Last week I wrote about the importance of environmental appearance as it relates to first impressions. A related matter is the personal appearance of the people your customers will deal with.
It’s important to understand that most customer impressions are formed with non-verbal input not verbal. The appearance your people present, the image they offer will have much more impact than whatever they say.
In the training and consulting work that I do with doctors, for example, I find definite measurable differences in their practices related to the packaging. By packaging I mean the attire of the doctor and the staff, and I do suggest certain, specific modes of dress to those people.
In my own business activities, I most often wear a dress shirt and tie and either a suit or sport coat. Usually when I lecture I wear a suit. I’ll be the first to tell you that I think the necktie is a stupid, useless invention. I’ve lived in cold climates and can tell you that it does nothing to keep you warm. For tall guys like me a necktie’s too short to hold up your drawers. I mean it does nothing.
But some years ago I sat across the desk from a bank vice president and had him actually say to me, “You can’t be president of a company you’re not even wearing a tie.” Sure that’s stupid but it happened and it brings up two interesting success principles.
One – for every ten that say it there are ten thousand who think it.
Two – would you rather be right or rich?
You see when we develop marketing and business strategies we can’t base our thinking on what should be, our thinking has to be based on what is. I think an important part of effective customer relations is a combination of all these preliminary impression factors. Your business has to clearly and immediately demonstrate that it lives up to its advertised promise. In the first impression stage courtesy, competence and integrity has to be communicated.
Okay, now we’ve talked about first impressions as it relates to customer relations, but what can you do after the initial contact in order to foster customer retention?
Let’s talk about it in just a couple of days. Speak to you then!
Author Info: Dan Kennedy is internationally recognized as the 'Millionaire Maker,' helping people in just about every category of business turn their ideas into fortunes. Dan's "No B.S." approach is refreshing amidst a world of small business marketing hype and enriches those who act on his advice. 
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
for every ten that say it there are ten thousand who think it.
Your business has to clearly and immediately demonstrate that it lives up to its advertised promise. In the first impression stage courtesy, competence and integrity has to be communicated.
very deep observations and tips.
thank you Dan
I agree with Charles. Deep observations!
I never wear a tie… but if i did, I’d wear a bow tie. Always got to be different!
For me, it’s every day a white shirt, black slacks, long black coat, and black yarmulke and hat. However, it’s never yet gotten me a free upgrade to first class…
I wear a suit and tie when the environment demands it.
If I’m going to an event where every one is wearing tennis shoes and bermuda shorts I would simply look out of place if I came in wearing a suit & tie.
If I need to make a presentation and I show up in tennis shoes and a bermuda shorts- it doesn’t matter how perfect my speech was…all they would notice is that I am out of place and give me no credibility.
And yet – how many people think about the picture that is on their web site, their avatar for posts and forums, on facebook and so on. Odd being a professional photographer myself – but I finally had professional head shots done of myself, and the response from people has been very good. Something to think about. Dan – I mean no offense – but that photo for your avatar might have a suit, but its an out of focus snapshot. If a picture is worth 1000 words….
I just came back from a Trade Show in Europe and had to wear a tie. I learnt early on that people do ” judge a book by its’ cover “.
Agreed about Neils comment regarding pictures and avatars. But what about the guys who put up personal pictures up from 10 – 15 years ago !
No, I will not tell you when my picture was taken….
yes Rob, we want to dress for success.
Great post by Dan and a great point by Rob. I went from a retail environment where I was accustomed to wearing slacks and a button-up shirt into dealing with musicians all day long. It didn’t take too many “Hey, banker” comments before I realized I needed to switch to blue jeans and t-shirts for my new workplace.
I’ll be entering into a new workplace within the next 60 days, so it’s time for me to brush up on my ironing skills once again. *Sigh*
This has been something I have been trying to figure out for quite a while.
I am in the fitness coaching/ personal training business and own my own studio and what not.
I have thought about this alot and still can not figure out both what to wear while training clients that gives the right impression as well as what to wear if I am going to try and set a jv or strategic alliance..
I was hoping maybe someone looking at these comments may be able to help give me some ideas of what may be professional or suitable for both instances. I ask because the normal attire for trainers is sweats and a t-shirt.. While that is fine for training in. I dont see it as being professional – I dont feel like it gets the same respect a doctor in a lab coat gets.
Any helpers guys?
jeff Jowers
jowerstraining@gmail.com
http://www.tacoma-personal-trainer.com
Jeff, for training, I’d say a clean, high quality T-Shirt with your logo on it (small, like a crest) along with with a dark, non-sweat pants like training pants, perhaps warm up pants for running? For meetings, a good quality polo shirt and dress jacket over dark pants for “casual” business, or with shirt and tie for meeting with anybody who might wear a suit – spend as much as you can on the suit.
I wore a suit and tie every single day during my 9 years of door-to-door sales and management. Got tons of comments that there was “something different” about me from the usual street vendor — and definitely helped me make more sales and get my trainees to respect my advice more.
“would you rather be right or rich?” — Excellent question!
I consider a suit a “uniform” for doing business, and as casual as I am when I’m working from home, I never hesitate to put on the proper “uniform” when the situation calls for it, such as important meetings and speaking engagements, etc.
get rich then hire the right people,
or hire the right people to get rich!