Leaving the best impression (the Andy Griffith Guide to Dressing for Success)

Wherever you go, there you are — the 'Andy Griffith Guide' to Dressing for Success.

One afternoon I caught my husband watching a re-run of the Andy Griffith Show. In one scene, three of Mayberry’s premiere citizens (a reporter, a banker and a mechanic) were all sitting in a diner, enjoying a piece of pie. In walk Andy and his girlfriend Helen, they greet and chat with their 3 friends for a moment and then go sit down to enjoy their own dinner.

My husband, who is a dentist by day, turns to me and says, “Wow, look how dressed up they all are just to go out and have a piece of pie!” and I noted that the banker and the reporter were in suits complete with ties. Andy was in a suit jacket. Helen, a school teacher, was in a dress and was wearing white gloves. Even the mechanic had a button-down collared shirt on, and neither he nor his shirt bore any signs of a day spent in the mechanic’s shop. They were all dressed that way because in that day and age, going out in public was done (or at least demonstrated on TV) with a certain level of respect.

Anyone encountering their local banker at the diner would be presented with the same version of himself that he presented during office hours in the bank. Anyone meeting the reporter would know by his appearance that he was a professional, who was ready to report on a story whether it happened at the diner or during his working hours. Anyone meeting the mechanic would have a clean hand to shake, and he was ready to extend a reminder to any client (as he did in this episode to Andy) that it was time for him to bring in his car for service.

My point is this; wherever you go, there you are.

If you went with friends to the local diner for dinner or even just to the local ice cream or frozen yogurt parlor for dessert, and one of your most important clients came by with some of his or her friends, would your appearance in terms of attire, hair, makeup, grooming, etc., be an expression that demonstrates your talent, sense of fashion and style and even your professional expertise to your client and to her friends? Would you be ready with a personal welcome?

Whether your destination for the day is the salon or spa or any other public venue, like it or not, clients and prospective clients do notice what you wear and how you look. And the fact is, they make judgments about your intelligence, expertise and talent based on what they see. So subscribe to the Andy Griffith Show Guide to Dressing for Success, and be prepared to demonstrate your talent and sense of style and fashion in how you choose to present yourself 'wherever you are!'

Elizabeth Kraus – 12monthsofmarketing.com
365 Days of Marketing is available on amazon.com in book and digital formats.