10 Ways To Make A Positive First Impression With New Clients November 30, 2016My BusinessOff

How do you make a positive first impression to attract high-end clients? Although it’s a cliché to talk about the lasting effects of first impressions, it’s still a true observation.

You know it’s essential for the success of your business to make a good impression on your clients, but have you ever considered exactly how to go about it?

While you may have a few ideas, there are actually 10 powerful techniques you can use to woo clients. Let’s take a look:

  1. Be so good, they can’t ignore you.

The number one concern your clients will have when they first meet you is that they may not get their money’s worth because you are disorganized. Suppose, for example, you invite a client to the office only to find that you had no where to meet them because of poor conference room scheduling. By using cutting-edge software to organize full-service room scheduling, you can arrange the meeting quickly and efficiently. You will win more clients when you can clearly demonstrate that you’re highly efficient and on top of things.

  1. Create a pleasing overall impression.

Think about all the points of contact you have with your clients. Do you talk to them on the phone? Do you e-mail them? Do you send them any documents? Do you meet with them in person? Do they visit your office to consult with you?

Once you have identified all the points of contacts, see how you can make a more positive first impression.

Here are some suggestions:

  • You could get a business coach to improve your telephone conversation skills.
  • You could hire a copywriter to create templates for all your literature, from the emails you send out to the documents clients need to read through to understand your services.
  • You could work with a personal style consultant on your wardrobe, finding clothes that look good on you and fit your personal preferences.
  • You could hire an interior designer to add little touches here and there to improve the look and feel of your office.

Naturally, since this is a huge undertaking, it’s unrealistic to conduct this makeover overnight. However, you can make these changes over the course of a few months.

  1. Really get to know your client.

Research your client online. Visit their website and go to their social media pages. When you meet them in person, you will find many ways to relate to them better. Since you have done your homework, you’ll understand a little bit about their personality, their position at work, and their company.

  1. Research their hobbies.

If you’re fortunate, you may even be able to find out about their hobbies. If you do, then research their hobbies, too. When you speak to them in person, you’ll be able to talk to talk to them about the things that interest them in an informed way.

  1. Be fully engaged when talking to them.

One way to quickly build rapport with new clients is to simply pay attention to them when you meet them in person.

Here are some things, you should not do:

  • ·  Look over their shoulder at other people in the background if you are meeting in a public place.
  • ·  Respond to text messages or calls on your smartphone.
  • ·  Look bored when they happen to be rambling about something that you find quite uninteresting.

It will pay huge dividends to actively listen to what they have to say and offer them the courtesy of your undivided attention.

  1. Get to know their team.

If you’re meeting the clients in a formal setting, like a corporate meeting room, then they will probably have others with them to help them evaluate your proposal.

If this is the case, get to know everyone’s name during the meeting so that you can build rapport with everyone on your client’s team.

  1. Ask good questions.

You have a much greater chance of building rapport with your clients by asking them numerous questions about their needs. Do this even if you happen to know the probable answers or understand their needs better than they do themselves. By asking questions, you’re expressing interest rather than simply dominating the conversation with your expertise.

  1. Avoid talking about yourself too much.

It’s quite easy to begin to talk about yourself to help you calm down, sharing anecdotal stories to fill in awkward gaps in the conversation. It is much better to get clients to share their stories.

  1. Avoid the hard sell.

Remember: nobody likes to be sold, but people love to buy. Provide plenty of information about how well you can do the work without heckling them to use your services.

  1. Be professional in everything that you do.

Be punctual. Stay consistent. And do what you say you will do.

By using these 10 techniques, you have an excellent chance of impressing clients and winning their business. These techniques will help you build rapport with your customers and create a lasting positive impression.

Photo by Pressmaster | Shutterstock

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