Do you start you day at your computer while still wearing your pajamas and bunny slippers? Has dressing up become a pair of jeans and Ugg boots? When you have to leave the house for a networking event do you break out in a sweat wondering what to wear? As soon as you meet others in person they are forming an opinion of you. People make lasting judgments about YOU, and YOUR ABILITY to BE SUCCESSFUL in fewer than 7 seconds

And you never get a second chance to make that first impression. And every time you are working with clients, you have to be sure you cement that first impression and thus increase your chances for success. . Even, if you are just dropping something off, you still need to look put together in casual wear. You never know who you may run into and who can help your business excel. You want to meet your clients expectations, that they are dealing with a credible professional. If you want to expand your business, pay attention to the details and be your personal best. Wear the yoga pants and hoodies in your off time.

We spend countless hours and money on getting our marketing materials looking just so, so that we can develop our branding message. Think of yourself as a product too. So throwing on just anything when you are “the face” of your business will not serve you well. Of course, image doesn’t substitute for expertise, talent and skills, but the wrong image can block those qualities and make securing clients needlessly difficult.

So here are some wardrobe and image pitfalls to avoid when working from home.

• ^{Grabbing just ‘any-ol’ thing’ from the closet and not caring about your BRAND. Yes, YOU are your own walking business card!}
• ^{Not attending to your hair}
• ^{Not checking clothing for odors,stains, rips or wearing wrinkled,rumpled clothing}
• ^{Not attending to your hands, nails and cuticles. Chipped polish and ragged nails are no-no’s. It looks unprofessional}
• ^{Thinking you that you will be perceived as a polished professional with the ‘absolutely no makeup look’. A BIG WRONG-O. You don’t need to do a total glamour look everyday but learn how to apply a nice daytime look that is easy to maintain}
• ^{Arriving looking like a ‘bag lady”. Get professional looking totes/padfolio etc. to carry}
• ^{Wearing dated (PLEASE let the 80’s and 90’s suits go), ill fitting clothing}
• ^{And last but not least…Wearing shoes that are not in good repair, dirty, worn down heels,soles and scuffs.}