Precious time is spent preparing to persuade prospects into putting pen to paper to finalize proposals. Make sure that in addition to a well written proposal, you yourself are also prepared with how you will speak, act, and conduct yourself.

The same approach does not work for every client or situation. Being comfortable with modulations to your style is paramount – everything from your demeanor, vocal cadence, mannerisms, attire, and level of formality  need to be adjustable dependent on your audience, and your role. Sometimes you need to be extremely bold and confident while taking charge, other times you need to be comfortable knowing how to take a back seat while letting others lead. There are situations where formal suits and extreme precision and preparation are required, then there are times when it’s better to be more fluid and adaptive, while also potentially dressing a little less rigorously.

What I mean by that is – being able to read an environment, your audience, the situation, and the setting will serve you very well. This doesn’t mean be inauthentic, but rather be able to tailor your approach to meet the needs of the client in order achieve your goals.

For this polished but less formal outfit, I paired a navy skirt with a silk blouse. It’s significantly less formal than suit separates as I’m not wearing a blazer, but because of its dark coloring still provides an appropriate formality for a client that shuns suits but does prefer a more classic and traditional appearance. Or for example, if you were going to meet with a client’s end user stakeholders, and didn’t want to come across as threatening – wearing navy instead of black is a good start, and then opting to ditch a blazer can also seem a bit more approachable; especially when they are likely in far more casual clothing. I love this skirt – found it along with the top this winter at NameDroppers. I didn’t have anything like it as I am only in the last few years starting to build out my navy basic pieces. Having a great navy skirt with a pretty cut (not a full pencil skirt but instead offers just a slight bit of room to it – which is great because it doesn’t have any split to contend with).

Consider the parameters you need to prepare for, and then poise yourself properly.

All my best,

Outfit Details: Top: Vince Skirt: Chanel Coat: Dolce & Gabbana Purse: Prada Shoes: Prada Sunglasses: Louis Vuitton Gloves: Overland Necklace: Pearls Earrings: Pearls Bracelet: Gold Bangle & David Yurman Hose: Leggs