Top 5 ways to make a “bad” first impression

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At the end of the day, I transform the way you run your business into a business you love to run.

Although there’s only one chance to make a good first impression, there are actually multiple ways to make a “bad” first impression.  I am talking about all the ways your potential customer can meet you and your business for the first time.

Below is a list of the top 5 customer experience touch points in a small agency example.  Any one of these “first impressions” can either make or break the deal.

Customer Experience Touch points

Mission – To be client’s lighthouse and guide their clients to a solution to their problem and closer to their business goals.

 

Incoming Call

  • Answering machine message
    • Should be friendly, helpful and direct their client’s next step
    • Should be updated regularly with new promotions, calendar of events, etc
  • Receptionist phone/sale script to get contact info
    • Should be updated regularly with new promotions, calendar of events, etc
    • Should collect ‘Where did you hear about us? info
      • Collect metrics and data on where the leads are coming from
      • Without collecting this data – you cannot determine ROI
    • Recommend a Telemarketer/Receptionist for the front area
      • Telemarketer stays busy taking and making calls
      • Telemarketer also logs calls and script/questionnaire answers
    • Keep metrics and know your numbers
      • Understand how many “in-coming” calls you need to make your revenue goal
      • How many sales do you need to make your revenue goal
        • Example: Need 50 sales a month to make my revenue goal
      • How many appointments you need to make a sell
        • Example: On average, I have an 80% conversion. For every 10 people I meet with, I can close 8 of them.
      • How many incoming and outgoing calls do you need to make until you get an appointment
        • Example: For every 5 incoming call, I get 1 appointment. For every 15 outgoing calls, I get 1 appointment.  Therefore, I need (5X 10 X 6) or 300 incoming calls a month
      • Focus newsletters/email/social media and other promotions to increase incoming calls
        • Example: My in-bound promotions generate 10 in-coming calls a month.  Therefore, I need to both increase the in-coming call rate AND supplement with outgoing calls
      • Telemarketer/Receptionist salary could be part commission via appointments made
        • Allows performance based pay option

 

Outgoing Calls (Telemarketer/Receptionist can be used for lead generation activities)

  • Above example illustrates that incoming call rate cannot sustain revenue goal. You need a combination
  • Use exchangeleads.io or other lead generating tools to get batch qualified leads
  • Design scripts for following up on leads
  • Contact people when they have downloaded your offers/white papers/videos
  • Send Thank you notes/calls for calling/visiting/requesting information
  • Promotional calls for upcoming offers/campaigns
  • MIA calls for clients that have disconnected (and you want them to engage back)
  • Keep metrics and know your numbers
    • Goal of how many outgoing calls to make an appointment
    • Goal of how many appointments you need to make a sell
    • How many sales you need to be successful, etc.
    • Track actual against goals

Newsletters/Emails

  • Distribute on a regular schedule
  • Update with current promotions, campaigns
  • Provide interesting, usable content and relevant context for your “ideal” client
  • Collect metrics on leads generated, inbound links, content performance by author, content performance by topic, content performance by format
  • Collect metrics on social proof/share-ability

 

Introduced through Website and Social Media

  • Make sure website is up to date on News, Staff/Team info as well as blogs
  • Provide valuable opt-ins and Qualifying Questionnaires
  • Collect metrics on customer generating performance

First In-House Visit:

  • Make sure your office is inviting and understandable. Confirm the client knows where to go and who to meet.  If you have multiple entries, make sure they know which door to go through and who to ask for.
  • If you give the client a tour of your offices, have suggested script for both client and staff introductions, roles/titles, and how instruct staff on how they are to respond, etc.

 

Conclusion

In general, a confused or unsure mind says “no”.  Therefore, from the start, make every client touch point very clear, comfortable and inviting.

 

I know your unique situation is different.  If interested, please setup a complimentary one-on-one discovery call, so that I can learn more about your circumstances and supply a more customized recommendation.

 

For additional information on this topic, please contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info

I am a business coach and this is what I do professionally.  It’s easy to sign up for a complementary one-on-one coaching call, just use this link https://www.timetrade.com/book/WFSFQ