The adage is true: You only get one first impression. That's why your appearance when you show up for a job will affect the way you and your company are perceived.
As a plumber, you may not think your first impression affects the work you do, says Eric Boone, owner of Boontique Wardrobe Consultant in St. Paul, Minn. However, first impressions may be especially important for plumbers who may have to overcome preconceived notions of how they dress.
"It's a fact that in the first five to 10 seconds that you meet someone is how he or she will perceive you," he says. "It might sound shallow, but that's the bottom line. People will judge you."
First Meeting with a Potential Client
The way you dress for an initial meeting with a potential client can affect whether you get the job. "You could have the greatest pitch but if you don’t look like a professional then they’re not even going to believe what you say," Boone says. "How you dress is how you want your clients to see you and your business."
Boone recommends wearing nice, clean, pressed slacks, a pressed collared shirt and a sports jacket. Make sure you are well-groomed and recently shaven, he adds. "If you don't look great, they're going to look at your dirty shoes or unpressed shirt or dirty fingernails and go 'ewww.' The customer will not take you seriously." Think about how customers spend their hard-earned dollars on your services, then think how your company's reputation will be viewed if you're not dressed for success.
Sandy Dumont agrees. "You can't look anything less than extraordinary, but that doesn't mean you have to wear a tie,"says Dumont, president of The Image Architect in Norfolk, Va. A pair of clean, dark-colored jeans with no rips or frays would be better than khakis, she says.
Dumont also warns against wearing "grunge colors," which she classifies as browns, tans, rusts and olive greens. These colors can make you look tired, drained, washed-out or dirty, she says. For the first meeting with a client, don't wear knit, jersey polo shirts. "Unless you have a flat, six-pack stomach, it's going to emphasize your stomach," she says. "There's hardly a man that looks good in one of those."
Instead, wear a crisp cotton collared shirt in navy, royal or French blues, "old money green" (a hunter or dark green) or darker reds. "Blue is a business color," says Dumont, who adds that wearing too much black can come across as "slick" or "scary." The ideal outfit for a first meeting with a potential customer would be a pair of dark, pressed, cotton twill trousers (wool gabardine in the winter) and a French blue Oxford-style shirt, she says. For women, the same color rules apply, and wearing a female-cut jacket is appropriate.
"A customer should be pleased to see you come into their house," Dumont says. "The first impression should be that this company is a class act."
On the Job
When you're on a job, customers are more forgiving and it's not realistic to wear an Oxford-style shirt, Dumont says. A polo shirt, or even a neat shirt without a collar, with or without a company logo paired with dark jeans is appropriate, she says.
Boone recommends wearing the company uniform or shirt on the job, and requiring your employees to do so, as well. "It promotes unity and cohesiveness and is a great marketing tool," he says.
Dressing well also could have a positive affect on work performance, Dumont says. "If you dress like a slob, that's probably the way you feel and act," she says. "When your appearance cleans up, so do you or your employees. It changes the attitude in the workforce."
Meeting with a Financier
When it's time to get financing or open a line of credit, look your best. A navy suit and subtle tie, or a navy sports jacket with slacks is appropriate, Boone says. "You don't have to look like a corporate executive, but everything should be tailored to fit."
For women, Dumont recommends wearing a professional suit with a tailored jacket. Source: LowesForPros
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