As we head into the weekend, I’m rewarded with the opportunity to spend precious time with my daughter, Madeline. “Maddels,” the name given by her older brother at birth, is here on a two week stay from her home in Australia. This is her first trip to the U.S. since leaving over a year and a half ago, and I intend to make the most of our time together while she is here. Last night, we shared some quality time together, catching up on all thing’s father/daughter. She left behind the boyfriend of 3 years and was sharing with me how hard it was to leave him at the Sydney airport, knowing that they wouldn’t see each other for 2 weeks. Awe… to be young and in love. She reminded me about the first time she introduced me to Russell and how anxious she was about how that would go. What would my impression be of him, and what would “Rusty” think of me? To be clear, I love the kid. He’s a good man and he makes my daughter happy. What else can a dad ask of the young man dating his daughter? But you can be sure that in that first meeting, I was taking a mental inventory of every detail. This brings me to my point. First impressions matter a great deal. Afterall, they last forever.
If you care at all about building relationships, then you need to manage the art of the first impression. If you don’t, you could miss out on major opportunities to boost your ability to grow in a variety of ways. First impressions are more than just moments, they can affect perception, and as I often say, “Perception is reality.”
If you don’t leverage first impressions correctly, your clients might get the wrong idea in their head. If the initial interaction with you is negative in some way, that might be the only memory that stays with them long term. I call it, “Impression Momentum.” Momentum is a powerful force. If you build positive momentum with those around you and make excellent impressions right of the bat, it can build into something really special. If a customer has a negative experience at some point during their journey, they will be more likely to forgive you. It is a lot harder to reverse positive momentum when it’s been building for weeks, months, or years.
Long gone are the days where real estate agents had the luxury of taking their time to win customers over. Today, technology and digital communication have fast-tracked everything, in every corner of the world. Consumers are online with their phones almost all-day consuming information and sales messages from your competitors. In today’s world, we need to act swiftly to make a good first impression, then competently to gain the client’s confidence. Once we have the client’s loyalty, this leads to referrals, which we all know is one of the most cost-effective ways to grow your business.
The first impression itself is valuable. However, it is beneficial to acknowledge what creates a great first impression. From sharpening your presentation skills, to improving your physical appearance, to surrounding yourself with the right people, what you go through on your journey to an amazing first impression will lift your business.
When it comes to running a business, you need to have the right strategies and tactics so you can beat your competitors in the market. However, this is sometimes easier said than done. If you are able to generate first impressions that are better than the rest, then you’ll gain an edge in cultivating profitable customers for life. In mastering the art of the first impression, your business will surely succeed now and going forward.
Have a great weekend everyone.
TERRY Talks 