Dress for success. Sales training tips that the politically correct will not tell you

What’s the weather like with you today? It’s gorgeous here! Last week I got caught in a blizzard driving back from Liverpool… this week it’s beautiful. Everyone is out and about and the police force, who seem to vanish from the streets in the winter, are all out and walking around. Strange that!

So I was driving up a hill and slowed to let some children cross the road who were coming out of a first school when I noticed that the “lolipop” man (I suppose I should say person, but it was a man!) was talking to a police officer who was leaning against a wall…

And they should definitely not be chewing gum…

Top button undone, no hat, leaning against a wall… Leaning against a wall deep in conversation but managing to chew gum none-the-less! Call me old fashioned (or just old if you want) but I don’t expect police officers to lean against walls. Nor do I expect them to have open necks in March. And they should definitely not be chewing gum. Ever!

So is this me being unreasonable?

I don’t think so. People still notice what you wear no matter what some trendy, politically correct, everyone-is-equal, do-gooder says. Perhaps it doesn’t matter to them because they don’t have to make a good impression because in those kinds of circles no-one dares sack anyone but it is most certainly not the case in sales…

In sales, first impressions count

In sales, first impressions count. And I have to tell you that many of my sales training and sales seminar delegates do not impress. Now they may think that they are just coming on a sales training seminar but how do they know that they might not meet their biggest ever client there?

I’m not telling you what to wear. I’m not telling you to dress like your grandparents. I’m telling you to think about what you wear. Ask yourself, “What would be appropriate for me? What would be appropriate for this client?”

I’m guessing that some of you younger readers will be reading this thinking, “Who does this Gavin Ingham think he is? He’s not the keeper of me!” And you’re right. In today’s society you can pretty much do what you like. Very few people will pick you up because they’re often too scared to tell you for fear of behaving incorrectly or infringing your human rights!

You might have a human right to dress like a loser but it doesn’t mean you have to invoke them

Take control of your own life and ensure that you always make a strong first impression. Often times, increased sales come from thinking about things that your peers are not paying attention to.