This is the third and last installment of articles on Image. Let's review the last two articles. In the first article, we discussed three different points of view on Image, when it comes to sales people. Today, there are different role models projecting these views. The first view is the IBM Look. Basically, this is the well-dressed male or female, both in business suits. The second view has been something that many are pushing today. It's called the Polo Look. This is a polo shirt and casual slacks for both men and women. I will call the third view Anything Goes. This is the view that it doesn't matter the way you look. There are some in our industry that really feel that if you have holes in your pants, it really doesn't matter because customers buy your product, not you.

In order to write the last article, I went to interview Hal Steuber at Associated Services in California. We had a round-table discussion on sales people and how they should look. Here are just a few highlights from that interview: Mr. Steuber made it very clear, not to visit him without wearing a suit. Let me quote him. " I have the right not to wear a suit, but the sales person should wear a suit." and Diane Steuber added, "You show the potential customer respect with your dress." Tom Steuber interjected, "In San Francisco, they are going back to formal dress." I also quoted from USA Today, dated October 28, 2003, which stated: "Business casual has become too casual. Fifty-eight percent of executives say workers are confused about what is appropriate workplace attire." If they are confused in the work place, you can see how sales people can be confused, too.

Before I state my opinions about dress, let me share one thought from one of the best service companies in San Diego, California. Sean Curtis, President and CEO emailed me right after the last article came out, to say, "Don, you are changing my mind about how sales people should look."

I want to make three points about dress. First, as I travel across the country and around the world I see different types of sales people, but I have found that the IBM Look should be the standard for our dress. A sales person represents you, the company. Why would you allow them to look shabby in front of your customers or potential customers? Secondly, I have had a few role models in my career, like Diane Steuber who is still there giving me life lessons today. Let me quote Diane. "Performance is tied to dress." I agree with her. Performance is tied to dress in many ways, and this is a point to develop in the future. Thirdly, as it has been expressed to me in many different e-mails in the last three months, that as sales people, we need to dress for the environment that we are entering. However, we still need to be very careful not to lower our standards.


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About the Author

As a business consultant, I have had the privilege of working with some companies internationally, and I really enjoy working with people from other cultures. I have learned so much from friends that we have in Japan, Australia, England, The Philippines, Korea, and Costa Rica, just to mention a few.

Presently, I am a Business Consultant for One Cup International Consulting Group