First impressions mean everything in business…
As you are more than likely well aware, when it comes to business, meeting people is one of the most important parts of it; whether you’re working in a shop meeting customers directly or networking at a convention. Your first impression needs to be a good one and you need to make that impression last.
Yourself
If you’re attending events, going to dinner with prospective clients it’s important to be neat and tidy. We’re not saying you need to have a suit and tie on 24/7, but we are suggesting that you don’t arrive in clothes you would consider wearing to paint the lounge at the weekend.
Your attitude needs to be one of confidence and ability. If you are going to make people feel welcome in your retail outlet or at another event then you need to be friendly and know what you’re talking about. If your customer or potential client has a question you need to be confident in your reply, even if you don’t know the answer. Don’t mess around if you can’t answer a question, always tell them so and that you’ll do your best to find out for them.
Never be embarrassed or rattled by someone if you can’t help them, this is a sign of under confidence and it will only serve to make you appear unprofessional. If this happens to you or any of your staff take it away and use it to learn from in future meetings and training seminars.
Your staff
It’s difficult to get your staff to appear and act exactly as you’d like, simply because they have rights. However you can encourage a general smart appearance if they are due to work directly with the public or represent your business is any way at all. The best way to ensure this happens is to advertise the job with your expectations, or at least make them clear during an interview. If your potential staff member is aware they will have to wear a uniform and it is perhaps written into their contract then you can insist on this.
As for their overall manner and the way they are with your customers and clients, this can be a little bit like a lottery. You can never be too sure what a staff member will turn out like until they are actually doing the job they’re being paid for. It’s important to monitor new staff and old staff equally in order to ensure your standards are kept and any training required can be organised as quickly as possible. Remember that if your staff aren’t doing what you want them to you must first ask yourself whether you have explained what you want clearly enough.
To conclude
Once you’ve made a good first impression in any business and in any department you can guarantee a repeat visit or the chance to do other business In many ways people buy people as much as products and ideas in business, and if you can sell your customers and clients that then you have the makings of a sound business.
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