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First Impression

In: Business and Management

Submitted By kajolkarmoker
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We never get a second chance to make a first impression

Communication is the art of convincing others. A key to effective communication is to make a good first impression. Once we set a good first impression, they frequently stay with us for the life of the relationship. Unfortunately, bad fist impressions have a way of ending even the most profitable relationships before they begin. An initial impression-- whether it is good or bad-- is made within the first three seconds. The first few moments of any contact often affect our relationship with the individual for a lifetime. With our customers, the outcome of the first impression we make can affect our style of life for years to come. Everything we do and say—or fail to do and say—will ultimately affect the impression we make on the people we meet. The key variables that can make the first impression good are voice, appearance, cultural considerations, eye contact, body language, interests, smile, listener, and feel important.
Voice can make or break us before we even meet our prospect face to face. If a salesperson speaks badly—mumbles, whines, talks too fast—it can turn people off. To overcome mumbling, we should take the time to enunciate our words. We should slow down, punctuate our speech using phrases& pauses to meet the people. A “vocal workout” using long, sustained sounds and vowel exercises will add power to our voice.
Appearance: Are we clean or neat? Are our clothes not neat, but appropriate for the job at hand? What about shoes? Are they well shined? They present a consistently neat, attractive appearance that makes a pleasant first impression. If our appearance doesn’t match our customers’ expectations, we will loose customers. Does the company have a uniform that specifies what we should wear? Certain clothes naturally go with certain products. It would be inappropriate to wear jeans and a

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