The best ways to make a good first impression.

What are some of the best ways you know of for making a good first impression? -Thomas

Nice topic, Thomas.

Be interested in others. -Skip Anderson

Professionalism! -robhalv1

How do you get that across in a first impression? -Thomas

Knowledge and expertise combined with a sincere desire to help your clients! -robhalv1

Enjoy the moment - genuinely. (not always easy but amazing when you do..) -Sam Deeks

I'm never sure what anyone else sees in a good impression first or otherwise, Thomas. THAT's a good question to probe that you ask. I know what makes a good impression on me, though.

I'll limit this to a sales situation. When someone offers me something and his or her language is clear and descriptive, to the point, and is free of rhetorical questions but sticks to a YES or NO close-ended question for me to make, that makes a good impression on me.

When a conversation begins ear-to-ear or face-to-face and the other person continues to ask and answer questions clearly with either YES or NO close-ended responses OR responses that either ask for clarification or provide important conditions of satisfaction details, that makes a good impression.

Also, when the other person doesn't try to become my friend or use selling/closing techniques such as equivocation (to name one), that also makes a good impression on me.

When the other person is polite and attentive that also makes a good impression on me.

Are you thinking of a specific selling situation, Thomas?

MitchM -MitchM

Mitch, can you give an example of equivocation as a selling technique? -klozer

Equivocation is such a huge topic with so many varieties of ambiguity - it's the stuff of which advertising and sales is made of - in crude form it's called bait and switch.

It's single words playing connotative against denotative meanings against one another, syllogisms, figures-of-speech - the misleading use of words with more than one meaning to get the buyer it to believe what the seller wants the buyer to believe. I'm sure you know these things.

"So the last thing you want, Mitch, is to lose all your hard earned savings in this uncertain economic climate. You earned it, you deserve to keep it, and you want it to not only be protected but to grow in value. That's security, Mitch. That's planning for the future. We can show you a way to not only protect it and grow it, but also make it last. You earn it first and we make it last!"

MitchM -MitchM

What's wrong with what the salesperson is saying. I don't understand. :dun -realtor

As a closing technique it doesn't make a good impression on me, realtor. "Also, when the other person doesn't try to become my friend or use selling/closing techniques such as equivocation (to name one), that also makes a good impression on me." - MitchM

One of the best ways of making a good impression on me and keeping it that way is when I say I want XYZ you ask me questions to know exactly with details are important to me, keep all rhetorical questions, equivocations, all closing techniques out of the process FROM THE BEGINNING, and strictly stick to the facts of the sale.

What this imaginary salesman is saying may not be wrong - I just don't need it or want to hear it.

What's right about it in your opinion?

MitchM -MitchM

It looked fine to me. It didn't look like a closing technique. It looked pre-planned but if the shoe fits that's okay to me. -realtor

Yea, it could be that too front, back or middle end. I guess what I'm saying is like saying I like very spicy hot spicy chili but don't give me chili that isn't spicy hot - it won't impress me. Sometimes it's a matter of taste, realtor.

I once thought about getting into the real estate business. "What are some of the best ways you know of for making a good first impression?" - Topic of thread.

MitchM -MitchM

That's true. Good point. -realtor

MitchM, after several months of reading your posts, I've concluded that you are simply hyper-sensitive to salespeople, and you have a strong dislike of salespeople even though you are one yourself. I could be incorrect, but that's the impression I get.

In my experience, 99% of prospects are:

...more forgiving than you seem to be
...more flexible than you seem to be
...more willing to be "sold" than you seem to be

That doesn't mean you're a bad person, or that there's anything wrong with you. But it does mean that inexperienced salespeople reading these forum posts should understand that you (as you describe yourself) are not a typical prospect. It would be unfortunate if inexperienced salespeople reading these posts would conclude that many or most or all prospects have as strong a dislike of salespeople as you do.

Many prospects have their guard up, but most eventually let their guard down and are willing to have healthy dialogue with a salesperson without so many conditions (and maybe even have some fun in the process). I think it's important for less experienced or new salespeople who hang out here to know that.

Skip -Skip Anderson

"But it does mean that inexperienced salespeople reading these forum posts should understand that you (as you describe yourself) are not a typical prospect. It would be unfortunate if inexperienced salespeople reading these posts would conclude that many or most or all prospects have as strong a dislike of salespeople as you do." -- Skip

I believe I am typical in many ways AND I do not have a strong dislike of salespeople which is your conclusion - not my indication. BUT there have been some I haven't liked along with those I have liked. Even experienced salespeople reading these posts might learn something important to them if they were to cultivate an open and clear mind.

Skip. I meet weekly and have for years with a Business Networking International (BNI) sales group and many are my personal friends - very few have I disrespected. The same goes for the people I've done business with in my life.

The extreme you go to to convolute my posts is exceptional, Skip, when my posts would be a primer for inexperienced salespeople. For example:"I'll limit this to a sales situation. When someone offers me something and his or her language is clear and descriptive, to the point, and is free of rhetorical questions but sticks to a YES or NO close-ended question for me to make, that makes a good impression on me.

When a conversation begins ear-to-ear or face-to-face and the other person continues to ask and answer questions clearly with either YES or NO close-ended responses OR responses that either ask for clarification or provide important conditions of satisfaction details, that makes a good impression.

Also, when the other person doesn't try to become my friend or use selling/closing techniques such as equivocation (to name one), that also makes a good impression on me.

When the other person is polite and attentive that also makes a good impression on me." -- MitchM

Inexperienced and otherwise salespeople would be wise to study that post and contemplate themselves - I think and feel like many buyers think and feel.

BUT Skip, rather than once again commenting on my posts why don't you add something of value as I always do my best to do and post in reference to the poster's topic - what can you add to that rather than conclude things about me?

MitchM -MitchM

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Story one: I took a call and the seller on the other end offered me expanded service and lower rates for my mobile phone. As she began asking me questions before giving me a chance to speak I interrupted and said: Excellent! I want expanded services and what I'm paying now is $55 monthly. What will my new service include and my new rates be?"

She began to explain something I found difficult to follow and again began asking me questions so I repeated what I had said ending with: "That's exactly what I want. Can you give it to me."

She then said that my rates would be increased to $65 BUT that was lower than previous rates for the new expanded services she would tell me about. I interrupted her and said I wanted to go back to what she had said in the beginning and I only wanted two things: 1. expanded services at 2. rates lower than $55 monthly as she had led me to believe.

She hung up on me.
---------
Story two: I got a call a couple of weeks ago from someone wanting to contract drive way plowing this winter. I gave him an emphatic NO. He then said he could also do plowing by the job if that were something I wanted. I said I might and I took his number. We ended the call and I presume he continued to make his calls.
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Caller #2 left a good impression with me while caller #1 did not. I respect anyone in a sales job who listens to me, respects my YES or NO, and doesn't try to change my mind from a NO to a YES. Likewise, I do not respect a deceptful or misleading question or statement.

I also respect the options I am given if they are clear, concise, and direct as long as I can give a YES or NO and that continues to be respected.

I find trust and respect in even a two minute business relationship happens or doesn't every time. The same is true in a business meeting. The good impression comes from trust and respect which comes from the kind of dialogue story #2 illustrates.

MitchM -MitchM

Yeah, I actually agree with both. It really depends how the buyer WANTS to be sold. This is where having a good judgment of character comes in handy. This way you adjust your style to theirs.

Conversely there are people that are actually IMPRESSED with hyperbole... ever notice those annoying little interruptions during the Super Bowl? shds;

Anyways, sincere enthusiasm is a great impression maker, imo. -klozer

Maybe I misunderstand you, klozer. Do you really believe some buyers like to be sold by deception? Do you believe that if the seller can adjust to the buyer and "instinctively" knows the buyer likes deception it's okay to sell that way?

MitchM -MitchM

No body wants to be deceived, Mitch. But some do require a more colorful picture than others. It's that old "sell the sizzle, not the steak" adage. Some just want the steak- you. Others love that sizzle... (mmmmm, Ruuuuth's Chriiiiiiiiis).....
neither is deceiving, right?

Not even my example, Super Bowl commercials and their hype, implied deception... they dont lie do they?... I mean, we all know that a six pack of beer isnt going to necessarily make us popular with the babes, right?

Not to mention- your example, which I was referring to, was:

"So the last thing you want, Mitch, is to lose all your hard earned savings in this uncertain economic climate. You earned it, you deserve to keep it, and you want it to not only be protected but to grow in value. That's security, Mitch. That's planning for the future. We can show you a way to not only protect it and grow it, but also make it last. You earn it first and we make it last!"-- Mitch

And I don't see any deception... -klozer

I misunderstood. I thought you were saying the gal who solicited me for the phone service did it in an honorable way whereas I say she was deceptive. Now I see you weren't saying that.

MitchM -MitchM

I would say being professional and sincere makes the best first impression. -MoneyMaker

But would that really be a "lasting" first impression?

Either way you go, ENTHUSIASM is key... imo -klozer

Show up with a cup of coffee for the prospect.

Might be better suited to the second meeting, once you know if they take sugar or not. Might sound funny, but it works for me.

Starbucks if you're in the US.
Tim Horton's if you're in Canada


Localman -localman

As Sales Trainers, the best way to make best first impression is to walk the talk. Practice what you preach or you become anecdotal rather than experiential to people you train. -alfredo n. gavino

impression, an effect produced on the mind.
First impression the first effect on the mind.

The first effect must be how we appear. Do we appear that we want to be in the situation we are in.Does that convey to the client that we want to help them. It is our facial expression,how we walk,are we smiling do we look confused or confusing.
Our clients judge us right from the first look.Is your look oh no I gotta go or hey this person is here to help me.I know right away when a sales person wants to help or is put off with nothing spoken.

After this point I may decide if I want to tolerate the sales person working with them or if I really like them.This either builds a start to a friend relationship or the start of some resistance.
Speaking on the phone it still is the appearance. Do they sound like they are happy to be working with me or is this just their job.Are they speaking clear or mumbling.How is there greeting does it inspire or fade.

When the first impression is positive the relationship goes well. When it is negative the sales person must work harder gaining trust and value.
After the first impression there is no other impression. You are there to help or your not. These are facts in the client mind at this point. -rich34232

I agree first impressions are important. But visual impressions are not always the first impressions.

What if you sell on the phone? You make an aural iimpression, not a visual one. What if the first impression in an in-person sales call is the salesperson's irritating Billy-Mays-like voice? That would be a negative impression based upon sound. What if the salesperson smelled like an ashtray? That would be a first impression based upon smell.

First impressions go beyond the visual, imo. -Skip Anderson

Skip, third paragraph addresses phone impression. -rich34232

When someone is walking towards you.the first impression is visual. They cannot smell across the room,down the hall ,again the first impression is visual.
If you walk like you do not want to be there it does not matter what you smell like. The smell becomes a second impression and so on.The ony reason visual could not be the first impression ,if they are blind.Then the first impression will be based on sound or smell.
I would hope those that handle the hiring process would consider someones voice as a key part of the process.It is true a someones voice can be awful to another.I remember the story of Mary Harts voice that would send this person into convulsions.Personally I am not concerrned with the less than 1 %.
With phones it is easy to tell if someone is happy to call or if it is their job to call and bother you. -rich34232

Be genuine. Let your personality come out. When being natural, people can see that. In addition, when you are pretending to be someone you are not, they will also see that as well. -Jumpman

Easy!!

S.E.X.

Smile: Puts people at ease. Easier to talk to someone smiling than someone who looks pissed.
Eye to eye contact: Shows they can trust you. If you can't look me in the eye then you are probably lying.
X-citment: Builds impulse and gets the customer excited. Excitement sells!! -jrboyd