How to Make a Great First Impression with Your Business

You have ten seconds to make a first impression. Some people say that it takes less than that. What kind of impression do you make in ten seconds?

When you approach someone in person, you must remember that you are not only representing yourself, but you are also representing your business. You should dress like the type of client that you want to attract. If you are going to a grocery store and overhear a conversation that you are an expert on, are you dressed appropriately to interrupt and make a comment?

My grandfather had an interesting take on appearances. "You can always judge a man by his shoes," he would say. My grandfather, Charles Marotta, was a Vice President for CitiBank. He made a lot of bankers' careers just by hiring them. He also passed on quite a few. Did he hire them just because of their shoes? Probably not. But, shoes made the first impression for him. His reasoning was that if someone took enough time to shine their shoes for a job interview, they paid attention to detail and cared about how they looked from head to toe-And that was the kind of person that he wanted working for him. You never know how you are going to be judged by the person that you approach, so make sure that you are dressed and styled appropriately.

My Uncle Tony, an Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) for the DEA, judges people based on their handshake. A handshake says a lot about a person. I tell all of the people that work for me to have a strong handshake. Even if they don't usually have one, I tell them to make sure they have a strong, firm handshake when they are representing my company. A firm handshake demonstrates that you are assertive and confident, while a weak handshake demonstrates the exact opposite.

The way that you approach a new client speaks volumes about you as well. People respond more to individual attention over generic postcards or emails. Individual attention takes more time, but you will get a bigger response to an individualized approach over one that is en masse. For example, let's say that you have a booth at a bridal show. Brides and their mothers come over to your table to see what you can offer. Do you allow them to simply look at your table, or do you greet them and ask their name? Separate yourself from others by extending your hand for a handshake, learning their name and following up after the bridal show. Often times, vendors take tables at tradeshows, sit behind their tables, send out a mass email to the list they receive when the show is over, and complain that they did not generate any business from the show. If the shoe was on the other foot and you were the bride, which approach would you respond to better?

Everyone wants to feel that they made an impression on someone that they have met. Here is a trick: When you do a tradeshow, keep a notebook handy. As soon as the person you have just met leaves, jot down their name and a few things that made an impression on you. For example, "Kathy - red dress - gold earrings - wants honeymoon in Bali." Then, when you follow up with a call or an email, mention what you write down: "Hi, Kathy, this is Candy Cain from Candy Cain Travel Co. We met at the ABC Bridal show. Those gold earrings were to die for! Where did you get them?" And so the conversation begins. Then, you can transition to why you were calling or emailing, such as wanting to book her honeymoon. Regardless of whether or not she wants to book with you, there is that obligation to respond to your initial question that has nothing to do with business, and continue the conversation.

An even better way to bolster this little trick is to have an individual raffle, where guests at the show have to fill out a raffle ticket of their own and stick in your goldfish bowl. Number these tickets, so that you can correspond the numbers with the notes you take in your notebook. The prize doesn't have to be anything major: people love to get free stuff. For instance, create a "basket of romance"-Go to a discount store and get a bottle of bubble bath, massage oil and a candle. Wrap it up in a basket with some cellophane. It shouldn't cost you more than $20. With the amount of leads you can generate on your own, you can easily make ten times that amount if you follow up correctly.

With every person that you approach, it is important to be relatable to them. If you can't relate to them in even a small way, then they shouldn't be your client to begin with. You want their business; you must show them why they should give it to you. Regardless of what it is, people always look for some sort of human connection that they can relate and refer to. Make that connection, and everything else will come naturally. Even if the potential client doesn't use your services, they will remember you and potentially give you business in the future.

This may sound cliché, but it is the best advice that you will ever receive: Treat everyone you approach the way that you would want to be treated if you were in their shoes. Take the time to understand their position. You can do this without even meeting them; just think of the scenario. For example, if they are a new mother going into a baby trade show or a young bride going to a bridal showcase, they will most likely feel overwhelmed and intimidated. Approach them accordingly. When you relate to the potential client, a connection is made that no one else may have with them. Use that connection to your advantage and turn the connection into commission.