How do I make a positive first impression with my clients?
Everyone makes mistakes. Fortunately, however, they can be rectified in many cases. If the wrong amount of money is transferred, it can be reversed; if the wrong information is given, it can be corrected with a polite apology.
In business matters too, there is a ‘second chance’ that allows for an error to be straightened out and which sometimes can even be turned into an advantage. But there is one time when this is not the case: The first impression.
Making a good first impression is an opportunity that must be maximised. The old saying holds true: You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Research has shown that first impressions are of critical importance for three out of four buyers – that is a whopping 75%. Some aspects of your external appearance play a role here, but mostly it is what you say, how you say it and also what is conveyed non-verbally.
It’s all about tone of voice, gestures, facial expressions and body language, and it’s about capturing the mood in which the customer finds them self at that moment.
The following points can help you make a positive first impression on the customer:
- Approach the customer attentively and with a friendly smile
- Observe the customer – how do they respond? Are they reserved or receptive, cautious or forthcoming?
- Take the emotionality of the customer seriously
- Try to adjust yourself to the mood of the customer
- Give the customer the feeling that you accept and understand them. Create common ground this way, which will leave the customer with good memories and which will shape their future relationship with you.
Do you already take all of those factors into consideration? If not, try to pay attention to them, and you will quickly see that you will have greater success with them.