Harness the power of the beard

In a year of lockdowns, many more men are sporting beards and a recent piece of academic research suggests that could be a plus for those of them working in sales and service areas.

What does the research say?

The authors of It grows on you: Perceptions of sales/service personnel with facial hair conducted five studies using a variety of male ethnicities and sales contexts.

• Sales personnel with a beard are perceived as having more expertise across various industries.
• Increased perceptions of expertise predict higher ratings of trustworthiness and, subsequently, increase consumers’ purchase likelihood.
• This holds true across race, ethnicity, perceived attractiveness and also for both online and in-person sales.

Key quote

“Your LinkedIn profile and marketing materials may benefit from the subtle cue conveyed by donning a beard” – Sarah Mittal, assistant professor of marketing at St. Edward’s University, Austin, Texas.

Sourced from Journal of Business Research, Fast Company