If you take the time to study today’s successful men and women, you will note, almost without exception, that regardless of whether they’re in the medical field, law, education, retail sales, service or construction industries, they all look a little bit more businesslike in their appearance. They always stand out, looking well groomed and confident. You always know who’s in charge. It’s mostly about embracing and projecting the image of leadership and looking the part that separates successful people from the pack. Why? They’re winners! That’s why.
While we’re constantly told not to judge a book by its cover, we do. We’re all influenced by things as they appear to be on the surface. If this were not true, the publishing industry would stop spending millions of dollars in multicolor book jacket designs every year. Or for that matter, neither would the packagers of grocery products sell their merchandise today in designer boxes and bottles. In fact, the cost of the package is often more than its contents. I’m sure everybody knows the value in selling goods by sprucing up their appearance, and likewise, your appearance makes a major difference in selling you.
You’re the most valuable stock you will ever own, so why sell yourself short when it comes to how you look to others? Give your confidence level a boost. Dressing the part is the quickest path to getting your image back on the track to success. Pay attention to all the small details of how you look to the rest of the world. Look in the mirror and see what others see. Are you satisfied with what they see? That is your appearance. To them, your appearance is your image. And your image is who you are to them. Make sure they see YOU.
If your appearance or bad habits are getting in the way of your success, you need to make a change. Let me put it to you simply—YOU need them, THEY don’t need you. SHARPEN UP YOUR IMAGE! Don’t make the clumsy mistake of turning your customer off before you even begin. YOU’RE THERE TO MAKE MONEY AND INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME OF YOUR CONTACT WITH OTHERS. It all begins with the first impression you give. You should always come across as the sharpest, best groomed, most positive and professional person they ever met. If you’re not prepared to make these changes, then find another line of work. Interacting with all types of people is the key to success.
Your looks and habits impact the people you come in contact with. The vast majority of people won’t take the time to find out that you’re really an intelligent, nice, hard-working person after all. Instead, they will pass judgment on you based on what they see. Like it or not, that’s how it is. We live in a judgmental world and the bottom line is, YOU LOSE. When I was selling, I knew I was there for one reason—to create a professional and welcoming atmosphere that would make my prospects feel comfortable so they would enjoy the experience of doing business with me. That’s how I made a living. If I lost a sale, I wanted it to be because I just couldn’t beat their price or I didn’t have what they wanted—not because I looked bad.
