Last week, I went to Dana Point for a good friend’s daughter’s wedding. It seemed like an opportunity for a mini-getaway, and so I spent the night at the Marriott (pictured). Not only does Dana Point appear majestic with the view of the water, the lawn in front of this hotel provides a great first impression.
Your customers’ first impression can be very important. It gives them a “feeling” about your product or service. As my consulting mentor says, “Logic makes people think. Emotion makes them act.” In this case, it gave a calming and majestic feeling. Great for the end of a busy week!
What is the first impression of your product or service? Does it appear to be high quality? Or is your service welcoming and customer friendly? Mainly, is it what you would like it to be?
One tip to implement this week:
Start by taking a step back to think about your first impression. What would a customer experience? One idea is to ‘shop your business’. If you have a product, go to shipping to see what your next customer will receive as a first shipment. Also, check on the carrier or truck to understand the delivery experience. Perhaps order your product for a family member (so your team doesn’t know it is for you) and see how it arrives. If you provide a service, call a customer upon your team’s first interaction. Or go to the point of service and observe or test your service. Test your perceptions.
Once you gain an understanding of your first impression, consider ways to improve upon this first impression. Don’t just think about what you would want. Put your mind into your target customer’s experience. What value could you add (that doesn’t have to cost anything) that they would appreciate and value? The clients that do this the best have a completely different relationship with their customers. It is worth pursuing if you’d like to increase your customer value and your bottom line!
July 3, 2019