Making A Good First Impression In Business
The first impression always counts, and you have a total of seven seconds before a person's impression of you and your business is made. But are you making those seven seconds count? And where do you need to do it to ensure you are making a good first impression?
As a minimum, it is at the first contact with your business. Be it attending offices for meetings, walking past your storefront, finding your website online, or even your social media accounts. If you fall short at the first hurdle, you will likely struggle to get past this.
So how can you make sure you make a good first impression in all areas?
Good landscaping
Stand outside your premises if you have one and have a look at what people will see when they arrive. Is there paint peeling in a building? Do you have a messy external area, or is it simply boring and non-impactful? Whatever could be distracting from your first impression rectifies it. Whether you lay zeon zoysia turf to create a lush green external area, give your exterior a fresh lick of paint, or update your signage and security, pay attention to the small details and improve how your building looks from a distance.
A fast-loading website
Your website must be fast loading, safe, secure, and easy to navigate. People spend less than 15 seconds on a website, on average, making a decision or looking for the answer to a query. If you fail to make a good impression, your site doesn't load, or visitors are bombarded with too many pop-ups or notices, they will simply click off and look elsewhere. Make sure people can easily find what they need and your website is uncluttered, has a good structure, and is responsive to get the job done.
Social media accounts
These days over 75% of people check for brands on social media before deciding to do business with them or make a purchase. What do your social media accounts say about you? Make sure everything you most appeals to your core audience and is true to our brand ethos and values. You want your social media account to be representative of what you are about and showcase you in the best light. Pay attention to the language you use, images, and what you share from third parties to ensure you don't stray from this and inadvertently give out the wrong impression of your business.
Ease of access
Lastly, you must examine how easy it is to access your business or products. If you have a physical premise, do you have ample parking? Is it clear where your entrance is, and are you adequately signposted? How easy is it for people to find your entrance or move purchases from your checkouts to their car? All these little aspects matter in making a good impression. If it is too tricky to locate you, people will simply move on by.
The same goes for your checkout process online. If they have filled a cart and your checkout process is too complicated or does not flow correctly, people will abandon it. Even if you make an excellent impression on your website and make it easy for them to get this far, if your final step is ineffective, then all of your efforts in making a good first impression will be wasted.
Conclusion
Many people form their first impression of your business before they even reach the point of sale. Taking into account all the different ways people can create the first impression of your business will help you avoid common mistakes and ensure you get off on the right foot.
