Like it or not, people judge other people. Within seconds of meeting a person, they have already formed a set of opinions known as the all-important first impression. The tendency is to become frustrated with this well-known human behavior. But learning to understand it is far more advantageous than trying to fight it.
To understand first impressions, we must ask ourselves why they are formed to begin with. Sometimes it is to defend ourselves from those who would do us harm and other times it is to see how we measure up against someone else. It is also an attempt to efficiently choose the relationships we believe are worth having. Therefore, your goal should be to focus on what is in your power to have a positive impact on a prospect and make yourself worth their time:
Smile. Smiling at another person lets them know that you have no wish to hurt them. It reassures them that they can safely lower their guard a little. As a salesperson, make this a habit whenever you approach someone.- Be helpful and polite. Think about how you can help them, not about how they may help you. Most people can spot a self-interested person a mile away. Treat them with the same respect you have for yourself.
- Be confident. This is not the same as being pushy. Although it can be possible to strong-arm a prospect into a sale, this should always be avoided. Not only does it give them a negative first impression of you, but word may spread causing other potential customers to bring preconceived notions about you to the table.
It’s been the case time and again that customers are willing to pay more for a product or service if they can deal with a salesperson that they feel cares about their needs. Make yourself relevant to your prospects and give them a reason to like you!