Insights from "Presentation Ready"-- Mistake #10

Understanding the Issue of Dressing Inappropriately or Unprofessionally for?Presentation Opportunities

Definition:?Showing up to a presentation in clothing not suitable for you or the overall occasion; failing to reflect the appropriate intention, brand, culture, atmosphere, or message in clothing choice for that specific situation. ?

It’s natural for people to think their clothing choices are fine, whether they are?fashion-savvy or not. Some think dressing for work is more about function, while others think it’s all about style. Both can be true. Some of us assume that as long as we aren’t wearing shorts to work and a tuxedo to the company picnic, no one will notice or even care. But between the shorts and the tuxedo are countless opportunities to make a poor impression and lose out on an opportunity when delivering a professional presentation.

For many professionals, attire is often guided or even dictated by an organization’s official policies and rules. Yet even in companies with established dress codes, there are discrepancies between how employees dress for work and how their supervisors think they should dress. To be sure, it’s a difficult subject to broach, and many managers feel it’s almost too personal to tackle. They also don’t want employees to feel pressured into having to spend money on clothes and are reluctant to say anything to their associates about inappropriate dress. This only perpetuates the problem.

In the State of Sales Presentations research study, the mistake of dressing inappropriately or unprofessionally was highly noted as being observed in other presenters but self-reported in lower numbers. The mistake was also found to have a negative impact on wanting to work with someone. Study and workshop participants provided numerous examples, including:

• “The representative looked a bit disheveled and did not make the best impression.”
• “Sales rep was wearing a hoodie for the sales call—just because we are meeting virtually doesn’t mean they shouldn’t show up professionally, right?”
• “Speaker looked like they were going to a party, not a business meeting.”

The results showed that sales professionals who committed this mistake failed to (1) dress appropriately when presenting,?whether in person, virtual, or hybrid, and (2) dress to boost confidence in their overall presence and to adopt a strategic mindset.?

As with any mistake, to avoid making it, one must understand how it manifests in the real world. Here's one example of a confession relating to this?mistake.

Presenter's?Confession: "I confess that I haven’t been dressing up for my virtual presentations in the same way I would for in-person meetings. I work from home, and nobody really dresses up in my industry anymore."

Listener’s Observation: "The presenter was dressed a bit too informally, and it was hard to take them seriously."

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Solution: Keep in mind that appropriate professional dress is a presentation-ready priority.

If your job is client facing, it’s crucial to dress for the occasion of meeting with a prospect or listener, and that might well be different from how you dress on other days. In today’s diverse markets, professional dress is not an absolute. It can change and morph according to the industry, the culture, and the nature of the meeting. For example, if you are calling on a company within the construction industry and your meeting is taking place at a build site, you may need to dress for that environment—in safe and sturdy shoes and a hard hat—but still look sharp. If your prospect works in the arts and entertainment industry, there might be room to dress more fashionably or reveal some of your own personal style. If you are heading into the financial services sector, a more conventional look is still your best bet.

The worst sins of inappropriate dress, of course, include those old-school notions you may have heard about when you were growing up: wrinkled clothes that look like you slept in them, unpressed suits with no creases in the trousers, colors that clash, clothes that are grossly out of style, shoes that are inappropriate for your activity—the wrong style or color—or shoes that are scuffed up and worn down at the heels, ties that are too wide, and too many accessories.

With the rise of work-from-home environments, it is somewhat amusing, and even a little endearing, to do business remotely in your pajamas or yoga pants with a messy ponytail, saying things like, “Gosh, I’m sorry. I’m just a hot mess today!” However, if you are sitting on your bed making presentations to customers and business partners, it’s time to level up. Even if you are working remotely, you should strive to dress as if you are meeting in person. After all, your home office is an extension of your formal business office space, and the way you dress still speaks to your work ethic, integrity, and attentiveness. The amusing part of this discussion is how many people confess that they still show up on virtual calls adopting the business-at-the-top-and-casual-at-the-bottom look. They wear sweat pants and a collared dress shirt. It’s a risk, as you never know what the camera might reveal.

Setting the Right Tone The way you dress to deliver a presentation not only sets an important tone with your listeners, it can also increase your own confidence in your abilities. That confidence can, in turn, lead to a sharper awareness, higher energy, and an overall better performance. The late, legendary syndicated radio news talk show host Paul Harvey always wore a suit and tie with all the appropriate accessories when doing his radio show. During an episode of The Larry King Show, King asked Harvey why he was always so dressed up for his radio show when, obviously, no one could see him. He responded, “I can’t explain why. But I do know that the times I’ve tried to go casual . . . something is sacrificed.” Larry said, “You’re not as good?” Paul responded, “I don’t know if good is the word. I can’t put my finger on it. But I do know something is missing.”

The Illustration above is just one of several confessions and observations relating to the issue of dressing appropriately for a meeting in Presentation Ready .

In summary, your presentation attire not only influences your audience but also boosts your self-confidence. Let’s dress mindfully to make the most of our opportunities! TS

Note: This information on Mistake #10 from Presentation Ready is also part of my LinkedIn course. Click here to access the course .

To learn more about or order Presentation Ready, visit our website ?or?call our office at (949) 723-3132, ext. 200.?