You wouldn’t wear a Speedo to a rodeo, would you?

Now, do not get me wrong, I love my t-shirts and jeans (and I would probably love a four-day week, too!). But there is a saying that has been around for more years than I have, and it still rings true today: You have to look the part if you want to be taken seriously. Couple that with “you only get one chance to make a first impression,” and you get the point. This is not only for the impression it will make on your prospect or customer. It is also about you. Looking the part in a business environment, at the least casual business (shirt and tie for men, dressy for the women), will help to accomplish myriad objectives at once.

- When you get up in the morning, especially on Mondays, how hard is it to get into a working frame of mind? A cup of coffee, bagel and some time with the kids is often not enough. Getting a glimpse of yourself in your favourite/best business get-up, on the other hand, can help bring the week before you into sharp contrast. Important tasks for the day, meetings that could bring in big bucks, important luncheons for networking; all come to the fore as the adrenaline starts to pump. Unless you are not a real salesperson…are you?

- Customers will take you much more seriously if you look the part of a professional, an adviser. When you “fit the bill,” prospects are able to extend you a touch of confidence before you have even said a word. Show up in a ripped t-shirt and jeans and you are in an uphill battle. I mean, if you can't buy decent clothes, how successful can you possibly be? Billionaire Mark Cuban (owner of the Dallas Mavericks and President of HDTv), excluded.

- You never know who is going to pop in today. It could be your biggest customer. It could be a potential investor who plans to invest millions to get your salary up to where it should be. It could be the West Coast VP who is looking for someone from corporate to come out and direct his sales team. You do want that promotion, don’t you?

- How you care for yourself will often express itself in how you work. If someone takes the time to iron his shirt, make sure his shoes are well-shined and his tie is straight as an arrow, how do you think he will approach his work day? If a colleague takes the time to make sure she is wearing simple yet “powerful” looking business suits, and that she has just the right amount of make-up to have you gulping in awe and in fear, how well-prepared do you think she will be for the presentation to her management team?

There are going to be those out there who say, “This is crazy, nothing but a mind game.”

Yep, you got it. It is a mind game. But how often does your mind run away in a daydream? How many times have you said, “My head just wasn’t in it,” or “I just can not get my mind around this”? The mind is a powerful thing. Too many managers underestimate the psychological aspect of leading a team. And even more “grunts,” do the same, and worse. There is hope, since this is easy to tame.

If you want to take control of your career, run the course you have always envisioned for yourself, you have to start by creating the look of the world’s best salesperson. Once you are the world’s best, dress however you like. Until then, your “Cold Call” for this week is: Dress as if you were the president of your company. This does not have to mean Hugo Boss suits or Lagerfeld dresses. Look like you spent a million bucks without doing it. Look at your industry, and find out what the leaders are wearing today. Buy the copies. If you have to wear a uniform, make sure that it looks crisper and cleaner than anyone else on your staff. Get two, even if you have to pay for it. You will start to feel better about yourself, make an impression on those around you, have an instant impact on prospects and customers, and in the process, you’re going to look like the million bucks you want to make!

Have a great sales week!

(Questions or comments on this article? Ideas for future ones? Send me an email at salesxchange@gmail.com and it will be a pleasure!)