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Never
Underestimate The Power Of Your First Impression
by Bill Brooks, CEO of
The Brooks Group
A
salesperson’s first impression on a prospect can often help to
make or break a sale. It seems obvious to most of us, but there
are still some salespeople out there who do not grasp the
importance of their first impression on a prospect.
Communicating a lasting positive first impression will heighten
your sales performance as well as your sales success. Here are
eight tips that you can use to improve the way that you first
meet your prospects:
1.
Above all, you should portray a confident but not
superior manner. A lack of one’s self-confidence is readily
apparent to most anyone, and if you don’t act like you believe
in yourself, how is your prospect supposed to believe in you and
your product or service? Try to act with confidence while at the
same time preventing yourself from appearing arrogant. This
subtle line between confidence and arrogance is sometimes easily
crossed, so keep this in mind as you first meet your prospect.
2.
Of course, a clean, neat appearance is essential to
making a positive first impression. Showing up wearing wrinkled
or dirty clothes and sporting unkempt hair will do nothing but
suggest a lack of respect for your prospect. Ralph Waldo Emerson
once said, “A person’s style is that person’s mind’s
voice,” so try to remember this when you approach your
prospect for the first time. Do your best to dress slightly
above, but never below the type of prospect you are calling on.
3.
Another seemingly obvious, yet sometimes-forgotten tip is
simply to smile. Smiling fosters a positive atmosphere, which is
exactly what you want if you hope to eventually finalize any
transaction.
4.
When conversing with your prospect for the first time,
try to use his or her name. Practicing this tip will help you
greatly because when you address a person by using their name,
you let that prospect know that he or she is important enough to
you for you to remember their name. Remember, however, to
pronounce that person’s name correctly. This simple mistake
can cause you a fatal setback in your attempt to make the sale.
5.
Setting a tone of importance is a key aspect in creating
a positive first impression. A casual or nonchalant attitude is
certain to raise questions in the mind of the prospect. That
prospect is likely to wonder if you, as a salesperson, are
serious about the value of your product or service. He or she
may also wonder how important fulfilling his or her needs,
solving a problem or filling a want really is to you.
6.
You should definitely avoid being apologetic for taking
your prospect’s time. Extensive apologies simply raise
questions in the prospect’s mind regarding your confidence in
yourself and your product or service. If you think it is
necessary to apologize for taking up a prospect’s time, then
you obviously don’t think that your product or service is
worth that prospect’s time.
7.
Another very important tip is to be comfortable and
relaxed. If you exude a lack of comfort in meeting your prospect
for the first time, then you are sure to inspire the same
feeling in that prospect. You need to be absolutely sure that
your prospect feels at ease with talking to you about his or her
wants and needs. The first step to establishing a comfortable
relationship is for you to be comfortable yourself.
8.
Finally, you should position yourself through everything
you say or do. The first encounter between yourself and your
prospect can set the stage for the rest of your professional
relationship. If you say antagonizing or distracting things, you
jeopardize this necessary positive relationship. Simply remember
to avoid these types of things and you will certainly position
yourself correctly.
Yes, first
impressions are lasting impressions, and many salespeople tend
to forget this old, but simple truth. By behaving in accordance
with these eight tips you should be better able to establish
positive, fruitful relationships with your prospects from the
very start. All sales relationships start with the
salesperson’s first impression on his or her prospect, so
don’t ruin your chances from the beginning. Remember, people
pay attention to people whom they perceive as having something
important to say to them. This is often communicated positively
or negatively—in the first 30 seconds of the sale. You might
win it or lose it right there. It’s up to you!
Bill Brooks is
CEO of The Brooks Group, an international sales training and
business growth firm based in Greensboro NC. For more
information click on this site: www.thebrooksgroup.com.
If
you would like to receive The Brooks Group’s free e-mail
monthly Sales or Sales Management newsletter e-mail: Barbara@thebrooksgroup.com
or call The Brooks Group at
800-633-7762.
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