jeans, a nice shirt, with a blazer (he did in |
| than those who wore just a sleeved shirt and tie. | | | | fact have tie, but he was still in jeans). Earlier in |
| What does this say? This tells me that the days | | | | the broadcast he made mention to the fact that |
| of the power suit are going away and that it was | | | | he was the only Project Manager on the show |
| not the suits or the polo shirt that closed the | | | | with two wins. While others were in their power |
| deals, but rather how the person presenting | | | | suits, Baldwin was focused on looking professional |
| presented themselves along with their idea. | | | | and seeing the victory through. Pint in case, the |
| The focus of the young professional is on their | | | | suit is not what made the wins happen, but rather |
| presentation and the idea that can sell rather than | | | | the person. |
| the label on the sleeve, as well as them feeling | | | | I believe that there is a new surge in the |
| confident in who they are and how they present | | | | marketplace. I love what the Master Motivator |
| themselves. I recently had a series of meetings | | | | himself, Zig Ziglar, says, "...people buy from people |
| with a client and upon the first meeting I did in | | | | they like..." So enter the day of the square toed |
| fact wear a suit and tie. When I arrived, the | | | | shoes, trendy shirts and nice jeans. Bankers |
| business owner was dressed in a nice shirt and | | | | beware, there is a new type of business |
| jeans. Needless to say the next meeting I was in | | | | professional rising, they are strong, confident, and |
| jeans as well. The client was more interested in | | | | poised, they look great, and, they are not wearing |
| his business, and not my finely pressed suit and | | | | the power suits. Stay strong. Stay confident. Be |
| nice smelling cologne. | | | | comfortable. |
| Now, I am most definitely not saying that you do | | | | |