Looking the Part
We live in a casual world, people no longer get dressed up for work or worry about formality like they did years ago. The modern digital age has changed the way we do business and the way we handle our day to day activities. However, we sometimes get too comfortable with the casual business world. We sometime forget that being a little more formal is still important and creates a standard to help us, as individuals, focus on work.
Dress to Impress
With an increase in the amount of time people work from home, we have become too accustomed to work in casual attire. This casual style has impacted the average look of the office. People no longer wear suits or business attire on a day to day basis. However, there is a time and place where a suit and tie or a professional outfit is a major benefit. Getting dressed up to meet new clients or to make a major presentation gives you the appearance of caring and makes a statement. People are judgmental, whether we do it intentionally or by accident, impressions matter. When making a first impression on a client, being dressed to impress shows you are trying. Some people will not care about your appearance; however, some will. Go out on a limb and take the extra time to dress up when making a first impression or trying to show respect to the people you are meeting. What do you really have to lose?
Office Décor
Have you ever walked into someone’s office when it is a mess and disorganized? What did you think when it happened? If you are going to meet a potential consultant, you will likely have more faith in the person if they appear organized and appear to have their affairs in order. This rule applies to when people come to your office as well. Having a clean and organized waiting room, conference room, or private office is an important part to making a great first impression. It helps to look the part and appear responsible if you want to ensure you make a long term deal. Even if you are a messy person by nature, this can be done. Make sure to plan meetings and make sure you spend an hour or two before the meeting preparing. Having your office neat and organized only helps make a positive impression on just about anyone.
Don’t go Overboard
Making a good first impression and dressing up can help any new potential business relationship get started on the right foot. Although there is such a thing as taking things too far. There is a time and place to be formal and there is a time and place to be causal. For example, if the first few meetings go well and a dinner meeting is planned it might be better to take a more casual approach. This all depends on the venue or restaurant of choice but sometimes it is not the best idea to show up in too formal of attire. So take situations into account and make sure you do not overdue the formalities.
Doing Proper Research
The internet has many answers to many questions. It is easy to Google just about anything and find out an answer to just about any question but this sometimes gets us in trouble. The internet is full of misinformation and lies and sometimes it is hard to distinguish these from facts. So what is the best way to present credible information? The answer is to use the skills most high schools teach and reference credible sources while making a point or argument. When gathering information use libraries, most have digital resources, and make sure to reference your sources. Any claim will have more weight with credible sources documented appropriately. When making a presentation make sure to spend the extra time to credit your sources and stand behind the information you have.
Having the Right Attitude
No amount of intelligence can make up for a bad attitude and a positive attitude helps alleviate the stresses of making a mistake. People will make mistakes, no one is perfect. How we handle and deal with errors is a great way to judge commitment and character. Admitting a mistake and talking about the best way to correct it will always yield better results than placing blame. Hopefully you will not make a mistake at a crucial time but if you do, admit it and deal with it. You will gain more respect from coworkers and clients alike by doing do. Failure is often the best teacher, so do not fear it, embrace it. Having this attitude will help make you successful in life, even if it is embarrassing. Those who do not learn from mistakes are bound to repeat them. Have a positive attitude, it will help not only you but will have a positive influence on those people around you.
It is simple to take the easy way out and to treat life very casually. This can work and be beneficial at times but can also cause trouble. Being thorough and using formality can be a valuable tool if utilized properly. Take the time to assess any situation and make an appropriate decision on how to handle things. Taking the extra second to think can sometimes yield great results.