First Impressions Sell

Chuck Terry
Executive Vice President & CSO
Carew International, Inc.

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” American journalist Mike Lauer coined this now famous phrase in the 1950’s; but it is as true today as it was then. We all have a bandwidth of appeal that makes us very likable to some people and not so appealing to others. This bandwidth varies from one person to the next, but we all have one. And while we all know that likeability is critical to success in sales, we might be surprised by the process which determines our likeability.

It is widely recognized that a first impression is formed in the first 10 to 20 seconds after you meet someone new; and that first impression is often inescapable, even long term. In a recent book by Harry Beckwith entitled “You, Inc.", he contends that the decision to buy is usually made concurrently with the first impression, and that the remainder of the selling process is about the buyer building justification for their first impression-based decision. His point is that decisions are made quickly, and then justified, not the other way around.

If you need further evidence of the power of first impressions, I would cite the research of UCLA professor Albert Mehrabian. As a communications research pioneer, his models have become some of the most widely referenced in understanding the factors that go into influencing first impressions. Resulting data from this UCLA study has come to be known as Mehrabian’s Law, and indicates the following relative importance of four major factors in creating first impressions:

Words - the message itself and the words you use- 7%

Voice - the sound, speed, intonation, projection, and pitch of voice- 38%

Visual - appearance, posture, gestures, facial expression, eye movement- 55%

These results are surprising, given that the words we choose account for only 7% of the first impression we create, and even more amazing when you consider their implication to the selling process. As sales professionals, we spend countless hours planning out what we are going to say, what questions we are going to ask, as well as other strategic elements of our sales message. Clearly, we should be spending some time planning all elements of our first impression.

The process of creating a positive first impression is built right into Carew International’s sales training program. We teach what we call Positive Contact as the critical opening element of every client interface. Positive Contact is made up of three essential elements (ATTITUDE, ENERGY and APPEARANCE) that align seamlessly with Mehrabian’s Law. Carew students learn how to align these elements with an understanding of buyer personality orientations to give themselves the maximum opportunity to shine in those first 10 seconds that create lasting impressions.

Whether you like it or not, your words aren’t enough to widen your bandwidth of appeal with people you are meeting for the first time. With a little planning, attention to the elements of influence, and a smile for good measure, you can expand both your “likeability” and your sales.