Your Split-Second First Impression
February 15th, 2011 by Matthew Linklater
You don’t have 10 minutes to make your first impression. In fact, you don’t even have four minutes for that. No, the time you have to impress your prospective clients and customers is less than 60 seconds! It’s less than 30 seconds! You have exactly ½ of a second to win the approval of your prospects. Bam! That’s all you have, whether you’re speaking in person or on the phone. How well do you and your team work within that split second? Are your sales training tactics in place for a successful outcome?
Consider this scenario: you are speaking with someone at an association meeting, and when you approach a prospect after the meeting ends to introduce yourself, you are being judged by that person before you even open your mouth. They are quickly and even subconsciously evaluating whether they get an acceptable vibe from the way you walk, the appearance of your clothes, and your mannerisms. Critiquing you on whether they see a right fit for their needs, they have already measured you up on their judgment of confidence, professionalism and capability… before you’ve even opened your mouth.
Then, you actually do open your mouth, and extend your hand for a greeting. As they grip your handshake, this prospect is simultaneously gauging whether they like the firmness of your handshake as well as listening for a comfortable sound in the tone of your voice. They can tell whether you are nervous, or at ease, just by listening to your vocal steadiness. If you are smiling easily, they have probably concluded that you are friendly and likeable. That split second counts significantly, and you’ve barely even mentioned your name!
Now, consider how much more critical this split-second first impression is when on a phone sales call. Has your sales force training properly covered effective product scripts, to leverage that critical first impression? The business and sales training programs that you choose should absolutely not miss this pivotal point: the .5 second opportunity to make a winning first impression will make or break your sale.
Catch your prospects’ genuine interest with the right approach to the sales process. Call us today for a consultation!
- Posted in Link's Inspiration
- Tagged with business sales training, Company Communication, corporate sales training, Employee Assessment, Product Script, professional sales training, sales force training, sales management training, sales team training, sales training coaching, sales training companies, sales training courses, sales training programs
[...] takes .5 seconds to make or break your sale – both on the phone or in person. The blog, titled “Your Split-Second First Impression,” urges sales representatives to leverage their first half second in approaching a prospect, for a [...]