Suit or Jeans? Go for Option 3

The discussion keeps coming back: suit or no suit? My pragmatic answer: when you face two options, take a look at options 3, 4 and 5.

Eye to eye with your customer

Show up in a fine suit to a meeting with technicians and engineers from manufacturing industry and you send a clear signal: «I come from a different world.» That is the opposite of what you are aiming for, which is to show that you understand your customer.

Clothing follows the same rule as every other interaction: understand the customer and meet them at eye level.

So the answer is: it depends on the industry and the decision makers. In finance, the elegant suit is at home, and jeans with a company shirt feel like a field trip to another world. Visit customers in manufacturing, and your fine silk suit is a performance on the wrong stage.

The rule of thumb: eye level with the customer, plus one level up. The overalls stay the customer’s department. In many industries, jeans or chinos with a polo or company shirt are exactly right.

Your presence starts with clothing and goes on from there

And now a word among men. I include myself, I am part of the crew. We have haircut and shave pretty well under control. The rest still holds some potential.

I often see men in a beautiful suit with a light snowfall of dandruff on the collar. Add fingernails that look like a side job in a coal mine, plus skin and lips that seem fresh from a multi-day desert hike.

Lip balm and moisturizer belong in the morning routine, and a refresh during the day is a welcome bonus.

Your hands

In customer meetings we love to point at things: the slide, the sample, the documents. Your index finger steps into the spotlight and the whole room looks at it. So give it an appointment at the manicure studio. What often accompanies us men there reminds me more of my dog’s favorite chew bone. With well-kept hands, your impression stays in good memory.

Every town has a shop that offers manicures. Simply walk in. The team welcomes you warmly and your hands will thank you. So will your partner at home.

Posture and energy

We travel a lot, there are customer dinners with aperitifs, and sport likes to slide to the bottom of the list. We all know the result: you sit in the meeting with low energy and sink into the chair like a cozy sack of potatoes.

My advice: give yourself 30 minutes of movement every 2 to 3 days. If you already train, put the dumbbells aside for a moment and add more cardio. The biceps stay as they are, and you gain a better metabolism and noticeably more energy. Work on your posture too. Shoulders back, eyes forward, and the whole room starts to glow.

The first impression belongs to your company

You are the first personal face a customer meets from your company. With eye level, grooming and posture, this first impression becomes the best one.

Now I am curious: What is your favorite outfit for a customer meeting? Tell me in the comments.

Two starter kits that suit a gentleman well. A great gift idea too! *)

*) Transparency: this post contains affiliate links. When you order through these links, I receive a small commission. The price stays the same for you.