FCS 061: Master your First Impression!

 

Your first impression for people can make or break a potential sale. There are multiple fronts that you need to think about when you are perfecting your First Impression.

1) You business card - The art of Designing a business card is lost. People think that you need a ton of information and cheesy graphics to have an effective card when actually the opposite is true. Your goal should be to have an amazing quality card that succinctly tells people what you do, shows your brand, and tells people how to get in touch with you or learn more. My card is a thick white card with my logo and services on one side, My simple contact info on the other (email, phone number, website), and a nice photo of me. Why? The logo and main services offered on one side shows my brands style and what we do clearly with no noise. The back side tells people how to get in touch with me or learn more about my services. Having the Picture ads character to the card so people can put a face with the name on the card. I once heard cards with personal pictures on them are more likely to be held on to because of the connection the person can make. "If people see your business card and they don't make a positive comment about it, throw it in the garbage can where it belongs." - Steve Sisler in "The Sweet Spot"

I went to a chamber meeting last week where I won a drawing for a gift card by putting my business card in a bucket. I was happy because I had won. The real victory came the next day when the chamber rep (who is a graphic design professor at a college as well) emailed me just to say "...Going through business cards from last night. LOVE your new card, Matt!" No other comment or prior email chain. My card stood out so much to her that she emailed me to tell me how much she loved it! Make cards that give people THAT reaction!

2) Your Website - If you are going to have a website then do it right. Yes, there are free websites where you can get started but I suggest budgeting at least a little to put toward a website to remove any branding from the hosting company. This is YOUR virtual storefront so only have your logo on it. It's like setting up a store but letting someone else put their logo all over it. Also, own your URL. None of that Blogspot.yourname.comGo spend the $20 on the domain and domain privacy to look more professional.

My favorite comment that we have had from a potential bride was when she put in our contact form that "finding your website was like a breath of fresh air!" We actually went to dinner with that couple and they said that they loved how professional our website was and that it showed our personality and not just our videos and technological jargon about how high quality our cameras are. They were able to connect with us on our site and because of that they wanted to hire us. In that instance, my website sold our services before we even had to talk to the couple. It makes selling so much easier when clients like you before they even talk to you.

3) Your social media - your social media is your living connection to your clients and future clients. All of your social accounts should have the same style and voice as your website. I've seen photographers promote engagement photos on Instagram, Headshot/corporate photos on their website, and nothing on Facebook. Find out what your brands style and voice is first so that can be communicated across all platforms. We only have 289 followers on our business Instagram account and have seriously slacked off on posting lately and we STILL get leads because our style and voice is clear across our First Impression Points.

4) Above and Beyond - The first three things are basics and a great starting point but there are many other places that you can have a first impression that needs to be controlled in the same way. You need to have a clear brand, style, and voice in order to make a great first impression. Maybe you are going to wrap your car for branding, put up a billboard, or sponsor an event where you will have a booth set up. I spent $2000 on Merch & design for my booth at Southeast Photo Convention and I could have easily spent another $2000 to get it where I wanted it. Where ever your brand is going to be in front of potential new clients, it needs to represent it well.

Bonus - How to achieve "Done is better than perfect" while having success with your first impressions. You have heard me say before that Done is BETTER than perfect. I love that saying and I live by it so much so that my wife would say it's to a fault sometimes. You can't spend days working on every little thing that you are going to put out there to promote your business. The best thing you can do is to create a clear brand for your business so you know exactly what meets your standards quickly. Know what fonts represent your brand, what colors are on brand, what lingo you use, what your photo style is for social media and the website, what is your business niche? These things should come across with your posts. If you are a photographer who is known for your light filled pictures with bright primary colors then don't post a dark/moody photo with muted colors. Yes, it might look stunning but it is going to confuse your brand. Get that picture printed and hang it in your house if it makes you feel better but don't let it confuse your brand. I know photographers that have won major awards (still trying to talk them into being on the show) and when I see a photo on social, I can tell if it's theirs without even looking at who posted it. Their style is that engrained in their brand so much that it stands out to everyone!