When Dropping in on a Prospect the First Time.....

[Frank Stastny]

Here is the problem with trying to match the 'culture', if there is even any way to know what that is before you get there.....

Hopefully you see more than one prospect in a day. What are you going to do? Change clothes between every appointment? Seriously...

Dress professional (whatever that means to you), act professional, be professional. Be confident and have a bit of swagger in your step. Then, don't worry about it.

I have people come to my office (vendors, not referring to clients) and I always observe what they wear. Some, sport coat and tie, some polo shirts, but it all works. What image do they want to present? Does their image match thier product? If not, they get shown the door.

Frank, with the exception of the boot comment, summed it up pretty well. Wear clean, pressed, new clothes. Don't wear breakfast!!!!

I recommend staying away from jeans, but there are times and places they are very appropriate as well. A nice polo and a pair of dockers, with nice shoes can work very well for meet and greets.

Dan

When I mentioned "boots" I was referring to exotic skin cowboy boots. I receive many favorable comments about the ones I wear.

 

[b61mack]

never judge a book by its cover, reminds me of a true story.. an old man was walking down a country road,in bernardville nj dressed in a T shirt and jeans,un shaven, he looked homeless. policeman stops him,and in broken english, he says his ID is at his girl friends house, up the street. sure, the policeman thought, as he radio's in to head quarters, the sargent in charge, calls the girl friend, jackie, yes that is my house guest "ari ornasis". (ari was at the time the riches man in the world). jackie,O,widow of JFK

 

[Franz Kafka]

never judge a book by its cover, reminds me of a true story.. an old man was walking down a country road,in bernardville nj dressed in a T shirt and jeans,un shaven, he looked homeless. policeman stops him,and in broken english, he says his ID is at his girl friends house, up the street. sure, the policeman thought, as he radio's in to head quarters, the sargent in charge, calls the girl friend, jackie, yes that is my house guest "ari ornasis". (ari was at the time the riches man in the world). jackie,O,widow of JFK

It's easy to look like a bum when you can afford to. If and when I get to run a successful hedge fund, I'll do the same.

 

[Ron Van D]

When I mentioned "boots" I was referring to exotic skin cowboy boots. I receive many favorable comments about the ones I wear.

Like GOAT!!!

 

[xrac]

When I mentioned "boots" I was referring to exotic skin cowboy boots. I receive many favorable comments about the ones I wear.

They aren't goat skin are they?
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Like GOAT!!!

I missed your post or I would have posted the above but all I can say is great minds think alike.

 

[Todd King]

Business casual almost daily. I have sold many a policy in shorts though....the only time I even consider going above business casual (golf shirt/dress pants) is if I am meeting with a client in a profession that I know he/she wears that type of attire.

I still think suit and tie makes you look intimidating or "stuffy" as someone mentioned earlier.

To give another way of thinking, I've always favored wearing a suit an tie. That may be because I've worked with seniors, and that generation seems to like their "professionals" dressing like one. To them, that meant a suit and tie. Maybe it is my part of the country, I'm not sure.

Either way, I've always believed in, "dress for success", and to me, that also means a suit and tie. I'm comfortable in a suit, so that helps.

I've also sold in shorts and flip flops, but not very often. In the end, I'm not sure that it really matters what you wear, but rather how you feel about what you're wearing.

 

[Sales71]

I go to the office with nice jeans and polo shirt and a nice rolex. I can care less what the clients think about me. Personally I do not like guys who wear suits and ties at there office. Any way u have to like ur own skin.

 

[Bertolinoins]

Professionals should dress like professionals. I rarely wear ties but a jacket and dress shirt are a minimum.