Good morning. It’s National Math Storytelling Day. We’re here to remind you that with a little creativity, numbers can tell any story you want. Closed one deal last month and two this month? Forget the totals. That’s a 100% increase in deal volume. And that’s a story we can get behind. Now, let’s get into today’s Follow Up. (:
We’re not interested right now 🗣
The guide to dressing for sales 👔
Telling your spouse about a big commission check 💰
Sales jobs & a meme 😂
Sales Tip of The Day 💡
When a prospect says, ‘We’re interested, but not right now,’ push for the reason instead of a better time.
❌ “No worries, I’ll follow up in a few months.”
✅ “Totally fair. If you were to move forward in a few months, what would be the main reason why?”
This lets you know why they want your product, and triggers for your next follow up.
Why do 1.5M+ professionals start their day with The Hustle?
Because it's the only business newsletter that makes you smarter without boring you to death.
Get growth stories, tech trends, and innovation insights in 5 engaging minutes.
The Ultimate Guide For Dressing In Sales
Picture this: You roll up to a construction site meeting wearing your sharpest three-piece suit. The contractor takes one look at you and thinks, "Great, another suit who has no idea what we do here."
Or flip it. You stroll into a boardroom wearing your weekend jeans. The C-suite execs exchange looks that say, "Get a load of this guy…"
Clothes matter. A lot.
Not because your tie is silk or your shoes are Italian. They matter because prospects view your clothes as a signal.
Every time you walk into a room (or turn on your camera), your clothes are broadcasting signals about status, credibility, and whether you "get it" or not.
So we put together the ultimate guide for how to dress in sales, so you don’t have to guess anymore:
Matching Works (And not just colors)
People trust people who feel similar to them. It’s basic psychology.
That’s why “mirroring” shows up in so much sales training. Match someone’s tone. Their pace. Their body language. Subtly.
Clothes are the same thing. A visual mirror. When you look like you belong in the room, the conversation gets smoother. You can influence more easily.
Scientists even have a name for it: enclothed cognition. What you wear changes how you think and what others think about you.
This sales manager gets it…
The Rules: How to Match Without Copying
This isn’t supposed to be a costume dress-up. Nobody wants a salesperson showing up in steel-toed boots if you’ve never set foot on a construction site.
The trick is matching levels. Formal with formal. Casual with casual.
A few rules:
Do your research. Check their LinkedIn, photos from events, even company culture pages.
Match the formality, not the brand. If they’re in polos, don’t outshine them with a tux.
Turn it up one notch. Take their formality and turn it up one notch. Show them you’re serious without trying to outshine them.
Keep your style intact. You should still look like you. Just an adapted version.
Simple Frameworks to Follow
If you want a cheat sheet, here are a few rules to follow:
One-Step-Above Rule: Dress one notch above who you’re meeting.
Cultural Fit: Match the industry’s vibe. A Hoodie or t-shirt can be acceptable in tech. Dress shirt or suit in finance. Jeans and boots for a construction site.
Similarity: Mirror formality and tones to feel familiar.
Three F’s: Fit, Function, Form. Clothes should fit right, work for the setting, and look intentional.
Capsule Wardrobe: Keep a rotation of the basics so you can scale up or down fast.
Easy to remember. Easier to apply.
Buyer Scenarios
Construction or trades: Clean boots, button-down or polo, work vest if you’ve got one. Skip the suit.
Startup founder: Jeans, sneakers, and a sharp shirt. Add a jacket if you want authority without being over the top.
Corporate mid-level buyer: Business casual. Think chinos, an optional blazer, and nice shoes. Nothing flashy.
C-suite: Go formal. Dress shirt. Suit & tie optional, depending on industry. Better to look ready than underdressed.
Zoom calls: Focus on what’s in frame. Nice t-shirt or a shirt with a collar. Clean background.
The Danger Zones
Overdoing it is an easy way to lose trust. And if you mirror too perfectly, it just gets weird.
Don’t ignore cultural or regional norms. A business casual outfit in Silicon Valley looks very different from “business casual” in Dallas.
And finally, don’t assume the top half of your outfit is all that matters on Zoom. Cameras fall. Dogs push doors open. Kids walk in. Please wear pants. (:
Have you ever showed up to a meeting way underdressed or overdressed?
