Picture this. You’re going to a Business Networking Event, you’re very excited about there being some great contacts there, whom you’ve never met before, but would like to do business with.

You need to make a great first impression, right? Absolutely right, opinions are formed within seconds of meeting a person, so there’s no room for mistakes, as opinions rarely change.

So, what should you do to leave that lasting impression, right from the off?

The most important thing is image. People see the way you look before you have even opened your mouth and they very quickly form opinions. Dressing appropriately shows that you respect your business, but more importantly, that you respect the people you’re about to meet.

Research has shown that our alertness is affected by what we wear, and is our confidence, for the better.

Also, research conducted in 2014 by Professor Kraus at the Yale School of Management showed that wearing clothes with high social status (ties and shoulder padded jackets) can increase dominance and Job performance in ‘high stakes’ competitive tasks.

The image below illustrates this point perfectly.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with adjusting the way you dress after you’ve spent time getting to know a client, as the hard work has already been done.

So there you have it, looking the part can help you be a cut above the rest. It isn’t purely about the clothes though, being well groomed, pleasantly scented and having a firm handshake goes a long way too.

And remember, when you do get to having a conversation, keep it professional.

So, dress for success and accept nothing less! Thanks for reading, Marie.