Do You Give the Right First and Last Impression? - By Corinne Elletson

The First and Last Impressions are What Count the Most in Business

In Hawaii, the word Aloha means both hello and goodbye. They believe you should end a meeting with the same warmth and openness that you started with, if it be a short parting between friends or an indefinite farewell between strangers. You should run your business's prospect relationship model in the same way. Even if the prospect turns you down flat or hangs up on you, follow up with an email thanking them for their time. That small action will mean the difference between loosing a prospect forever and having that prospect possibly change their mind in the future.

To start your hello off on the right foot, you should immediately thank them for contacting you. This is easily done through a "Thank You" page on your website after they fill out your capture form or by having an autoresponder email set up that is sent to them. The best networking marketing practice is to do both. You should also immediately add them to a drip sequence autoresponder email list. This way, if you are unable to follow up with them for a few days, they will be receiving emails from you to keep you fresh in their mind.

You should perform your goodbye in the same way you did your hello. Immediately thank them for their time. Let them know you are available to answer any questions they may have. Add them to a drip list unless they explicitly requested not to be contacted further. Do not get emotional if the person is closed, terse or even a bit rude. Remember to put yourself in the shoes of your prospect. They get these offers all the time. You need to show them why you are different. You do this by reacting with a warm and open gesture, kindly give them a goodbye and give them space. If you treat even your worst goodbyes like your best hellos, you will have prospects who change their mind and appreciate the way you treated them.

How to maximize your prospecting when saying Aloha...

1. You should have a Thank You page immediatly following a successful signup form submission
2. Add the new prospect to a drip email list and send them an immediate response via email follow up with the prospect as soon as possible. The first 24 hours are critical.
3. If a person says they are non longer interested, place them on a separate email campaign drip list. Send them about one email per month. Many prospect success stories start with a prospect who at first said No Thank You.
4. Make sure, however, that a person has a simple way to opt out of receiving your emails.

It is all about starting and ending your relationship with the prospect with a smile, no matter the outcome.


About the Author:

Corinne Elletson is a Project Manager, Copy Writer and Business to Customer Relationship Consultant for the Platinum Synergy Group. Platinum Synergy Group is a web application and website replication company specializing in helping organizations to build online communities through specialized and custom website application tools.