First Impressions - Why They Matter!

byFunkydunc208

4K followers

7 years ago

Do you believe in "Love at First Sight"? No, that only happens in movies! Really? Maybe some of us are with the person we fell in love with the moment we met them. What happened back there? What was it that caused that instant connection?

It was the power of First Impressions! That first contact between two people had a powerful impact that influenced the life course they took together. So let's think about how we can make our first impression effective, both when we meet people and when we write content here at WA and on our websites.

Think about the following:

This raises an interesting conundrum. Since first impressions can make a massive difference in the success of our ventures, does this mean we put a lot of emphasis on what we look like or on how we are? Is it being a person of charisma or being one of character? Interesting questions.

Last week I went into a McDonald's restaurant to get a cafe latte. The first thing I noticed after I had ordered was that the tables near where I sat needed wiping down and things were a touch untidy. The coffee was fine, but that first impression of the store had an impact. It was different yesterday at another McDonald's McCafe store where the coffee was just as good but the tidiness was up to their usual standard. What did it teach me?

Lesson: That it can be the little things, the seemingly less important things that make an impression. We may have the Hugo Boss suit on but if our Armani shoes aren't polished, (Note to all readers: I don't have either) then we can tell a different story to what we had intended. McDonald's have high standards of cleanliness embedded into their training programs, but one or two lax staff can change the perception people have of them and impact the dining and/or coffee experience.

So what are the little things? It's the smile, the eye contact (if appropriate in our culture), appropriate dress and grooming, our greeting, and the ability to actively listen to whom we are talking to that can improve the first impression.

In the writing of content, the boring introduction, the spelling and grammar mistakes and the lack of research could conceivably dull the bright glossy image on our blog or page, or the fancy theme we have used on our WordPress site.

Here's an important point to lock away:

A Recent Experience of Mine:

You may recall that I recently sought everyone's help with cold calling tips for my window washing business. (https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/funkydunc208/blog/...)

Last Wednesday, I walked into a hair and beauty salon called Thairapy. I introduced myself to one of the hairdressers who was thrilled to meet a window washer. She said they needed one. She immediately went over to the owner and said, "There's a man here who can wash our windows regularly and he's a lovely man." I had spoken just a few words, 10-15 seconds max, but not only do I now have a regular client, (I cleaned the windows immediately) but one of the salon's clients was super enthusiastic about me cleaning her home. Do I believe in First Impressions? Absolutely. The success of just that call spurred me on to continued visits on other businesses in the area.

What Are Your Experiences?

Since I don't want this to be all about me, it is now time for all of you to share your insights about the power of First Impressions. What experiences have you had? How can we use these skills to empower us here at Wealthy Affiliate? There is plenty of room in the comments box for all of you.

So in conclusion let's all use the following as our business calling card -

Till next time,