As much as we would like to believe that function trumps fashion, this isn’t always the case when it comes to business and selling your various products and services. People make their first impressions based on what they see and they can extrapolate all sorts of hidden meanings based on this initial impression.

Let’s say, for example, that you run a high-tech company of some kind. You invite a client over to your office for a brief meeting, escorting them over to your conference room. You’ve set up a PowerPoint presentation to run through some of your key points, but when the meeting begins, you discover that your ancient projector isn’t working properly. Clients expect a high-tech company to use state-of-the-art equipment and your 10+ year old projector projects the wrong kind of image.

Similarly, let’s say you are a freelance graphic designer and you decide to meet at your potential client’s office to show off some of the designs that you have created. By and large, graphic designers will make use of an Apple MacBook and most companies will expect as much. If you show up with an industrial-strength Panasonic ToughBook instead, you may be giving off the wrong kind of image. Does this mean that you will be ineffective as a designer? Of course not, but you could be swaying your client in a certain direction.

Appearances mean a lot. In order for your customers, business associates, and other acquaintances to truly appreciate the function side of your products, you may have to first acquaint them with the fashion side.