The Three Most Important Tips to Making a Good First Impression |
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Posted By: Julie Shenkman In: Sales & Sales Management
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There's an old adage that says, "You'll never get a second chance to make a first impression." In today's fast-paced world where the average attention span seems to be shrinking in direct proportion to the size of computer microchips, those words are truer than ever. Studies have shown that on average, someone makes up their mind about you within the first ten to fifteen seconds of meeting you. For those in sales careers, where each day's bread and butter is earned by the first impressions of our clientele, that miniscule window of time could mean the difference between total success and abject failure.
Even potential employers look for that all-important knack when interviewing sales candidates for positions of employment. Just ask the average sales manager to list the most crucial attributes every great salesman should possess, and you'll consistently find the ability to make a knockout first impression somewhere in the top three. With this in mind you'd think that every travelling salesman and inside sales consultant from here to Timbuktu would be well-versed in the importance of the first impression, but that has proven to be decidedly not so.
Tip #1. The handshake.
We've all been there before. At some point or another, each of us has had the eerie fortune to shake hands with an individual whose idea of a firm handshake is a spot-on impression of a dead fish. This can be surprising and even a bit disturbing to some. Ensure that when you meet someone for the first time, your handshake is firm--but don't overdo it. This is an introduction, not an arm wrestling match.
Tip #2. Use their name.
There's nothing more subconsciously disarming than being addressed by your first name. And so it is that calling a client by their first name generally serves to set them at ease, and reinforces that they are the center of your attention. A word to the wise: When addressing someone with a title, such as a doctor, it can be advantageous to refer to them by their title. Think of it this way--anyone who went to school that long deserves to have their title recognized.
Tip #3. Watch your appearance.
Nothing says more about you than the way you present yourself. The fact is, we live in a materialistic and somewhat superficial society--and there's nothing wrong with embracing that. Using it to your advantage could be one of the smartest moves you'll make.
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