Several years ago, the photographer who got me into this biz (Stephen Webster) was having a birthday and his wife bought him the newly (re)released original Planet of the Apes movies, which he desperately wanted. She wanted to surprise him with it at a dinner they were going to have, with another couple, in a nice restaurant. The surprise? Someone in a gorilla suit would deliver it during the meal. But the person she had lined up bailed.

I volunteered. She happily accepted my offer.

I put on that gorilla suit (and blacked out around my eyes to make sure he wouldn’t recognize me), on a Saturday early evening, in mid-July Columbus, Ohio heat, and walked down the sidewalk (gorilla-style, of course), making ape noises at people. I was carrying the gift in a bag. I “gorilla-ed” into the restaurant, right past the maitre d’, and found the foursome. Then the fun really started. I abused the poor victim (and the others some), pulled hair, sniffed bits, put my fingers into food, made lots of ape-ish noises, and even threw bread. Then I presented the gift, made very excited ape noises, beat my chest, and left, still gorilla-ing all the way, unrevealed.

The people in the place laughed and stared and everyone had a great time. And the next Monday, at the studio, Steve told me the story of what had happened, saying how amazing the ape had been, how the person really pulled it off, and that he couldn’t figure out who it was! He was stunned when he found out it had been me.

Why am I sharing this story? Because I was completely liberated by that suit. I could never imagine doing half what I did in my regular clothes, but wearing the costume, I could be the ape. You can do the same in your business. One day when you have a client meeting– a new potential client– dress they way you think a really top-of-the-line photographer would dress. Spend the money on a really great outfit, and when you go to the meeting, play the role of the fabulous photographer. Just go with it. Do this especially if you are normally shy and self-deprecating. Pretend you are everything you want to be, everything you imaging a “real” photographer would be. Just have fun with it.

As others have said, fake it until you make it. In this case, don’t fake the creative but do fake the personal image. Wear a costume and play the role. At worst, you’ll have fun and not get the project. At best, you’ll get the project and be one big step closer to making real the imaginary person you were portraying.