Dress for Success

It's an old saying, but a wise one - "Dress for Success."  Once upon a time, dressing for success meant a formal dark suit and tie for the men or a dress or skirt/blouse/blazer for the ladies.

Nowadays, business attire can mean anything from a pair of jeans and nice shirt to the full-out formal suite.  Given the lean towards casual wear, one may be tempted, particularly in a small business or as an entrepreneur, to wear jeans and very casual wear.  I admit, I am guilty as some days, those jeans just sound so much more comfortable at the office.

But, are we cheapening our image by dressing down?  Do you personally feel as positive about a business professional who shows up to a network event wearing jeans and an old top or raggedy jacket as you would about someone who is wearing dress pants and a dress shirt, or at the very least, a nice polo/golf shirt?  Does the person in a suit give off an air of knowledge that he/she would not give off if wearing jeans?  When faced with a decision as to where to spend money based on who has the most "value", would you choose the person in dress clothes or jeans?

The fact is that both people may be equally qualified and the person wearing jeans may be even more knowledgeable, but, because he/she has dressed down, he/she has reduced his/her value to the consumer.

While both the above pictures still look acceptable, imagine the same people in a less posed situation, or in older, less stylish or ill-fitting clothing?  At several recent networking events, styles of dress included ultra mini skirts, baseball caps and loud printed shirts!

 
Think about how people dress at business events you attend.  Does matter of dress affect who you approach for conversation?  What about other people you deal with? 


[Printed t shirts and baseball caps are great for casual wear but not for networking or general business]




 In addition to your appearance to others, it is also vital to think about how our mode of dress affects our own self.  People who dress appropriately for functions, and in business attire, tend to feel more positive about themselves and thus, have higher self-esteem.  When you feel better about yourself, it is apparent to others.  Those who dress down may feel a loss of self-esteem and even feel slobbish or out of place.  Many career coaches will tell you to dress in business attire when conducting phone interviews or internet/phone job searches.  This is based on the simple reason that when you look good, you feel good.  Feeling good can be heard through the telephone, much like chatting with a smile!

Remember also that dressing for business does not have to be expensive!  A few good pieces (classic styles that seldom go out of fashion) can easily be rotated throughout your wardrobe to ensure maximum use at minimum price.  Very few of us can afford a new wardrobe every season!

So dress to impress.  By choosing a professional appearance, you benefit yourself.

Does Store Design Matter?

Ever walk into a store and find something just feels off?  This feeling can occur in a poorly laid out store, an overcrowded store or an outdated store.

Poor layout - Studies suggest that people natural move to the right when entering a store.  Therefore, if your store is designed to send people to the left, you are upsetting natural patterns.  While this may seem silly to you, it may cause an unknown unease in your client.  Keep this in mind as you set up store displays.

Overcrowding - Do you feel overwhelmed in a store with too much product, too little aisle room?  When retail stores overstock, it impedes the flow of traffic around product displays and racks.  How many have attempted to push a cart or stroller between clothing racks only to find the stuff on these racks drooping into their cart or even over their children because of insufficient space to move?  Outlet stores are particularly bad for this.  In addition to lack of space for movement, it can cause subconscious fears of smothering or being trapped.  Overloading your store stock will not get you more sales as many will want to leave sooner, even if it means missing a "good deal".  The space feels uncomfortable and confining.  Solve this issue by reducing amount of stock or displays on the floor and make sure there is adequate room for people, carts and strollers to move.

Outdated Stores - Does your store still contain original fixtures from a prior owner or from your original opening several decades ago?  Chances are that your slat wall, wall systems or other store fixtures may not only be outdated but may also be broken or simply unattractive.  While a mismatch of unique products may work well for a thrift store, the general overall feel your location promotes will affect your product.  It may also reduce the overall worth of your products in the subconscious mind of your customer.  If one looks at large chain stores, you will notice that they constantly change their layout, appearance and fixtures.  This keeps the store (and products) fresh in the mind of the consumer.  The excitement of change actually encourages people to come in, look around and stay to purchase product.  Small businesses may not be able to afford to change fixtures and displays as often as a large retailer but keep in mind that old and broken displays are going to turn off the customer.  Invest in new fixtures as needed and make sure to change up your store by using paint or other methods to keep the store looking fresh.  Pay attention to what your store looks and feels like when you walk in.  Change may be as simple as moving displays, replacing broken, mismatched slat wall with new slat wall, or, even painting walls surrounding slat wall.  While replacing old product may be a significant cost, the overall benefits will increase your sales and comfort feeling of clients.

Overall, your store layout and design will affect your consumer.  Take a day or two and visit a variety of stores including a regular mall, a busy outlet store (perhaps a Sears outlet on a weekend), a used/thrift store, and some small stores.  Remember to use a cart/stroller to get the full feeling.  Think about how you feel as you visit each location.  What did you like/dislike about the overall feel of the store?  Forget about the actual product and concentrate on the flow and overall environment. 

Always remember that the subconscious mind is always operating and your customer's subconscious can affect your business!

Getting the Most Out of Networking

As a new business, you may wish to build a network of local business people.  The options for networking are endless!

Regardless of the type of group you join, there are a few main things to remember in order to get the most out of any meet-up.  Many of us have committed common errors in the past, particularly when new to networking.

1. Do not go with the intention of handing out lots of business cards.  Business cards contain important information, but, if you cannot connect with the recipient of your card on a higher level, your card will end up in a giant card pile, the garbage or, as a toothpick!  Instead of trying to hand out as many cards as possible, strike up a conversation with one or several people and give them a reason to want to connect with you further.  Chances are that many of the people will also be at another event.                                                                                                                                    
2. Make a meaningful connection.  Choose one or two people in the room that you would like to get to know.  Spend time chatting with each person.  Your topic does not have to be business related and the majority of conversation should not be about your business.  Make sure to give the other person time to talk.  People like to be listened to.  This is a good time to invite the person to meet for a coffee to further discuss what you both do.
3. Build a relationship.  Networking is not about how many people you can met in 2 hours, but about building relationships.  When you connect with someone on a personal level, trust is also built.  People are more likely to do business or refer people to those they know and trust.  This does not usually occur from a single conversation of under 5 minutes!  Building relationships take time but the results are well worth it!
4. Develop a Good Handshake.  How do you shake hands?  A good handshake shows confidence and strength.  Your handshake should solidly connect with the other person, be firm, but not crushing.  The recipient should know you are shaking their hand.  Ever shake hands with someone who offered a weak, barely there touch?  Did you feel this person wanted to get to know you?  Did you feel this person had confidence?  Consider this the next time you go to shake hands.  Also remember to look the person in the face for a stronger connection.
5. Smile!  A smile is worth a thousand words.  It indicates that you are open to conversation and a positive person.  When attending an event, remember to smile as often as you can as this will encourage people to want to talk with you.  Think about this when you are out - are you more attracted to locations where people are smiling or frowning?  Why?  A smile encourages others to smile and also projects happiness.  Since most people would rather be happy, they will be attracted to smiles rather than frowns.  An unhappy looking person is less likely to participate in uplifting conversation.  A smile also indicates that you  wish to communicate with others.
6. Join In.   When at an event for a first time, you may know no one and be unsure what to do.  In order to meet people, join in a group and offer input.  Smile and tell them you are new.  In no time, you will meet many people.  As you grow more confident, help others to join in.  Begin by talking to a person standing alone and help connect them to other people.  A good way to help a newcomer is to introduce them to a group as new or introduce them to someone you may know that may relate to their business.
7. Follow-up.  I must admit that I have been terrible at my own advice regarding follow-up though I am working hard to change.  Now that you have met someone, you may want to know more about them on a business or personal level (and I don't mean dating).  Perhaps something they said was particularly interesting or you share a common interest.  If you have exchanged cards, give the person a quick call or email.  It will refresh who you are in their minds - remember you both may have met many people at the event.  At the very least, look for the person at the next event and say hello.  Some people prefer to set a time for coffee in order to get to know the person better. 

Making decisions as to what type of group to participate in can also be difficult.  Some choose to participate in several group formats.  Some groups are no cost while others have a yearly cost and a per-meeting fee.  It is important to look at ROI when thinking about groups.  Spending $1,200.00 a year on a group that provides no leads or referrals is not a great return on investment, but the same $1,200.00 to participate in a group that refers lots of business (and makes you money) is well worth it!  You will also want to look at whether groups require mandatory attendance, how often they meet and whether they are the right fit for you.  Some people prefer a less structured group or a community service group.  This will depend on the individual and type of business.

Just a few options in the Barrie area:

• BNI (Business Networking International)
• Greater Barrie Chamber of Commerce
• BCX (Business Connection Exchange)
• Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus and other service clubs
• Simcoe County Young Professionals
• Barrie New Entrepreneurs
• Business Connections
• PIP (Professionals in Partnership)
• Groups on Meetup.com
• various think tanks by local groups

The above list is nowhere near complete!

Hopefully, these tips will help you at your next event.  Building relationships in the community are a great way to help grow your business.