First Impressions are Critical
Experts say that people form their first impression of someone new that they meet within the first minute of meeting them. Some even go so far as to say that they form their impression within seconds. We believe the same is true when someone first sees your company's marketing materials.
So why do so many people cut corners with their marketing materials? While it may seem cost effective to print your own business cards on your inkjet printer, the first impression you give is not that you are cost-conscious, but cheap and unprofessional. Shouldn't your marketing materials reflect the professional, high-quality services or products that you provide? If you don't take your own materials seriously enough to have them look professional, then someone may be concerned about your overall work ethic — and take their business elsewhere.
There are many options available for printing business cards that look very professional and are also inexpensive, including online and traditional printers. The same applies to your corporate brochure. You can now have as few as 100 brochures printed for less than one dollar each. And, the more you order, the less expensive per piece it becomes. Not graphically-inclined? Don't worry. Many online printers have a wide variety of templates that you can select and traditional printers can also help with layouts. So, there is simply no excuse for taking the cheap route.
Your Web site is just as important. If you are in business — of any size or type — you need to have a Web site. It can be basic or complicated, but it does need to exist. And more importantly, just as with personal appearance, you have a very short period of time to catch someone's attention and convince them that they need to do business with you. According to a survey conducted by The Nielsen Company, in May 2008, the average amount of time a person in the U.S. spent on every Web page was just 53 seconds. You may think that your site is great with lots of graphics, video, and so on but if it takes more than just a couple of seconds to load, the viewer has gone on to another site – and taken their business with them. While a picture may be worth a thousand words, people still need to read about your business and the products or services it provides. And they don't need — nor want — to have to search around on your Web site to find that information.
There's another benefit to having a Web site, even if you are a very small business: you will have a professional e-mail address. While it is less expensive to have an e-mail address provided by providers like Comcast, AOL, Yahoo and Hotmail, it actually shows that you don't take your own business very seriously — so again, why should someone want to work with you? As with printing, you can have a professional Web site for relatively little expense. For example, for less than $5 per month, you can have a basic site — including e-mail — hosted on GoDaddy.com.
Of course, the best way to make a great first impression with your marketing materials may be to hire a firm or designer to work with you to create your materials. However, that doesn't have to take a small fortune either. Again, don't look for cheapest — look for who you think will do the best job.
Once your marketing materials present your business in the best possible way, don't forget that you are the actual “face” of your business and again, remember that first impressions are critical. Michelle Sterling, an expert on image, impression and impact puts it this way:
- If you appear to be of a comparable business level, you are considered suitable for further interaction.
- If you appear to be of a higher business status, you are admired and cultivated as a valuable contact.
- If you appear to be of a lower business standing, you are tolerated but kept at arm's length.
And, according to Ms. Sterling, this evaluation is made within the first three seconds of meeting someone!
Your appearance is crucial — from head to toe. Are you overdue for a haircut? Do your clothes fit properly? Some experts say that your shoes may be one of the most important details. If they aren't well maintained, a potential client will question whether you pay attention to other details.
Business casual has made professional dressing difficult. If you are meeting with someone in person, you should dress in the same way they are dressed — that is, if they are in a suit, you should be, too. If they are more casual, then you should be, but when in doubt, always try for a more professional and conservative look. If you are attending a professional meeting, always dress to impress. You don't want to be remembered as the person in jeans while everyone else had on a suit. And always, ALWAYS remember that showing less skin is better than more. While you may be more comfortable, especially in the summer, you may also look less professional.
And finally — because this is one of our pet peeves — ladies, never, ever freshen your makeup, including lipstick, while sitting at the dining or meeting table. After all, what would you think if a man pulled out his razor for a quick touch-up?
Want to make a great first impression? We'll meet with you for a complimentary one-hour consultation to review your marketing materials. We can also suggest image consultants to help improve your professional image.
