FOR APPEARANCE SAKE

A networking group I belong to holds a meeting for new members. This orientation is to inform them on the benefits of the group, the networking opportunities and the ways to benefit the member’s company by attending meetings. Because I’ve been an active member for many years, I am asked to speak to the new members about networking.

Before the orientation began, I was introducing myself to new faces in the crowd. The makeup of the group was typical; insurance rep, remodeling guy, banking woman, etc. A wide variety of business types. And a variety of business dress. The main presenter is a financial advisor and always wears a suit. The banking woman wore a jacket and skirt. I typically wear nice pants and a logo-embroidered polo shirt.

As I was talking to a couple of people, a woman walked in the room. She approached our group and made her introductions. She is the area representative for a well-known cosmetics company, (I don’t mention the name of the company for good reason). The woman was dressed in baggy gym shorts, a wrinkled and stained T-shirt and cheap flip-flops. Here she was, attending a networking meeting full of potential customers wearing clothes suitable for hanging around the house.

More importantly, we didn’t just represent potential customers; we are her referral agents. The number one marketing use of networking groups is the “I know someone” aspect. The people you meet may be your future clients. But they talk to their customers and when the topic of your business comes up, you should be their first thought.

I know this works. I am the only balloon entertainer in my networking group. I am the BALLOON GUY! All other ballooners in my market are compared to me for people in my group. When the topics of “balloons” or “entertainment” or “balloon dress emails” are mentioned, my fellow members (over 450 of them) think of me first. That’s 450 business people talking to thousands of their customers with me on their mind. Now that’s marketing power.

But that’s not the topic of the day.

The first impression of the cosmetics lady was: gym shorts and T-shirt. It was difficult to listen to anything she had to say after that. She was very knowledgeable about the long history of her company. She was enthusiastic about her involvement with the company. She was proud to be a representative. My attention was drawn to that wrinkled, stained shirt.

No, I don’t wear a suit and tie when I attend networking events. I’m not in a “suit and tie” business. (I only own a couple of jackets and a few ties!) And I can usually be found in lounge-wear while I’m writing or practicing my stage acts. That’s in my home-office. But we were in a room a business people. I don’t wear my “entertainer outfits” when I attend business meetings. Those clothes are for performances. The remolding guy didn’t wear his tool belt. The doctor didn’t bring is sphygmomanometer. And the karate guy wasn’t wearing his Gi and Obi.

I have worked very hard to be known as “The Balloon Guy” in my networking groups. I am educated about balloon events, trends, conventions. I can build the most amazing balloon sculptures. And yes, I know most of the artists in those balloon-dress emails.

More importantly, I am a business person. I dress professionally when I’m at meetings. I can speak to issues affecting small companies. I address micro-business marketing ideas. I discuss articles from the recent business magazine. That gives me the respect of being a serious business person.

The cosmetics lady may attend other meetings and she may wear more appropriate clothes. It will take a long time before people forget her shorts and shirt first appearance.

So how do you present yourself? Is your appearance appropriate to the event? Do you wear a tuxedo to a bar-b-que pool party? Do you wear a tropical print shirt to a funeral? (I got to do this for a parrot-head friend as his last request. He would have smiled at the entire crowd in outrageous attire.)

We in the entertainment industry need to advance the idea that we are fun. Just make sure you dress the part.


Thad James
SAMMY J Balloon Creations
www.sammyjballoons.com
“Balloon entertainment with a twist”