Good morning!

If a sales tip video landed on your desk delivered by someone unshaven, unkempt, claiming to be an expert, but looking more like roadkill, how long would it take you to actually hear the message?

Be honest.

Business dress standards have evolved—no doubt. Casual Fridays turned into business casual… and for some, it’s just casual. But here’s what hasn’t changed:

Appearance is part of the message.

Before you speak a word, your customer is already receiving a signal. That signal?

It’s your clothing.

Your grooming.

Your presentation.

It’s how you represent yourself—and by extension, your company and profession.

Back in my early sales days, it was suits every day. One Friday, 25 years ago, I visited a print equipment manufacturer. The guy greeting me wore flip-flops, oil-stained jeans, and a T-shirt better suited for an afternoon under the hood of a car.

That wasn’t casual. That was disrespectful.

Recently, a client shared feedback about a speaker who followed me at a conference. “His content was great,” he said, “but he started at a disadvantage—he looked like he didn’t care.”

You may disagree. That’s fine. But I’ll say this:

It will never hurt you to dress to impress.

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Bill Farquharson can be reached through his website: SalesVault.pro or call 781-934-7036