Look at that

While preparing to get my daughter at the airport, my son and I decided to dress up as Nerds and shock her as she exited the airplane. The plan worked beautifully. She screamed at the top of her lungs when she saw us and would not walk with us to get her luggage. One of my sales associates just happened to be in the airport at the same time and saw me in all my Nerd attire. The look was so radically different than the professional look he associated me with, that he actually thought the Nerd he was looking at, was that one person in the world that looked so much like me, that it actually could be my double. He was stunned when I revealed myself as the Nerd standing before him at the airport luggage carousel. The moment was priceless and revealing.

People do notice when you are dressed professionally and they notice when you are not. How you look overall does make a difference. The clothes do not make the person, but the clothes and overall appearance do make a difference in how people perceive you. Projecting a professional image is critical to your success and it is very difficult to achieve if you do not look the part. That is precisely why movie directors have people on staff whose only job is to make sure the actors look the part. Dressing well along with a nicely groomed look does not need to be a financial burden, but it is vitally important to how your clients, prospects, superiors and co-workers will likely judge your level of commitment. The well dressed professional is a credit to their profession. When you look great, you feel great!