Contrary to popular belief, having to wear a suit and tie to the office every day does not always prove to make the big deals happen. If you look at the major trends of today, business owners are becoming younger. The focus is no longer how long you have been in business, but rather if you are in business and are you comfortable being who you are.

With demographics changing, so are wardrobes and how we view what a professional is supposed to look like. I recently read a statistic that mentioned that when the average salesperson wore a suit while making a presentation, closings were an average of 43% higher than those who would wear a sleeved shirt with a tie, but those who wore slacks and a polo were 60% higher than those who wore just a sleeved shirt and tie. What does this say? This tells me that the days of the power suit are going away and that it was not the suits or the polo shirt that closed the deals, but rather how the person presenting presented themselves along with their idea.

The focus of the young professional is on their presentation and the idea that can sell rather than the label on the sleeve, as well as them feeling confident in who they are and how they present themselves. I recently had a series of meetings with a client and upon the first meeting I did in fact wear a suit and tie. When I arrived, the business owner was dressed in a nice shirt and jeans. Needless to say the next meeting I was in jeans as well. The client was more interested in his business, and not my finely pressed suit and nice smelling cologne.

Now, I am most definitely not saying that you do not bathe daily and utilize deodorant, but rather that a first impression will be a lasting one. If I wear a suit that is to flashy and all my client or prospective customer remembers is my suit and nothing I presented, I obviously missed the mark for why I was there in the first place. My emphasis must be on how I present myself along with why I am there in the first place

The young professional desires to make an impact. They desire to be themselves, as well as make a great impression and close the deal. The question most professionals have today, can this be done? I firmly believe that it can.

Recently on the television show The Celebrity Apprentice, Stephen Baldwin was in the board room in jeans, a nice shirt, with a blazer (he did in fact have tie, but he was still in jeans). Earlier in the broadcast he made mention to the fact that he was the only Project Manager on the show with two wins. While others were in their power suits, Baldwin was focused on looking professional and seeing the victory through. Pint in case, the suit is not what made the wins happen, but rather the person.

I believe that there is a new surge in the marketplace. I love what the Master Motivator himself, Zig Ziglar, says, "...people buy from people they like..." So enter the day of the square toed shoes, trendy shirts and nice jeans. Bankers beware, there is a new type of business professional rising, they are strong, confident, and poised, they look great, and, they are not wearing the power suits. Stay strong. Stay confident. Be comfortable.