What First Impression Do We Make?

Posted by Deborah Chaddock Brown on December 14, 2009 under Customer Moments, First Impressions, Perceptions | Be the First to Comment

In the recent edition of Cosmo there is an article that talks about the Six Things Guys Notice in the First Six Seconds. There are a few obvious answers: smile, hair and cleavage but also a couple surprises: makeup, skin and your purse.

The article reports that guys make certain assumptions about you by what they notice in the first six seconds.  For example: 

Are all women who haul around big purses—in other words, cavernous rucksacks stuffed full of old receipts, emergency sweaters, and half-used bottles of hand sanitizer—high maintenance? Maybe not. But guys will go ahead and assume they are anyway.

I heard about this article on the radio this morning and a caller said – I have a large bag but it was a gift. Another caller said their purse was big because it contained items they might need in an emergency – they wanted to be prepared. The third caller said she had items in her purse so that she could look good for her man.

The DJ said “it doesn’t matter – it is the PERCEPTION the guy has about you.”

Ahhhh reality isn’t really a factor.

So let’s bring this around to our customer.  What assumptions do our customers make about us and the products/services we provide and our ability to solve their problem?  Are their perceptions based in reality? Would we be surprised?

Customers make assumptions from the moment they pull into our parking lot or click on our Home Page. They look around, and may not even be aware, but begin to make judgements about our ability to suit their needs from the first greeting.

Kevin Stirtz offers some suggestions for making a great first impression.

Daryl Logullo has written an article talking about how the difference between perception and reality can negatively impact your word of mouth reputation.

Bottom line – you have to keep an on-going, open line of communication with your customers to ensure their perception of you as a person, your company and your products and services are the same as what you believe them to be. 

How do you measure your customer’s first impressions of you and your business?