Making a good first impression is very important in sales, whether you sell over the phone or in person.
We tend to judge the people we meet within the first 10 seconds and decide who they are or if they are worth listening to.
Before that we also make assumptions based on their appearance, this decision takes place during the first few seconds.
Part 4 of the series “Selling in Steps”
This is the fourth part of this series “Selling in Steps” designed to help you improve as a salesman and by using a step by step methodology make a lot more sales.
See the first three parts here, activity, cold calling and referrals.
Making a good first impression
Most first impressions are made over the phone.
We call to book a meeting or we call to make a sale.
In these first 10 seconds that it takes for them to make their decision it isn’t so much what you say that matters. It is how you say it.
Do you sound interesting?
Does it sound like you are going to take a long time to say whatever you are going to say?
How to Sound Interesting
- Speak up!
When calling someone for the first time, raise your voice and wake them up.
Show them, here I am, this is me and now you better listen.
- Get to the point
Present the reason for your call in the first 10 seconds.
If it takes the customer more than 10 seconds to figure out what you want they will get bored and just try to get out of it, they will shut down and just start looking for the exit.
- Tempo Changes
To keep someone interested you have to keep changing your tempo. There is nothing more annoying than listening to someone talk and talk in the same tone of voice at the same speed, even if they do speak up.
Change your tempo; underline important sentences by slowing down and saying them clearly.
Raise the tempo when you want to customer to get excited and when you want to show how much you feel about the product and its values.
First impressions in person
For those of you who are making a first impression in person.
The things you need to think about are a bit different or maybe I should say, there are two more things you need to think about.
Appearance
They both have to do with your appearance, as it is the only difference between selling over the phone and in person, they see you.
Clothes
Dress proper, dress like your customers expect you to dress.
If it is a suite they expect to see, where a suite.
If it is jeans and a flannel t-shirt, that is what you should be wearing.
Read more about the importance of clothes in sales, here.
Smile
Always smile when meeting someone for the first time.
The act of smiling makes people relax and feel happy themselves.
A smile alone can make up for any short coming in any of the other tips in this article.
Conclusion
Use the fact that after 10 seconds your customers have made their decision.
Work on making the first 10 seconds of your presentation, interesting, compelling and worth listening to. Speak up, get to the point and underline something by slowing down, all in the first 10 seconds.
Action Exercises
1. Look at your script; see if you can find anything that you can do to make you get to the point faster.
2. Try speaking a little louder to your customers during the first 10 seconds, to get their attention, and then lower your voice to your regular level. The difference in how many customers listen to you can be quite large.
What do you think?
How important do you think first impressions are?
Is there anything else you can do to make a better impression?
Photo Credit: Nifty
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