You should know that there are five crucial things that you should do to create a good impression on a potential client or customer to begin the journey to closing the sale before you ever talk to the potential client in person, on the phone, or communicate via the internet.
1. Create a positive, dynamic, informative website. We live in the age of information where most people do internet website check to qualify anyone that they may be thinking of doing business with, and they’ll do all of this before you ever get a chance to talk to them. They may have been directed to your website from a friend colleague, associate, or from a Google search that turned up your url. So make sure that your website makes a good first impression on anyone who visits. It should inspire confidence in your product or service, and it should make people want to do business with you. Make sure that you answer as many frequently asked questions as possible on your site so that when customers do come to you, they are ready to buy. Finally, make sure that your website is easy to use and navigate.
2. Connect with potential customers by sending them a professional proposal or brochure. This can be the perfect way to introduce yourself and your company to a prospect in a non-threatening, yet professional way. Send a nice and professional looking postcard, flyer, proposal, or brochure. Make sure that it is well written, beautifully designed, and eye popping. It should also be a good representation of you and your company and should by reflective of the work that you do. In addition, it should entice the customer to want to buy. Don’t forget, you cannot make a first impression again!
3. Take the time to understand your prospect. Do some research either via the internet or through question probing. Try to find out what makes your prospect happy and what pains him; find out what he or she truly desires and that which he or she is truly emotional about. Use this information to better help you serve your customer. If you can show your customer that you really do care, then it will most likely translate over very well into your bank account.
4. Personalize for the prospect. There is nothing better than knowing that someone has thought about you and taken you into consideration when doing something. The same is true in business. So the next time you are making a sales pitch, be it a product or service that you are trying to sell, make sure to personalize the presentation for the client. Include their name and company logo in the presentation slides, personalize labels on products, and create special presentation materials tailored to reflect the client and/or their company. While these are relatively small details, they really add up in the big picture by helping you to close the sale.
5. Send your prospect a free sample. You may not know this, but when people receive mail, they organize it into two piles: one is the junk pile and the other is the keep pile. Bills, personal mail, and packages end up in the keep pile, while advertisements always end up in the junk pile. It is not surprising that no one really reads the junk pile, they just throw it away. To avoid being placed in the junk pile, try sending your prospects samples of your work for free. If you provide a service, send a classy but cheap gift that will get used but will also encourage the prospect to give you a call when in need of the service that you provide.
Plan ahead, take a few actions to make a good first impression and be ready for your business to take off!