# What to wear today?



## d-rez (May 16, 2007)

Do any of you wear a suit to your client meetings? This is obiously directed to those of you selling jobs in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. I have always dressed nice, but not a suit. The other week I had an evening appiontment with perspective clients, and a board hearing afterwards, so I wore a suit. The couple mentioned a few times on my apperance. It got me thinking-does that make a difference? It just seems a little over the top for my tastes.


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

No suit but I do wear a nice sport jacket over my company polo, with nice jeans and shoes


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## XanadooLTD (Oct 6, 2007)

I think a suit works. Contractor A shows up in his Bentley Arnage wearing an Armani suit, Breitling cosmanaute, Ferragamo shoes and gives a well thought out sales pitch at 11:00 am and contractor B shows up at 1:00 pm in his 1993 Ford f-150 in dickies who do you think gets the job? It wouldn't even matter if contractor A had no clue and contractor B had been building multi million dollar homes for 35 years. I think image is everything. Secondly how you carry yourself means a tremendous amount.


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## JenRan (Jun 20, 2007)

*Suits*

I had a client who I am building a house for tell me they had a salesmen come in for metal roofing. He was dressed to the nines driving his fancy car and they said they won't buy anything from him because they see why he is so overpriced.

I'm a builder, I wear jeans and a t-shirt. My houses sell my homes, not my expensive suit. Besides, I don't even own a suit.


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

JenRan said:


> I had a client who I am building a house for tell me they had a salesmen come in for metal roofing. He was dressed to the nines driving his fancy car and they said they won't buy anything from him because they see why he is so overpriced.


That particular client did not...but how many did?
The suit and car didn't come free with the business cards.


We live in a shallow world where image is everything.
There will always be people that are only interested in lowest price - however, there is also another group of people who look for something else and are willing to pay for that something else.


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## Cole (Aug 27, 2004)

I have been saying it for years, image is everything!

Most people ask me, you are a contractor? I don't dress or act like one.


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

Cole said:


> I have been saying it for years, image is everything!
> 
> Most people ask me, you are a contractor? I don't dress or act like one.



Are you a contractor, a builder, a plumber, etc or are you a salesman for one?:thumbsup:


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## ruskent (Jun 20, 2005)

Always dress your best. If you own a few suits, why not wear them? 


When i am meeting with clients, i dress like a business owner, because that is what i am.


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## john elliott (Oct 23, 2005)

Yep, Image is important over here as well.

Apart from anything else, getting properly dressed for a meeting shows that you are making an effort, that you consider the meeting, and the potential clients, important. Turning up dressed in work clothes shows that you don't care too much what the clients think of you. That is not a good starting position. 

John


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## XanadooLTD (Oct 6, 2007)

JenRan said:


> I had a client who I am building a house for tell me they had a salesmen come in for metal roofing. He was dressed to the nines driving his fancy car and they said they won't buy anything from him because they see why he is so overpriced.
> 
> I'm a builder, I wear jeans and a t-shirt. My houses sell my homes, not my expensive suit. Besides, I don't even own a suit.


I think there are two sides to this. 1.) The initial post said that it was for people selling large dollar amount jobs. When people have the money to spend they want the best. 2.) When average Joe who has had his same job for 30 years and just got a 5 percent raise last year wants work done it is a different story. Blue collar/white collar. Maybe a suit presentation to the 100000 dollar kitchen remodel. Maybe a company polo to the 10000 bathroom remodel...you know. You have to know your client.


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## d-rez (May 16, 2007)

I could see both sides to the argument. Some clients will view it as professional while others may see you as overpriced. I have gone back and forth on this, but the other night was the first time a actually wore one. While I have always dressed well for my meetings, I have not had a client ever coment on my apperance, until the this last one. I should also add, I am heavily tatooed, and for the first meeting I prefer the perspective client to focus on the project and my portfolio, not my arms.


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## ruskent (Jun 20, 2005)

Basically, you dress to match the client.


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

The reason I wear the sport coat, polo shirt, jeans and nice shoes is I thought it fell right in the middle. 

I didn't look like an everyday ordinary contractor. I want my apperance to be that I thought about my image when coming to your house to ask for a job/check. But not overly dressed that you think that I make tons of money to supplement my fashion wardrobe. People look you over very carefully when you ask for large sums of money.

as a note some of my largest jobs and riches clients would be passed on the street without a second glance if you look at their clothing. Hell you might offer them a dollar. They have nothing to prove the man makes the clothes, the clothes don't make the man.


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## nadonailer (Nov 15, 2005)

Maybe it's just more mellow here in SoCal, but every contractor in this town wears pretty much the same thing - shorts, work boots and company t-shirt. This is for jobs ranging from 500k -5 mil. I don't think clothes mean anything, as long as they're clean. Wearing a suit here would definitely be a job loser!


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## A.W.Davis (Oct 17, 2006)

I wear a polo shirt with my logo and slogan on the front tucked in with jeans and some nice shoes. For me that's what I feel comftorable in. 

I am going to do an experiment in the next few months. I will go to 4 meetings (2) in my polo shirt and (2) in business suit like attire....lets see what happens! 

I will update progress as it commences :jester:


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## silvertree (Jul 22, 2007)

d-rez said:


> I could see both sides to the argument. Some clients will view it as professional while others may see you as overpriced. I have gone back and forth on this, but the other night was the first time a actually wore one. While I have always dressed well for my meetings, I have not had a client ever coment on my apperance, until the this last one. I should also add, I am heavily tatooed, and for the first meeting I prefer the perspective client to focus on the project and my portfolio, not my arms.


Got lots of tats also, I wear a dress shirt with my Silvertree Logo, pants not jeans and decent shoes. My company shirts are suitable for dress, but aren't too dressy. Sports coat sometimes. Never a tie.
For the Blue collar guy or the brain surgeon, dress the same for both. The Blue collar guy, which is how I identify gets his respect the same as anyone else.


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## rex (Jul 2, 2007)

my dirty work clothes my hands smelling like flux and something in my hair.....never lost a job that i know of becuase of the way i dress.....


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

I guess that I'm the ONLY one in a mini-skirt with fishnet stockings and 5" heels. :jester:

Beat Bob to this one!


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## atticstobasemen (Sep 10, 2007)

People like to buy from people with like taste's and desire's. IF your clients are blue collar then they may be drawn to the under dressed or logo shirt look. If you have a client that wears suits all day and you wear a suit to meet with them, they may feel more comfortable with you. I know that when I was a carpenter I would by based more or less on price, but since I have been in business, I enjoy buying from other small businesses.


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## BigLou (Jan 30, 2008)

Great topic, one that I have thought about often. Our rule (its written in our procedure manual) is long pants (no jeans) and shirt with collar. I want to look professional, but I don't want to overdress. My clients don't wear suits around their house, and I want to dress to their level.


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## silvertree (Jul 22, 2007)

Teetorbilt said:


> I guess that I'm the ONLY one in a mini-skirt with fishnet stockings and 5" heels. :jester:
> 
> Beat Bob to this one!


So you operate in San Fransisco:whistling?


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## Cole (Aug 27, 2004)

silvertree said:


> So you operate in San Fransisco:whistling?


:laughing: :laughing:


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## RizzoMaryland (Feb 12, 2007)

Forget the suit unless its big time commercial work or huge governmental job ($millions$) Other wise carry yourself well. Some HOs will think that they are paying for that Bentley and excessive spending and go with someone who lives life a little more humble.


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## ruskent (Jun 20, 2005)

I think on the higher end jobs the customers almost expect you to drive a nice car and dress well. It shows you are great at what you do.

I'll say it again, you need to dress the same way the client does. If you pull up to a house in a 7 series bimmer when the clients have matching toyota corrollas, you will have a proablem and not get the job.

But if you drive up in a 7 series and the customer drives a bentley he might let you join him for a round of golf with his friends.


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## Double-A (Jul 3, 2006)

Dress for confidence. I find that, like a good building, confidence starts with a good foundation. Or, foundation garments as the case may be.


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## CrazyTaper (Oct 9, 2007)

I make sure the crap stain on my pants stays in the back. :w00t:


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

Double-A said:


> Dress for confidence. I find that, like a good building, confidence starts with a good foundation. Or, foundation garments as the case may be.


That's what I'm talking about :thumbsup:

When I have a "meet & greet" situation scheduled, I plan the day to revolve around ME...but first I have to make sure ME will be the center of attention:










The force is strong....mere mortals cannot resist my sales pitch.


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## CrazyTaper (Oct 9, 2007)

Han Solo has always graced MY groin.


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## macmikeman (Sep 12, 2005)

I live in Hawaii. The only people around here who wear suits are undertakers and convicted felons at the sentencing hearing.... 
Oh yeah, and Steve McGarritt.


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

CrazyTaper said:


> Han Solo has always graced MY groin.


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## StairJunkie (Jan 21, 2008)

I think different regions of the country have different fashion cultures and status quos so what's acceptable where some of you live and work might not be acceptable in other areas and vice versa. If what's you're doing is working then might as well not worry about your dress style. To play it safe, just compare yourself to the way your competitors dress and go from there.

IMO the fail-proof dress attire for a contractor is khaki pants or shorts and a light blue button shirt along with shoes or nice sneakers or nice workboots. I think that's what a lot of customer's envision contractors/sales people looking as.

My two cents.


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## EricTheHandyman (Jan 29, 2008)

here is my personal choice....the ladies love it!


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## silvertree (Jul 22, 2007)

Here in the Twin Cities this guy seems to have it down for best contractor dress.


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

EricTheHandyman said:


> here is my personal choice....the ladies love it!




I don't know which is worse:
Knowing what it looks like coming at you or wondering what it looks like as it leaves!


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## james8199 (Jul 5, 2006)

These usually work for me....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/asgraffius/422743168/


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## Putty Truck (Oct 6, 2007)

Contractors Talk Forum has those pictures of the worker in hard hat , overalls, etc, and it always surprises me. It should be a suit and tie standing in front of a crew dressed like construction workers.

I'm not one to talk, though. I'm in a service uniform most of the time or wearing something with a logo on it.


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## Double-A (Jul 3, 2006)

Putty Truck said:


> Contractors Talk Forum has those pictures of the worker in hard hat , overalls, etc, and it always surprises me. It should be a suit and tie standing in front of a crew dressed like construction workers.
> 
> I'm not one to talk, though. I'm in a service uniform most of the time or wearing something with a logo on it.


Why? Most of us are not comfortable in a suit. Besides, there are a lot more folks that work in the trenches or have served in the trenches than "paper contractors" here.

My take is this... What you wear is only as important as how good you look in it and how appropriate it is to where you are going. Suits and such might sound nice, but they are not that practical.

Neat and clean are the watch words. If what you're wearing into a client's home is not neat and clean, then you are disrespecting that client right off the bat, before you even get your hand out for a handshake. It is, after all, their home, not yours.


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

Double-A said:


> It is, after all, their home, not yours.



Interesting thought...
It is, after all, their home, not your job site.

What do you think?


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## silvertree (Jul 22, 2007)

Celtic said:


> Interesting thought...
> It is, after all, their home, not your job site.
> 
> What do you think?


I think I'll have pie with that!


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

silvertree said:


> I think I'll have pie with that!


Everything is better with pie!
:thumbup:


That would be a good motto/slogan (your home/not my jobsite) with a little polishing, no?


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