Make First Impressions Count.

 

“A clown puts his makeup on upside down so he wears a smile even when he wears a frown”.

These words from a John Prine song reminded me of how in the world of selling we need to appear positive at all times to our customers and clients. Effective selling can only come from having the attitude of a person who is self-assured and confident. If you are in sales you are in the business of meeting people regularly, those you know, past clients, customers or complete strangers.

On a daily basis salespeople are no different to anyone else they have their good days and those days that could be better. The reasons for how you feel at any one time to a large extent depends on events both inside and outside of your control. To most people this is not of any great concern, but to a salesperson how they feel and appear to their clients and customers will be the measure of their success.

As a sales professional there is no choice, you have to appear at all times a confident, positive and professional while achieving sales. It may seem difficult at times, however to be a success in the profession of selling and in business it is vital to present yourself as someone people want to deal with. Your attitude, personal development and presentation need to be worked on to ensure you are equipped to handle those things in life that can affect how you appear to others.

• Believe in yourself, expect things to go well.
• Have a vision; it will enable you to transcend the negative.
• Ask yourself – how do I appear to others?
• Stay in control, remain calm – don’t fall apart and blame others.
• Make those first impressions count.
• Do you have authority, are you trustworthy, do people want hear what you have to say.
• Remember to respond not react.

Your temperament and demeanour is something that is hard to hide and it needs to be recognised that the saying, “what you see is what you get” can’t apply to those in selling. Your business depends on people liking you, dealing with you again and referring you to others.
It is too easy to fall into negative feelings and not maintain a positive outlook. Like the clown, no matter how you are feeling, you have to put on a smile. Understand a frown is only a smile upside down.

“SMILE! In every language, in every culture – it is the light in your window that tells people there’s a caring, sharing individual inside and it’s the universal code for “I’m O.K. – You’re O.K., too!” Dr Denis Waitley