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What First Impression Are You Giving?
Featured Author:
Shannon Hutton
Shannon Hutton, M.Ed., M.P.A. is a freelance writer, entrepreneur and owner of LinkBloom.com, a consultant firm that helps businesses grow online. She uses her experience and expertise in search engine optimization, affiliate marketing, link building, writing keyword content and website analysis to increase traffic and revenue for select businesses. Shannon applies these same customized business building strategies to promote her site, Playsational.com, where she provides coloring pages to print, easy crafts for kids and giveaways. This website blends both of Shannon’s passions: building an online business and providing fun activities to do with her four daughters!
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The opinions and statements made in this article are solely those of the author and do not represent the opinions or representations of the University of Phoenix.
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More articles from this author:
Shannon Hutton, M.Ed., M.P.A.
Provide a Brief Overview of Your Credentials
Had the financial advisor we met taken a few moments to share his credentials and experience, I may have been able to overlook at least some of his gaffes. Instead, I had to assess his capabilities solely on our initial meeting, which you can gather was not very impressive. Therefore, I recommend taking a few minutes to summarize why you are the right person for the job.
Be Prepared
Be prepared is not just a great motto for the Boy Scouts. It’s a great way to show potential clients that you’re organized, efficient and productive. It impresses clients when you’ve “done your homework” by researching their organization and/or preparing a proposal for the initial meeting. Since I’m a big fan of bulleted handouts, I created one with my ideas when I met with a prospective client at a conference. Shortly thereafter, she offered me the job. Now that I’ve been working with her for some time, she has shared with me that after I left her with the handout, she thought to herself, “She’s so hired!”
Listen
I’m a firm believer that hearing is not the same as listening. So while many people can recite back to you what they heard you say, it doesn’t mean they were genuinely listening to your perspective and reflecting upon it. So when meeting with prospective clients, show a genuine interest in their opinion, perspective and goals by listening as much as, if not more than, the amount of time you talk. Had the financial advisor shut his mouth a few moments and listened to our goals and perspective, he would’ve made more of a positive impression than with the random personal facts he kept choosing to disclose.
Follow-up Promptly
After meeting with potential clients, promptly follow-up and thank them for their time and express that you hope to work together. It’s not only a professional courtesy, it shows initiative. Then, once you’ve begun working with clients, always promptly respond to their emails or phone calls. Not only is it incredibly rude not to, it conveys to your clients that you’re not invested in the relationship.
While I can’t guarantee that you’ll land every client you meet by following my steps to making a positive first impression, I feel strongly that doing the opposite will seriously jeopardize your chances of being hired.
kerrysnetwork
7 months ago
200 comments
This is all great information. Follow-up is especially important and surprisingly, what most people forget.
Account Removed
8 months ago
Absolutely! It seems like many people (I've been guilty of this as well) believe they can BS their way through anything. And you might be able to survive that way, but you'll certainly never achieve great career or personal success without doing your homework.
jennifer41042
8 months ago
62 comments
This is a great article. Being a polished professional can make or break your career and that’s never more important than during a first meeting!
EstherZ
9 months ago
118 comments
Couldn't agree more...
Dana_B
9 months ago
150 comments
So true. Applies to interviews as well.