First Impressions

The first few minutes of a meeting will either endear you to a potential buyer or turn him off. Your chances of impressing him can be increased dramatically if you keep the following principles in mind:

1. Be conscious of your body language.
   • Shake hands firmly — but don't break any bones! A caution though: not all cultures shake hands, let alone firmly. Be conscious of who you are dealing with. Generally the more prolonged the handshake, the stronger the signal that you have been accepted.
   • Maintain eye contact. Focus on the person's eyes without staring.
   • Smile warmly. Show your genuine happiness at meeting the person with a broad, relaxed smile.
2. You'll know that your greeting has not been accepted if the person does any of the following:
   • leans away from you
   • looks puzzled
   • fails to smile
   • crosses arms
   • fidgets with hands
   • fails to reciprocate with a firm handshake
   • sits with legs crossed and moves away from you
3. If your first approach did not work, consider Plan B. You should
   • not begin to present ideas until you know there is interest in hearing what you have to say/show
   • ask open-ended questions to get them more involved and give you clues as to the reason for their lack of enthusiasm
   • listen to what they are saying — verbally and non-verbally
   • maintain your positive and enthusiastic approach — albeit somewhat toned down
   • behave as if you have been accepted so as not to show disappointment in any way
4. Dress appropriately. Dress codes differ widely depending on

• the industry
• the rank of the individual within the organization
• the part of the country you are in
• whether your customer is in a rural or urban area
• the size of the organization
• the age of the person you are visiting
• For example:
  • People in the high-tech industry would probably feel comfortable meeting someone dressed in business casual.
  • If in doubt, dress conservatively. For example, a man from the Middle East might not take seriously a saleswoman wearing an above-the-knee skirt.
  • Some situations call for you to dress down. For example, a farmer might feel alienated by a salesman in a three-piece suit.

In summary, first impressions are best made when you

• smile warmly
• greet people with a firm handshake
• look people in the eye
• show interest in them as people, not just as prospects
• dress similarly to them, or perhaps one notch more formal, but never more casual
• wear clean, pressed clothes
• are properly groomed
• do not reek of cologne
• look the part