Credibility and Appearance

  This article was written by Hazel Walker – BNI Director in Indiana, USA. 

Are you credible? Are you sure? Building your Credibility takes work. Everything you do builds or destroys your credibility. It’s those little things that you don’t even think about that are the most important.

Consider your appearance – What does your appearance say about you?

There was a lady in my network who wanted to meet with attorneys but every time I had the opportunity to see her she was dressed extremely casual, her hair unkempt and no make up. Out of frustration she told me that she could not understand why she could not get an introduction from the members of her network. She ask for my help, so I told her that based on her appearance neither I nor anyone else was going to introduce her to our attorney.

She was shocked. She told me that if she were going to see an attorney that she would get dressed up. How would I know that? How would anyone know that? We had never seen it and we were the people whom she was asking to refer her. She had no credibility with any of us, no matter how good she was at what she did. Now, don’t get me wrong, I would have hired her to do work for me personally, because I knew her and liked her, but I was not going to put my reputation at risk!

A few weeks later she came to the meeting dressed in a very professional suit, hair done, and make up on. After a few weeks she got her first referral to a member’s attorney. From that day forward, she was always dressed credibly. Today she is very successful and well known in her industry.

You see my perception is my reality, right or wrong. What perception are you leaving behind? When people see you do you look like someone they would be willing to stake their reputation on?