The Importance of Dressing Professionally
Dressing and presenting yourself in a professional manner is one of the most important steps in your sales process for many reasons. We all know that looking your best makes a great first impression but what does making a great impression actually mean? It’s giving the customer the confidence in you that you will act as professional as you look when helping them find a vehicle. What you're doing by looking professional is building that confidence and taking away any unnecessary lack of confidence the customer could have in you if you have a stain on your shirt for example or you look generally disheveled. Aside from the customer, your fellow team members will look up to you and come to you for advice when you present yourself professionally, especially when you do it on a consistent basis.
Are There Any Set Rules?
Specific rules and strictness on how to dress very much depend on the dealership. In fact, most dealerships won’t even give you a work shirt. Most often you’ll be left to your best judgement, but the following is a general overview of appropriate dress within the auto industry.
Encouraged Types of Clothing
- Slacks
- Polo
- Long sleeve button up
- Dresses
- Skirts
- Blazer
- High heels
- Comfortable black or brown shoes with padding
- Usually casual exceptions on Fridays (need to check with dealership)
What to Avoid
- Jeans
- Shorts and short skirts/dresses
- T-shirts
- Tennis shoes
- Leather bottom shoes (they get worn out on the lot)
- Open shirts (undone buttons or low V-necks)
Again, the repercussions for wearing inappropriate dress vary by dealership but at the very least you won’t be taken as seriously by customers or leadership and at the most you will be asked to leave the dealership until you look presentable.
Tattoos and Piercing
There is a shift in culture when it comes to tattoos in the industry. More and more dealerships are accepting visible tattoos but again this is something to check with your dealership. Facial piercings other than the ears are generally asked to be removed during work.
How to Stand Out
No matter how you decide to dress professionally, don’t view it as your personality being taken out of your look. Capitalize on some stand out pieces to let your personality shine through and make you approachable to customers. These could be:
- Fun socks
- Bow ties
- Vibrant colors
- Streamed/pressed clothes with defined seam
Tips and Advice
- Steam your clothes! Freshly steamed clothes add a new level of professionalism to your look. There are very affordable steamers for purchase on Amazon. Here’s our first choice.
- Get your clothes ready the night before you go into work. This will streamline your morning routine and make it that much easier to stay consistent with looking your best.
- Don't overthink your first day. If you’re a new hire about to start your first day in the auto industry, don’t overthink your look. Use these tips, use your best judgement, and remember to bring your confidence: it’s always the best accessory.