Do first impressions matter? Yes.
Can a bad first impression be overcome? Yes, but not easily. Wouldn’t it be better to make a good one? Or better yet, a great one.
No matter the setting, first impressions matter. In person, in print, on a screen, over the phone, in a text… make a good first impression.
When and where does one make a first impression?
Recognize the initial connection points others have with you or your organization – is it your home page, your social media marketing, your front door, the recording to leave you a message, or something else?
How are they greeted? Are they made to feel welcome and appreciated, or are they ignored?
What do they see or hear in that first encounter with you? Does what you communicate resonate with them? Does it engage them? Do they feel like you are speaking to them and their needs?
Communication forms a connection between sender and receiver. It forms a relationship. A good first impression sets it up for success. A negative first impression does not.
What does it take to make a good first impression?
Acknowledge their presence in a way that is welcoming. This is as simple as making eye contact and smiling. A previous post discussed the importance of this for excellent customer service.
Consider how you or someone in your organization answers the phone. Can they hear a smile in your voice? Are you prompt in responding to a voicemail or a text?
Smiling, making eye contact, and saying hello cheerfully can be everyone’s responsibility in an organization, but it pays to make sure this happens in any given situation.
For example, when we have a show or an event at the Delphi Opera House where I serve on the board, we designate several positions to fill this role. We have greeters at the front door, someone posted in the elevator, and ushers at the entrance of the auditorium. By the time someone takes a seat, they should have had at least three people acknowledge their presence and make them feel welcome.
I am also the chairman of the hospitality ministry at our church. By the time you take your seat in the worship center, the greeters at the welcome desk have said good morning, the coffee servers have invited you to have a beverage and a snack, and the ushers have welcomed you and given you a bulletin.
What does a negative first impression feel like?
I was reminded this weekend of the importance of positive first impressions when I was a guest at another church. We visited the church we attended while in college and where we had gotten married. The former pastor who had officiated our wedding was back, and we wanted to see him after 45 years.
The service was amazing. They had a full orchestra and phenomenal music. The sermon was fabulous. We sat with old friends. Would these wonderful impressions have enticed us to return if we were considering where to attend church? Possibly, but they would need to overcome a negative first impression. Why?
We arrived early and entered a very well-appointed gathering area. There were couches, well-placed seating areas, and a counter set up with coffee urns and boxes of donut holes. People were milling about and engaged in conversation, with each other. No one said hello. No one looked our way and smiled.
We felt ignored, possibly invisible, a bit lost. We both noted their lack of a greeter, or someone to serve the coffee, or help you find the sanctuary. We took a seat after getting beverages and waited for our friends to arrive. When another couple sat near us, we greeted them and asked if they were also visitors. They were.
They had also known the former pastor and when we explained we were there to see him, they promptly found him for us and we had a great time reconnecting. I had brought an old photo from our wedding, and we all had a good laugh at how we had changed.
So many positives and yet, that negative first impression lingered. It made us wonder… when and where are we missing the opportunity to make a great first impression?
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” ~ Will Rogers
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