No matter how large or established your business might be, winning new clients will always be an important practice. Of course, business is conducted in a rational world, so you would hope that a new client will judge you on the quality of your work. While, of course, the work that you do will be very important, the first impression you make is still critical for forming a long-term, positive working relationship.
Why Are First Impressions So Important?
Before focusing on the best ways to make a positive first impression, it is useful to explain why a first impression is just so important. Research from the Harvard Business Review has found that a good first impression is critical because it happens quickly. Researchers explain that people make judgments about each other in a nanosecond, and once this impression has been formed, it is extremely tricky to change.
Making a positive first impression will impact how the new client will view you and interpret your actions in the future. This means that if you turn up late or make a mistake in a future meeting, the client is more likely to benefit from the doubt due to the positive first impression.
Having room to experiment and be fallible can be hugely valuable in the business context, as it can mark the difference between forming a long-term, positive working relationship and wasting time on a short-term venture.
Ways to Make the Best First Impression with New Clients
Now that you understand a little bit more about why a good first impression is just so important, it is time to focus on how you can achieve this. The following list outlines some of the easiest ways that you can make a positive first impression on a new client and gain a solid foundation for a strong reputation for yourself and your business.
1. Don’t Be Late
Arriving at a meeting on time, if not a few minutes early, is essential when it comes to making a great first impression on a new client. No matter how good your excuse might be, nothing can rectify the damage being late causes to a first impression. When you are late, this is likely to lead to frustrations, which will impact a client’s perceptions of you. Plan to be a bit early to all meetings with new clients to ensure you are not making a negative first impression before even meeting.
2. Dress Appropriately
Of course, you will hope that your appearance won’t make too much of an impact when you are meeting a new client for the very first time, but it can have an effect. You should make sure that you dress appropriately for the context of the meeting. In addition, you should take into account the business environment and working culture to ensure you can be respectful and make the right first impression of yourself with appearance.
3. Keep Your Environment Clean
If you have clients coming into your place of work, then you must realize that the impression you make will begin before your first face-to-face encounter. The way that your workplace looks will be seen as a direct representation of the standards you hold yourself to.
You will need to make sure that your place of work is kept clean and tidy to avoid a negative impression being made. Not only will you need to think about the interior of your office space but the exterior too. If a client drives to your place of work, gets out of their car to find a huge oil spill, this will impact. Oil spillage clean up, and graffiti removal are as important as interior cleaning when it comes to making the right first impression on a new client.
4. Be Confident in Yourself
It can be tempting, especially if you are thinking too much about making a good first impression, to feel stifled and panicked when it comes to meeting a new client. When you are overly concerned about making a positive first impression, you will feel less able to be yourself. Being confident in yourself is actually one of the most important steps that you can take when making a first impression.
Other steps, such as dressing right, keeping clean, and showing up on time, are all focused on ensuring you do not inadvertently make a negative impression before you have even met with a new client. Once you have met face to face, you should try to relax and be confident in yourself. Being confident in your authentic self will help you build trust and respect with your new client, which can be one of the most impactful aspects of making a positive first impression.
