OK, I must be getting old…
Yesterday, I had the luxury of going to an all day seminar on search engine marketing.
One of my Internet marketing mentors, Rebecca Murtagh, had invited me. I learned a lot of great ideas and tips.
However, one group of presenters from a local company really couldn’t keep my attention. They were the new, hip Internet marketers - all under the age of 25.
They seemed smart enough. But their clothes were clearly unprofessional and distracted me from taking them seriously. T-shirts, funky hats, tight pants, low cut casual tops, and unkempt hair. One woman dresses so scantily that she wore her puffy coat during her presentation because she was cold. (Hey, sweetie, here’s a hint: open toe shoes in the middle of one of the biggest snow storms is a fashion don’t - even if they are fabulous shoes!)
Sure, I understand that these young adults want to flaunt their creativity and individuality. But still they are professionals. And even though they were talking about SEO and technology, they WERE talking about marketing. And part of marketing is packaging.
Should they have dressed the part for an all day seminar that people paid $400 for?
Or, am I getting old? What do you think?
Tags: dress for success, seminar, SEO, young professionalsPOSTED IN: Business, Entrepreneurship, Young Entrepreneurs
5 opinions for OK, I must be getting old…
Christophe
Feb 27, 2008 at 7:48 am
You’re obviously getting old…
I’m kidding, maybe they were just “testing” people reactions with their clothes… and try a different style the next time…
… or you’re getting old :-)
Rebecca
Feb 27, 2008 at 8:46 am
You’re SO not old! …I suspect age has less to do with it than maturity savvy and the ability to market themselves as well as they pushed their “wares”.
Felicia Slattery
Feb 28, 2008 at 11:40 am
Hi Shannon,
As a communication expert, your post caught my attention. What’s happening with these inexperienced presenters is lack of knowledge of the correct way of marketing their business and lack of respect for their audience and the power of public speaking. They likely lost a lot more business than they gained just by how they looked.
I just ran a teleseminar two nights ago about presentation skills and the first area I covered was about clothing mistakes. You mentioned many of them here. And, by the way, there are plenty of 30-50-somethings making their own “wardrobe malfunction” mistakes which distract from their intended message.
Clothing matters. You get 10 seconds in which to make a first impression– whether in a 1:1 situation or in front of an audience. If you as an audience member couldn’t hear their message because of their clothing or “personal style” then the rest of their presentation suffered as a result of the “noise” coming from their appearance.
After the presentation ends, most presenters find that is when they experience an upswing in new leads and business. But would you want to pay money to people who would make you feel old (you’re SO not!) or uncomfortable in some other way? Of course not!
I always tell people the rule on dressing for a presentation is this: choose clothing that is equal to or just one step more formal than that of your audience. Then your audience will feel comfortable and will be able to easily listen to your message. And you’ll get the benefits.
It’s very likely the group you heard left money on the table. And that’s too bad for them. I bet they’re smart and have lots to offer. Let’s hope someone tells them about what dressing for success means!
Warmly,
Felicia J. Slattery, M.A., M.Ad.Ed.
Communication Consultant, Speaker & Coach
Linda
Mar 3, 2008 at 3:52 pm
You say they were in their 20s? Well, look at Ivanka Trump who’s 26. On TV interviews she wears business suits and hair that’s well-kept. All the young entrepreneurs on the CNBC show Big Idea dress professionally.
Monique
May 12, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Should they have dressed the part for an all day seminar that people paid $400 for?
—Yes.
Or, am I getting old? What do you think?
—Of course not :)
I’m curious if other seminar attendants thought the same thing or if some focused on their presentation instead.
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