“First impressions are formed in the blink of an eye, but their impact lasts a lifetime” is an expression I repeated to myself before meeting potential clients for the first time. The science behind this mantra suggests people form an opinion in seconds. Some studies have shown that people form initial judgments about others within milliseconds of meeting them. These opinions can impact sales success and career growth. This article explores how sales professionals can make their best first impression when meeting new prospects for the first time.

Every salesperson knows the importance of making a good early impression. However, it is all too common that, despite this awareness, buyers are often left with a negative impression after the initial meeting with a seller. This begs the question: How does this disconnect occur when sellers understand that their success hinges on the opinion of the buyers they are working with?

The answer lies in the fundamental dynamics of human psychology. As social beings, we are hard-wired to judge others rapidly based on limited information. Our brains automatically seek cues to assess trustworthiness, competence, and likability. These instinctive evaluations guide our subsequent interactions and influence our decisions.

For salespeople, understanding first impressions is not just a matter of intuition but a strategic imperative. A positive initial impression helps foster trust, instill confidence, and create an environment conducive to open dialogue. On the other hand, a poor first impression can create barriers, raise doubts, and hinder communication and the sales process.

Start with Low Ego

Have you ever observed a new salesperson who appears nervous and cautious at the beginning of their sales career, carefully choosing every word and action? They diligently follow the sales training and coaching they received and experience early sales success. They might even set a new sales record, and their potential seems unlimited. However, after this initial peak, they seem to reach a plateau and never manage to achieve the early high-performance results again.

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For beach lovers, a walk along the shore is an experience to savor – no matter whether the tide is pouring in or receding. Unlike these sand-and-surf aficionados, though, most business development leaders are naturally happiest when cash is flowing, and less comfortable when it’s running dry.

During difficult times, though, the outstanding ones see opportunities to move from their comfort zone and deliver even stronger performance. Moreover, they help their teams adopt the same mindset.

How? They throw out the old sales playbook and they retrain everyone on new business development strategies. They also avoid common training mistakes that could impede everyone’s progress, including:

1. Lack of leadership buy-in: Too often, business development executives require their people to retrain while they remain on the sidelines. Leaders and managers should complete new training programs before anyone else does – demonstrating their support for the updated standards.
2. Putting the wrong person in charge: During a downturn, how often do companies ask people to shoulder more than one role? That can work in other positions, but not for sales training. How can individuals who are overworked (and very possibly underqualified) empower their teams to maximize revenues and margins and shorten sales cycles? Odds are they just don’t have the bandwidth or the expertise. In this case, it’s important to tap someone who is proven.
3. Adopting a one-size-fits-all approach: Training everyone the same way at the same time is a recipe for intimidation and confusion (among rookies) and disinterest (among seasoned leaders). Trainers should prepare flexible and robust content to meet everyone’s needs. Great trainers not only make desired outcomes clear; they individualize KPIs according to each colleague’s experience and skill level.
4. A lack of consistent or sustainable reinforcement: Top-notch trainers know that people’s habits determine their future – and the future of their company. Leaders need to keep modeling and reinforcing new training solutions as “must haves” to ensure that their teams will adopt and master them. Continue reading →