Getting past hidden faces an opportunity for your brand. That sounds a bit strange, doesn’t it?

Prosopagnosia is the term for face blindness. Some people, including famous people, deal with it. During this public health emergency, we all have issues recognizing people with masks on, especially indoors. It’s an odd feeling.

Recently, I saw an article about this from The New York Times about how face blindness bothers people.

And reading that article gave me a start.

Two Ways to be Recognized

People still recognize me even with a mask on. I didn’t know why until now.

I wear my purple BCG ball cap.

When I have a mask on, people don’t look for that. They look for my ball cap.

It’s in a recognizable color with BCG in the front.

I always have my ball cap on. Sometimes people don’t have to look at my ball cap.

They can look at my shirt. I usually (but not always) wear my purple BCG polo shirt when I go out because I want to be recognized.

I want people to see my website address on the back of my shirt and my ball cap.

But I’ve noticed something else: People are happier when they see me. Others recognize me. I’m getting past hidden faces — mine and theirs. They see that I’m making an effort to connect with them through my company clothing.

Connect with Your Clothes

If you don’t have any casual, branded clothes you can wear, consider buying some. How much you want to pay depends on what you want. You can find a company that sells business casual clothes and related services in your area through a Google search.

Use solid colors that get attention. White and black tend to blend in. Primary colors, or combinations of primary colors, are better.

Yes, the type of shirt you buy matters a lot.

Silk-screened T-shirts are good for most uses. They may not be formal enough for certain events or visiting new clients, and silk screening wears off over time.

Embroidery is much better if you want your message to last. It’s more expensive, too.

And, yes, clothing eventually wears out over time.

Like many other business expenses, clothing is an investment. If you’re having problems connecting in person, then getting past hidden faces in other non-verbal ways is well worth it.

That is, if you wear them.

Eric Butow is the owner of Butow Communications Group (BCG). Eric can help you communicate effectively through your website. Set up a meeting with BCG!