Casual Is as Casual Does

Posted in: Public Relations by Ms. Ayo Fashola on June 26, 2008 12:00 pm

I am amazed at the amount of small business owners who describe their personal style as casual and laid back. How would you feel if a doctor, a heart surgeon, or an attorney described their style as laid back and casual? According to Harry Beckwith, Best-selling author of Selling the Invincible and What Clients Love, he explains that if you are dressed for golf, or meeting your girlfriends for gardening, or tea, be sure you are doing those activities.

When you seek someone to heal your pain, do you want them to be casual? When you look for someone to repair your broken filling, instruct your children, or repair your car, do you want them to be relaxed?

When your cat is sick, your investments are plummeting, or your business is threatened by a lawsuit, do you seek out a casual veterinarian, a hang-loose investment manager, or a laid-back lawyer? Do you want service providers to be casual about your needs, relaxed about your time, and dressed as they wished they were in Palm Springs instead of with you?

You don’t

Neither do your prospects.

I attend networking business events and i notice flip flops. Can you believe it? Flip flops. Yet these very same people complain that they are not generating sales, business, or clientale. Hmmm..I wonder why? Remember you are creating an experience (what you want the prospect to think, feel and perceive) the minute they lay eyes on you.

Owning a business is not a time to be lazy, kick back, be laid back, relaxed, but to step your game up visually. Advertising is still the best form of advertising. You cannot afford not to. Corporate America had to instill dress codes and a uniform suit attire because they knew the general public they employ would be too lazy to even think to invest the time and resources to discover what truly suits their body type, personal style and lifestyle. In order for a corporate entity to maintain the credibilty of its company…it has to play it safe….everyone dress the same, or within very strict guidelines or we will have people showing up to the office like they are at the beach, without regard for the company or themselves.

As a small business owner…you have to show that you have invested in your number one entity…yourself. Develop your own personal style. Show you care. Show you give a damn. If you left the corporate world to play by your own rules, shouldn’t you not look like it? It is so obvious at these events who has a sense of style and who doesn’t. Don’t compromise or undermine your credibility. Don’t ruin your advertising opportunity the minute you walk in the door. Working from home is not an excuse to look like you do, in that case…just stay home. You don’t know if the person who can hire you is aware of such concepts as style and taste. Flip flops, shorts, t-shirts, pleated pants (so out of style anyway), oversized outfits is just not going to cut it. If you have not invested in you. I’m not. Sorry. Don’t be afraid to play by your own rules. From my experience…it’s truly worth it!

If you’re dressed for golf, be sure you’re golfing. 

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Tags: Attitude, Behavior, Branding, Communication